Futuristic One-Man Electric Helicopter

Japanese remote control helicopter maker Hirobo has unveiled a battery-powered helicopter that is designed for one person.

Compact, silent and futuristic, Hirobo’s one-man electric helicopter looks like the ultimate James Bond gadget! The helicopter prototype can travel up to 100km/h (62 mph).

The HX-1 employs contra-rotating rotors and is equipped with a fly-by-wire control system, says a company spokesman.

It can be flown by the occupant or with a remote control. One application for remote-controlled
flight could be the evacuation of individuals from hazardous situations such as burning buildings.

The helicopter is equipped with an electric engine that doesn’t produce any noise or pollution. Its predecessor (developed under the name GEN H-4) claimed to be the world’s smallest manned helicopter. It was also much cheaper, but it used noisy gasoline.

The HX-1 will have an endurance of 30min and can be recharged with the same equipment used to recharge electric cars.

 

According to the company, the all-electric helicopter will be sold for 30 million yen ($375,000). The unmanned models will be significantly cheaper, at 10 million yen (over $120,000). Hirobo also hopes to develop two-seater versions, as their market researches show great potential for mass production. They believe the domestic market alone for this kind of technology will grow to 10 billion yen (over $120 million) by 2021.