Rotor X Aircraft, a 50-year-old manufacturer that primarily produces two-seat experimental kit helicopters, announced it will soon begin piloted flight testing of its preproduction Dragon: an ultralight, build-it-yourself, electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) design that can be flown without a certificate in the United States.
Last month the Chandler, Arizona-based company shared a video of Dragon's final unmanned flight tests. The pre-production prototype, unveiled to the public at EAA Air Venture in July, can be seen taking off, hovering and cruising at low altitude over the Arizona desert. Not pictured are a ballistic chute and safety cage that will be included on the final production model.
According to Rotor X, these flights cleared the way for crewed testing to begin in early September. After this if all goes well, the company plans to begin mass producing Dragon in March 2024. Customers can pay a deposit of $19,500 to add their name to the pre-order list. Deliveries are expected to begin next spring and the full price of just under $90,000 (R1.7million) will be due once they arrive.
Too good to be true?
There are a few aircraft designs out there today that can be flown without a pilot certificate, such as the Aerolite 103, Quicksilver MX 103, or Phantom X1. But none have eVTOL capabilities. Tod date the FAA has struggled to chart the path for training and certifying eVTOL pilots. With Dragon, those prospective aviators may not need to worry about that portion of federal rulemaking.
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