For more than a decade we've been promised vertical take-off and landing aircraft that ordinary people can actually use. The pioneer founders are inching toward commercial service, but a new breed of startups is now snapping at their heels with designs that range from literal flying saucers to nine-seat hybrids aimed at regional airlines.
I contacted four of the most interesting newcomers to see what they're building, how they're funded, and whether you'll ever ride in one. None are mainstream yet, and that's the point: the form factor itself is still up for grabs.
Key facts:
- ZEVA's Zero is a one-person aircraft aimed at first responders and hobbyists.
- Phractyl's Acrobat is a South African design focused on unprepared-terrain operations.
- Odys Aviation is building a hybrid-electric nine-seater targeting regional airlines.
- ZEVA has completed an untethered powered test flight, the only one of the four to have flown.
ZEVA Zero: the personal flying saucer
The ZEVA Zero looks like something out of a 1950s sci-fi reel. The rider stands during the vertical phase, watching through a transparent shell, then the craft rotates forward to cruise like a conventional aircraft. A licensed pilot will steer it via joystick, with automation planned further down the roadmap.
ZEVA raised €285,000 (about $255,000) in 2019 and has not announced new funding since. Its full-sized demonstrator completed an untethered powered flight in January, putting it ahead of every other company on this list in terms of real-world progress. Don't expect commercial flights anytime soon, but the company is pitching the Zero to first responders and keeping the door open for military buyers.
Phractyl Acrobat: the African workhorse
Phractyl, a South African team, calls its Acrobat "an African solution for an African problem." The design is meant to operate from rough terrain with no runway or helipad, and to carry seeds, vaccinations, or cargo to places where ground transport falls apart.
Right now the prototype is essentially CGI and a piece of wood. The team runs on internal cash and accepts outside donations and investment inquiries. Company engineer Vivek Singh says the wing generates lift at very low speeds, so the aircraft can land safely even if propulsion fails. Phractyl calls this "inherent safety" and pitches it as a key edge over rival VTOLs.
Odys Aviation: the nine-seat hybrid
Odys is the outlier here, because it's not building a two-to-five-seat eVTOL like most competitors. It's working on a hybrid-electric nine-seater with a gas turbine generator and a 15-minute charging turnaround. Established players like Joby are targeting roughly a 30-minute full charge for trips of about 250 km, so Odys's pitch is faster turnaround on longer legs.
Odys is selling to airlines, not private buyers, and has reportedly received orders for more than 1,000 units. The company is focused on regional city-to-city routes, a segment most VTOL makers have avoided. Whether those orders convert to deliveries is the open question.
Our analysis
The interesting tension in this batch is between ambition and realism. ZEVA has flown but is tiny and light on capital. Phractyl has a compelling mission but no working hardware. Odys has airline interest and the most practical design, but is betting on hybrid-electric tech that isn't yet mainstream in this segment.
Battery density is the real bottleneck. Until cells improve, most eVTOLs will either stay small or go hybrid. Odys is hedging with a gas turbine; Phractyl is waiting for batteries to mature; ZEVA is betting small enough that today's cells suffice. None of these strategies is wrong; they're just different wagers on the same uncertain variable.
Trade-offs worth naming: hybrid designs gain range and turnaround speed but add weight, complexity, and emissions. All-electric designs stay clean but cap payload and speed. The "right" answer depends entirely on the route, and regulators will have their own strong opinion.
Who benefits and who loses? Airlines with short regional hops gain a fast turnarounder in Odys. Remote African operators gain a runway-free platform in Phractyl. First responders gain a tiny, deployable craft in ZEVA. The losers are the established five-seat eVTOL makers, who now face a long tail of niche competitors eating their addressable market from below.
What to watch next
Keep an eye on which company crosses two milestones first: a full-size prototype that flies under its own power carrying its intended payload, and a credible commercial order that converts to revenue. ZEVA has cleared bar one, Phractyl has cleared zero, and Odys has cleared bar two on paper but not in the air.
The bigger story is whether the established players (Joby, Archer, Lilium) ship first, or whether a garage startup like Phractyl finds a niche the giants ignore. Both can win. Neither is guaranteed to fly paying passengers commercially before 2030.
Key takeaways
- ZEVA has flown a full-size prototype; the others are still on paper or in CGI.
- Odys's nine-seat hybrid targets airlines, not private buyers, with over 1,000 reported orders.
- Battery density is the limiting factor across the whole eVTOL category right now.
Frequently asked questions
What does VTOL stand for?
It stands for vertical take-off and landing, meaning aircraft that can hover and lift off like a helicopter but fly like a plane.
Which of these startups has actually flown?
ZEVA completed an untethered powered test flight in January 2022; the others have not yet flown a full-size prototype.
Why is Odys Aviation building a nine-seater?
Most eVTOLs seat two to five. Odys is going bigger to target regional city-to-city airline routes, with orders reportedly exceeding 1,000 units.
How is a hybrid-electric VTOL different from a battery-only one?
Hybrid designs use a gas turbine generator alongside batteries, giving longer range and faster turnaround but adding complexity and emissions.
Will any of these be available before 2030?
Possibly, but none of the four startups profiled has a clear path to commercial passenger service in the near term.