Volonaut’s Airbike eVTOL
Volonaut showcased an Airbike single‑seat eVTOL that uses microturbine engines, a carbon‑fiber frame, and onboard flight‑control systems for short‑range testing and stabilization (x.com). Video accompanying the post highlights the vehicle’s compact form and control surfaces used during early trials (x.com).
The Volonaut Airbike is a one-seat flying vehicle that swaps the usual exposed propellers for jet propulsion and a flight computer. (volonaut.com) Most aircraft in this category lift straight up and down, then transition into forward flight. Volonaut says its machine carries one rider, uses jet propulsion, and has a proprietary stabilization system that provides automatic hover. (nasa.gov) (volonaut.com) The company says the Airbike can reach 200 kilometers per hour, or 124 miles per hour, and that its frame uses carbon fiber, three-dimensional printed parts, and a stripped-down layout to cut weight. Volonaut also says the vehicle is “7 times lighter than a typical motorcycle.” (volonaut.com) Volonaut brought the project out of “stealth” mode in 2025 with an official launch video on YouTube, and its website now includes a preorder page. The company identifies Polish inventor Tomasz Patan as the creator of the Airbike. (youtube.com) (volonaut.com) Patan is also tied to Jetson, another personal aircraft company that sells the Jetson ONE, a single-seat electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft. Jetson’s website lists Patan as the inventor behind that aircraft and says orders are being taken for 2028 deliveries. (jetson.com) That link matters because the Airbike is not following the same design playbook as most recent personal aircraft. Jetson ONE uses an open frame with multiple electric motors and rotors, while Volonaut is pitching a more compact machine with jet propulsion and no visible spinning propellers. (jetson.com) (volonaut.com) Volonaut also frames the Airbike around United States ultralight rules. Its site lists a top speed of 102 kilometers per hour, or 63 miles per hour, “in compliance with Federal Aviation Administration Ultralight,” and says no license is required in the United States under that same framework. (volonaut.com) Federal Aviation Administration rules do create an ultralight category that does not require a standard airworthiness certificate, aircraft registration, or pilot certificate. But those aircraft face strict operating limits, and the advisory guidance says the category is narrowly defined. (ecfr.gov) (faa.gov) What Volonaut has shown so far is a prototype and marketing rollout, not a commercial service launch. The company’s pitch is simple: a personal aircraft that feels more like riding a bike than flying a small helicopter, with the harder questions now shifting to certification, operating limits, safety, and whether preorder interest turns into delivered aircraft. (volonaut.com) (ecfr.gov)
