INTRODUCING THE

Over ten years in the making, the Helix is Pivotal's first aircraft to be produced at scale, created to bring the wonder of flight to anyone with a spirit of adventure.

Designed for ease of flight, the Helix features unique software and hardware controls. In addition, rigorous simulator and flight training sessions are required for pilot authorization from Pivotal.

The Helix is a modern take on traditional aviation. Electric power, digital instruments, and simple controls make the Helix an ideal aircraft for experienced pilots and newcomers alike.

From nose to tail, the Helix offers built-in features that provide safety, comfort, and maximum enjoyment in flight.

Product Description

Aircraft Type

  • Tilt aircraft with fixed rotors and tandem wings
  • Light eVTOL (Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing)
  • Single seat PAV (Personal Aerial Vehicle)

Classification

  • Part 103 Ultralight, United States
  • Amphibious capability (restricted to emergency landings)
Physical Characteristics

Structure

  • Carbon fiber composite

Aircraft Dimensions

  • 13 ft 7 in wide
  • 13 ft 5 in long
  • 5 ft 3 in high
  • 33.13 ft2 (single wing area)

Aircraft Weight

  • 348 lbs (empty)

Pilot Weight and Height

  • Up to 220 lbs / 6 ft 4 in
Mobile App

Preflight Features

  • Smart checklists
  • Aircraft status

Navigation Tools

  • Flight planning
  • Navigational charts

Flight Analytics

  • Flight review
  • Stats and telemetry

Support and Community

  • Customer support
  • Service inquiries
  • Pilot forum

Device Compatibility

  • Supports iPhone 13+
Energy and Performance

Range, with 20% Reserve

  • 20+ miles

Batteries

  • 8 kWh total storage

Charge time

  • 240 V / 50 A, charge from 20% - 100%: 75 mins
  • 120 V / 15 A, charge from 20% - 100%: 4.5 hrs

Energy Consumption Comparison

  • Helix: 245 Wh/Mi
  • Electric Car: 270 Wh/Mi

Performance at Maximum Takeoff Weight

  • Cruise speed 55 knots (63 mph)
  • Maximum climb rate 500 fpm
  • Maximum descent rate 500 fpm

Maximum Static Thrust

  • 960 lbs
Flight Deck

Controls

  • Joystick, fly-by-wire electrical controls

Built-in Flight Panel

  • In-flight navigation, instruments, and aircraft status
  • User tested for simplicity and ease of use
  • Modern design incorporating aviation essentials

Canopy

  • Forward hinging and locking mechanism
  • Designed for maximum field of view

Ventilation

  • Sliding vents built into the fuselage
Operating Characteristics

Safety

  • Triple-modular redundancy
  • Fault-tolerant design features throughout
  • 8 fixed propulsors, tolerant to loss of 1 rotor
  • 4 split elevon pairs for redundancy
  • Ballistic parachute

Weather Conditions

  • Maximum wind: 17 knots (20 mph)
  • Temperature range: 14 °F to 91 °F (-10 °C to 33 °C)
  • Non-precipitating

Landing Surfaces

  • Grass, asphalt, snow, ice

Sound Level (measured at 150 ft)

  • Helix: 72 dBA
  • Electric car: 76 dBA
  • Motorcycle: 80+ dBA
Exterior Features

Safety

  • Landing camera
  • ADS-B transponder
  • Beacon lights

Appearance

  • Combination paint and vinyl finish
  • Canvas aircraft cover
Ground Operations

Transportation

  • Disassembles and fits into a 16 ft trailer

Assembly

  • From storage to flight in 30 minutes

Designed and built for safety

At Pivotal, innovation begins and ends with safety, so you can enjoy your flight from takeoff to landing. Safety touches everything we do, from product design to pilot training, data-driven flight insights, and technical support. Here are the safety features you can count on from Pivotal:
Helix
Tilt Aircraft Aero Architecture
  • Entire aircraft tilts to transition between hover and cruise
  • No tilting propellers or rotating wings
  • Reduced weight, complexity, and points of failure
Fault-Tolerant Systems
  • Triple redundant flight control system
  • 8 rotors: 6 required for flight and landing
  • Split elevons tolerate servo failure
Flight Control
  • Auto-takeoff and auto-land features
  • Flight envelope protection
  • Position hold in hover
User Interface
  • Left- and right-handed joysticks
  • Fly-by-wire controls
  • Flight panel with navigation and flight data
Safe Landing Options
  • More landing surface options without landing gear
  • Amphibious hull and floats for emergency landing
  • Whole aircraft ballistic parachute system
Training And Support
  • Extensive hands-on simulator and flight training
  • Interactive pre-flight experience
  • Aircraft designed for minimal maintenance
Vehicle Health Monitoring
  • Capturing thousands of diagnostic data points on every flight
  • In-vehicle and cloud-based diagnostics
  • Automated push notifications and enhancements
Proven, Continuous Evolution
  • Aircraft design improvements over 12 years
  • Five major platform generations since 2011
  • Dozens of aircraft built, tested, and flown

Ordering the Helix

Starting January 9, 2024, the Helix will be available for purchase in the United States on the Pivotal website. Helix aircraft will ship beginning June 10, 2024.

Priced at $190,000, the Helix will offer optional features, priced separately. After Pivotal receives the customer's deposit, Pivotal will reserve a place in the manufacturing queue and set the estimated ship date. At that time, the customer will schedule training at our Customer Experience Center in Palo Alto, California.

Pivotal will provide additional Helix ordering details as we approach the sales kickoff date.

EYES ON THE SKY