Vietnamese startup unveils flying motorcycles: 4 models from 2 billion VND, 1,000 km of test flights in Hanoi and the Mekong Delta
Airlios's flying motorcycle comes in 4 versions, Air One, Pegasus, Minotaur and Custom, priced from 2 billion VND.
On the morning of October 26, Airlios unveiled Southeast Asia's first personal flying motorcycle prototype at the Vietnam Motor Show 2022 exhibition. Airlios, a Vietnamese startup headquartered in Hà Nội (Hanoi), Vietnam's capital, is offering four flying motorcycle models, Air One, Pegasus, Minotaur and Custom, priced at the equivalent of 2 billion VND, 2.2 billion VND, 2.46 billion VND and 2.46 billion VND, respectively. All of them are made in Vietnam.
Airlios's flying motorcycle at the Vietnam Motor Show 2022.
The prototype on display is a Pegasus prototype, which has completed more than 100 hours of test flights covering a total distance of 1,000 km. During testing, the prototype carried only its basic components; the outer body shell was hastily finished for the exhibition and is not the final design.
According to Airlios, the company has flight-tested the prototype in "safe zones" in Hanoi and several provinces of miền Tây, the Mekong Delta region of southern Vietnam. The commercial product is expected to hit the market in 2027, available either for outright purchase or as a transport service.
The commercial product is expected to go on sale in 2027.
The vehicle can be controlled in two ways. One is manual piloting, the other is autonomous flight. Under manual control, users must complete an Airlios training course. In autonomous mode, users simply choose a destination and the flying motorcycle flies itself.
The Airlios flying motorcycle is 1.9 m long, 1.15 m tall and has a span of 2 m. It weighs 220 kg, with a maximum takeoff weight of 320 kg, giving it a payload of 100 kg. The flying motorcycle has only one seat. Its maximum flight range is 33 km, its top speed is 100 km/h, and its maximum flight time (with a 100 kg payload) is 20 minutes. It flies at altitudes below 120 m. Power comes from lithium-ion batteries, plus a backup power source in a dual-battery setup.
Airlios Pegasus.
The structure is made of aluminum alloy and carbon fiber. The propellers are made of wood with a carbon coating. Controls include handgrips and a touchscreen. The vehicle is powered by 8 brushless motors. If any motor malfunctions or fails, the flying motorcycle continues to operate normally, then automatically finds the nearest place to land as quickly as possible.
The structure is made of aluminum alloy and carbon fiber.
The main components include the frame, the body shell, the cockpit windshield, the control system, the seat, the seat support frame, the propellers and the battery system. Riders are required to wear a helmet when flying.
Personal aerial vehicles are seen as one of the future forms of transportation.
A company representative said the four flying motorcycle models share the same technical specifications and differ only in design. The Custom model alone lets customers design the exterior and choose colors to suit their personal taste.
Personal aerial vehicles are being developed in regions such as Europe and North America and are considered one of the future forms of transportation because they could help solve the problem of traffic congestion. Well-known startups in the flying car field include AirCar, Archer Aviation, SkyDrive, Joby-Aviation, Lilium and others.
