Gdynia-based company Maviator Group has developed a machine called SkyRacer X1, effectively a “flying motorcycle,” that will allow aviation recreation enthusiasts and adrenaline lovers to experience sky adventures without the need for months-long training or a pilot’s license.
The start-up has already created several developmental prototypes of the device and has successfully undergone numerous manned flight tests. Now, through a share issue, it aims to raise PLN 3.5 million to develop the final prototype (production prototype), which is one of the steps towards the commercialization of the solution, planned for next year.
Maviator was established to join the global revolution in the air mobility market, which is emerging within a new branch of aviation. According to analysis by consulting firm Deloitte, this market will reach a value of $115 billion in the United States alone, increasing tenfold in the next decade. The Polish company has a great chance to compete for a slice of this global pie.
The start-up designed and built from scratch a test and functional prototype of a flying device for a product named SkyRacer X1. The novelty here is the idea of positioning the pilot’s body similarly to that of a racing motorcycle driver. According to the SkyRacer designers, this should allow for good pilot stabilization, excellent control over the machine, and provide an unrestricted view, significantly enriching the flight experience.
Sebastian Nowicki and Mariusz Pułas are responsible for the project. Sebastian is one of the most respected experts and project managers in Poland in the field of UAV (Unmanned Aerial Veicle) aviation topics. Mariusz is one of the leading experts in UAV technology and systems, with extensive experience in designing, integrating technology and testing drones.
“Our solution has great potential for scalability mainly because we do not direct it to a narrow group of people with specific skills and permissions as is the case with traditional aviation. SkyRacer X1 is being developed with ease of piloting similar to commercial drones, so it will be available almost for everyone – the financial entry threshold is similar to that of sports motorboats. And all this while maintaining the maximum possible safety measures – SkyRacer X1 has the ability to continue flying in emergency mode even in the event of a failure of two out of eight engines. Moreover, the open design of the flying motorcycle allows the use of a backpack parachute and leaving the vehicle during flight,” explains Sebastian Nowicki, COO of Maviator Group.
The flying motorcycle created by the Gdynia-based start-up is an Ultralight eVTOL device dedicated to air sport and recreation (Personal Air Mobility), meaning a pilot’s licence is not required to control it. The design, based on the concept of an electric Multirotor in an X8 drive system, allows for smooth and efficient flight as well as vertical takeoff and landing. This is an eVTOL, an electric vertical takeoff and landing airship.
SkyRacer X1 is a fully electric vehicle that will allow about 20 minutes of flight and reach speeds up to 100 kilometers per hour. The flying motorcycle will accommodate even a pilot of a solid posture. The designers assume that it will be adapted to people up to 195 centimeters tall and weighing up to 110 kilograms.
The vehicle will be equipped with three flight modes dependent on individual preferences and skill level: from full control to a fully automatic mode. Thanks to its compact dimensions and folding arm mechanism, the device can be easily transported and quickly prepared for flight, and the possibility of replacing batteries will ensure that flight times can be longer.
In the company’s development strategy, the next models from the SkyRacer series will be equipped with hybrid propulsion, which will extend the flight time to 1 hour. This is expected to give the device solid utility features and attract customers looking for aeromobility solutions as well as representatives of services such as rescue or special units.
The company has successfully developed the final Research and Development prototype of the device, which has successfully passed a series of flight tests. Now it aims to raise PLN 3.5 million as part of a public share issue, which will enable it to finance the creation of the product’s production prototype and its flight and final manned tests, which are to take place in the first two quarters of 2025. The next steps are to prepare for production and launch it, which – according to the company’s assumptions – will happen next year.
However, Maviator has no intention of stopping at SkyRacer X1. The company is already thinking about further developmental versions of the device, which will serve not only recreational and sports purposes, but also as a one-person air city transport, potentially reaching the form of flying autonomous taxis in the future.
Source: https://managerplus.pl/maviator-group-zbiera-fundusze-na-komercjalizacje-skyracer-x1-latajacy-motocykl-bez-potrzeby-licencji-pilota-46630
