Personal Flying Vehicle Introduced; $190,000 Each

Pivotal, formerly known as Opener, just introduced a new eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) vehicle going on sale in January.

The Pivotal Helix, a single-passenger electric aerial vehicle (EAV), has been in development since 2011. 

A large number of such vehicles are coming to market in 2024, with most having been in development for a number of years.

Like others, the Helix is operated by joystick, with fly-by-wire electrical controls.

It is a tilt aircraft with fixed rotors and tandem wings. It is a light aircraft, meaning it comes under the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 103 ultralight rating.

This category of EAV does not require a pilot license or, technically, any training, though most marketers of such EAVs also provide training.

By FAA rule, an ultralight must be a single occupancy vehicle and weigh less than 255 pounds empty.

They also cannot be used for aerial advertising or carrying parcels for hire and cannot be capable of going faster than 63 mph.

Other personal flying vehicles coming out include the Ryse Recon, which can also land and takeoff on water, which most cannot do.

The Jetson, which singer, songwriter and technology entrepreneur Will.i.am invested in, plans to start deliveries of its EAV in 2024.

Related:Electric Flying Vehicle Lands, Takes Off on Water

More than 300 Jetson One eVTOLs have been sold at $98,000 per vehicle, according to the company.

And another single-seat personal flying vehicle maker has teamed with a flying vehicle retail showroom company to bring 10,000 of the vehicles to market by 2030.

Land Rotor in Orlando, Florida, agreed with Aeroauto in Royal Palm Beach, Florida, to add the Land Rotor Sportster to the growing portfolio of flying vehicle companies Aeroauto is marketing.

And as part of the growing ecosystem for electric flying vehicles, flying car company Ace VTOL and Volatus Infrastructure and Energy Solutions, which develops takeoff and landing facilities for flying cars, have entered into a joint venture to create an advanced air mobility ecosystem in the Oceania region.

The venture intends to develop a system of 700 vertiports, where eVTOLs can operate from and be serviced, including battery charging.
Volatus Infrastructure is also developing vertiports for takeoff and landing in the U.S.

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