Photos: New single-seat eVTOL aircraft with 70 mph top speed opens for pre-orders

Michigan-based startup Velo X Aerospace has opened pre-orders for its Velocitor X-1, a single-seat electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft designed for personal use. The company plans to begin production in early 2027, with an initial limited run of 100 units priced at $156,000 each and requiring a refundable $5,000 deposit. The Velocitor X-1 features eight electric motors arranged in pairs on four arms, enabling vertical takeoff and landing without the need for runways. It can cruise at speeds up to 70 mph, with a flight time of about one hour plus a 15-minute safety reserve on a six-hour battery charge. The aircraft incorporates advanced safety and pilot assistance technologies, including a LiDAR-based obstacle warning and avoidance system (LOWAS) to detect hazards like trees and power lines during low-altitude flight. Redundancy is built into critical systems such as motors, propellers, controllers, and batteries to