Deliveries of the RotorX Dragon one-person eVTOL begin September 2023
Prepping for its upcoming debut next year is the RotorX Dragon one-person eVTOL, a battery-powered electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft that’ll be sold as a kit to allow users to assemble it at home. The Arizona-based company has confirmed deliveries will start next September.
The RotorX Dragon one-person eVTOL can hit speeds of 60 mph and hold 250 pounds of weight for up to 20 minutes on a single charge. All eight of the aircraft’s 16 kW rotors are powered by lithium batteries and set up to do additional tasks in the event that one or more of the others fail, allowing it to safely land. These other tasks include generating lift and thrust power.
Piloted by a joystick, the Dragon also comes with a “sensor-drive auto-landing system” for safety precautions. RotorX has also provided ballistic parachutes with the aircraft for safety and other failsafes.
The FAA has categorized the Dragon under its ultralight category, thus it can be flown without a pilot’s license. Flights near airports or populated places aren’t permitted under the regulations for that class of aircraft. The manufacturer has compared flying the Dragon like flying a drone. If consumers wish to learn how to fly their personal helicopter, online and in-person training are also provided by the manufacturer.
With the first batch of the RotorX Dragon one-person eVTOLs launching next fall, pricing will start at $99,000, with pre-order pricing discounted down to $85,000 for the first 100 units. Reservations of the eVTOL kit are now available for a deposit of $19,500.
