Skyryse Calls New Fly-by-Wire Helicopter a ‘Game-Changer’

The company says its new technology makes helicopter flight safer with an innovative design.

Meg Godlewski

Wednesday, February 21, 2024 at 02:14 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Kimberly Johnson

Skyryse One features a proprietary operating system designed to provide simplified control and an aircraft-agnostic, triply-redundant, fly-by-wire system. [Courtesy: Skyryse]

Key Takeaways:

Skyryse has unveiled the Skyryse One, touted as the first production fly-by-wire helicopter, which dramatically simplifies flight controls from the traditional four to a single stick and two touchscreens.
Powered by the proprietary SkyOS system, the aircraft enhances safety and ease of use through features like automated autorotation, hover assist, and dynamic envelope protection, aiming for near-zero flight fatalities.
The SkyOS system removes complex mechanical controls, offering a triply-redundant fly-by-wire system that reduces pilot workload and makes helicopter piloting accessible with simplified procedures like swipe-to-start.
The Skyryse One is IFR capable, available for pre-order at an introductory price of $1.8 million, and seeks to be a "game-changer" in vertical flight.

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One of the first things an airplane pilot learns when they start training to fly helicopters is that helicopters require much more attention as they have more controls: cyclic, control stick, and two rudder pedals.

And they have always had these controls since Sikorsky invented them in 1942, said Ray Wert, vice president of communications and marketing for Skyryse, the manufacturers of the Skyryse One, the first production fly-by-wire helicopter piloted with a single control stick and two touchscreens.