Ryse Aero’s One-Person “Super-Easy to Fly” Ultralight eVTOL, “No Pilot’s Licence Required”
Ohio-based Ryse Aero Technologies claims it has the ideal one-person eVTOL that is super easy to fly, safer than any other ultralight craft, and with no pilot’s licence required, anyone can mann it, reports Automotive News.
The company, founded in April 2021, has recently been taking orders for its one-seater Recon ultralight eVTOL aircraft. The craft’s credentials are impressive. A top speed of 63mph; a maximum altitude of 400 feet; maximum flight time of 25 minutes; along with claims of only 45 minutes training needed. Then there is the ability to take-off and land on water. It sounds too good to be true.
The Recon is powered by six independent motors, each with removable and rechargeable batteries. The downside being it cannot be flown over populated areas or carry heavy cargo.
Mick Kowitz, CEO of Ryse Aero, explained at the recent Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, “The idea was to make something extremely safe and reliable that anyone could fly. We offer up to two hours’ worth of training, if required, and then you’re operating it. It is that easy.”
Ryse has built four prototypes, as well as a few pre-production craft, which it’s currently trialling with farmers as the company’s market strategy is to target the U.S agricultural industry. The startup also sees many other potential use cases including search and rescue, parks and recreation, as well as oil and gas mining.
Kowitz continued, “We’re really looking at the craft’s ability to fly farmers over wet-sodden fields during the planting season or reach, say, a field with blight. At present, what they do is drive as far as they can in their pickup truck and then walk sometimes for two or three miles to where the problem is. The Recon can get them there quickly without compaction or damage to the soil.”

Mick Kowitz
So, what’s the price? Around USD150,000 when it reaches the market. In the farming world that’s quite reasonable when a top-end tractor can cost USD500,000 or more. And Ryse has carried out tests which show the Recon has a lifespan of between eight and ten years.
The public seem attracted to the concept as Kowitz says over 100 customers have already put their names down to buy a craft leading to USD15 million potential sales where Ryse, buoyed by this interest, is now building a production facility, and aims to produce 10 vehicles per month this year, with deliveries beginning at the end of 2023, early 2024.
The company has raised USD5.5 million investment and hopes to attract another USD25 million via a Series B round to help it ramp up production to 100 units per month leading into 2025.
The one possible snag Ryse Aero faces is whether its Recon eVTOL can actually be used for commercial purposes. The FAA’s ruling on ultralight aircraft, Part 103, states the vehicle “must be used for recreation or sport purposes only.”

Yet, the company points out there are plenty of operators using this type of flying vehicle to improve their business operations without violating the rule. Ryse also says it has had conversations with the FAA regarding the use case “with no concerns.”
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(News Source: Automotive News Video)
(Images: Ryse Aero)