Pivotal Delivers First Four BlackFly Personal Aircraft for Air Force Evaluation

The light eVTOL manufacturer is working with AFWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Air Force, to assess the aircraft for a range of use cases.

Jack Daleo

Friday, February 23, 2024 at 04:44 PM ET

Verified

Edited By: tccjeremy

Helix, the successor to Pivotal’s BlackFly, features a unique tilt-aircraft design. [Courtesy: Pivotal]

Key Takeaways:

Pivotal, a manufacturer of single-seat electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, has partnered with the U.S. Air Force's AFWERX program and MTSI to evaluate its BlackFly eVTOLs for military applications.
Under the agreement, Pivotal delivered eight BlackFly preproduction eVTOLs, two flight simulators, pilot training, and support services for assessment in various remotely piloted missions, including surveillance and disaster response.
The Air Force will evaluate Pivotal's unique "tilt-eVTOL" architecture, which slants the entire airframe during flight transition for reduced weight and complexity, as well as the aircraft's ease of transport and quick deployment.
Pivotal's flagship recreational model, Helix, is available for $190,000 and qualifies as a Part 103 ultralight, meaning it does not require FAA pilot certification, with Pivotal providing the necessary flight training.

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Pivotal, the manufacturer of a single-seat electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft designed primarily for recreational use, has attracted the attention of the U.S. military.

The company this week said it was selected by Modern Technology Solutions Inc. (MTSI) and AFWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Air Force, to participate in Agility Prime, a division of AFWERX dedicated to vertical lift technologies.