How many times have you been stuck in traffic and wished you could just fly over all the other cars? Well, you may be able to as early as next year, because that's when the Velocitor X-1 personal eVTOL is expected to enter production.
The X-1 is being developed by Michigan-based startup Velo X Aerospace, which is already taking $5,000 deposits on an initial run of 100 aircraft that are slated to begin production in the first quarter of 2027. The total price of each of those first 100 is US$156,000.
Like a number of similar eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft, the single-passenger X-1 utilizes eight electric motor/propeller modules mounted on the ends of four arms.
These allow it to takeoff and land vertically, and autonomously hover in place (via GPS) like a helicopter. It can also cruise forward at a speed of 70 mph (112 km/h). One six-hour charge of its battery pack is claimed to be good for one hour of flight time, along with a 15-minute reserve.
The X-1's flight system combines pilot input with automation. According to Velo X, "If you can handle a side-by-side, a snowmobile, or a motorcycle, you can fly this aircraft."
Safety features include a LOWAS (LiDAR obstacle warning and avoidance system) that detects and avoids obstacles such as power lines and trees. There's also a distributed electric propulsion system in which multiple propellers, motors, controllers, and batteries ensure that no single point of failure can't be compensated for.
And if the X-1 falls from the sky anyways, the sudden loss of control should trigger the release of a ballistic parachute – even at an altitude as low as 50 ft (15 m). If the landing is still a bit rough, the pilot will be helped by an "ultra-strong" composite seat with a four-point harness.
"We have flown three different platforms to date," Velo X president Galen Geigley tells New Atlas. "Our current test platform is in the middle of upgrades right now with new-style propellers and higher-performance motors. Flight testing will resume in the coming weeks."
He adds that 56 of the first 100 Velociter X-1s have been claimed already … so if you want one of the remaining 44, you'd better head on over to the company website and plunk down your five grand.
Source: Velo X Aerospace
