The British startup Elevate Racing has developed the AirKart, a flying kart that looks like it came straight out of a video game.
According to information from the New Atlas website, the AirKart is an eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft) designed to democratize recreational flight through rentals.
The startup’s idea is that anyone (from beginners to experienced pilots) can pilot the AirKart for less than $250 on closed tracks for 15 minutes, with no license required.
Inspired by Formula 1 cars, its carbon fiber cockpit seats only one pilot. The AirKart can fly up to a maximum height of 400 meters and has a speed limit of 100 km/h.
These limits exempt the need for a license in many countries, but to ensure pilot safety, Elevate has included two flight modes in the AirKart.
For beginner pilots, the EasyFly mode uses GPS and radar to avoid obstacles, automatically land with the press of a button, and simplify the controls.
“When you start, you’ll only be doing basic turns, basic flights. It’s not like you just hop in and start doing crazy stunts,” said Elevate Racing founder Marcin Michalczyk to New Atlas.
Meanwhile, experienced pilots will be able to use the Sport mode, which provides manual controls and full performance once skill is verified.
“As you progress, as you accumulate experience, we will unlock new features, unlock performance, unlock power. Then you’ll be able to use it to its full potential,” Michalczyk added.
In addition to rentals for the “AeroKarting” tracks, which will open in the US, Caribbean, Europe, Middle East, and Africa, Elevate also plans to sell units of the AirKarts to enthusiasts who have private spaces to operate them.
The company plans to sell the AirKart for about $199,000, with deliveries expected to start at the end of 2027. For those who decide to purchase one, Michalczyk emphasized that this price includes complete flight training.
“We see it as the ultimate toy. But if you have a toy, you can’t just fly straight, from point A to point B. It needs to be fun, it needs to be exciting, it needs to have lots of power,” explained Michalczyk.
Photo and video: Elevate Racing. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
