The big picture: Many startups are working on personal flying aircraft that you could park at your home and take off whenever needed, much like a car. But some are closer than others when it comes to delivering that vision – or at least they claim to be. One such company is Rictor, which unveiled its Skyrider X1 concept at CES 2025, billing it as the world's first flying motorcycle that could allow personal air travel as soon as next year.
The Skyrider X1 is essentially a hybrid between an electric moped and a quadcopter drone. It features two wheels for driving on roads and eight propellers providing stability while airborne. The vehicle is designed to fly at speeds up to 62 mph for up to 40 minutes on a single charge, depending on the battery size.
Renderings showcase an aggressive, angular body design with sleek lines, and a sporty ride stance when grounded. It appears to have a cabin capacity of a single person, much like a bike.
The Skyrider X1's biggest selling point is the promise of autonomous operation. According to Rictor, it will automatically plan optimal routes, adjusting for weather conditions, altitude, and airspeed as needed. Riders just need to input a destination, and the vehicle will get them there while avoiding obstacles and traffic on the ground. It can take off and land vertically on its own too.
If this all sounds too good to be true, that's because there are still massive technical and regulatory hurdles to overcome. Other air taxi companies like Joby Aviation and Volocopter have spent years trying to certify their piloted electric aircraft for simple airport routes, with little success so far. The idea of a self-flying personal vehicle zipping around populated areas seems exponentially more complex.
Even if Rictor does manage to get its product flight-ready, it's likely that autonomous flying will come much later, largely due to regulatory challenges. Thankfully, the X1 also offers manual control with joystick functionality.
Still, Rictor is insisting the Skyrider X1 will be a reality very soon – and with an unbelievably low $60,000 price tag. It even claimed that the vehicle was "the star exhibit of the show" on the floor in Las Vegas.
The startup is certainly talking a big game for an unproven company. Its only previous product is a traditional electric moped called the K1. But they assert that "robust innovation capabilities" are allowing them to spearhead new solutions for the masses.
Startup claims world's first flying motorcycle, could go on sale next year for $60,000
