Chinese aircraft developer CoolFly has unveiled a new electric flying vehicle that allows a single person to take off and travel through the air while standing, in what the company is billing as a new approach to personal aviation.
The Hangzhou-based company officially introduced the aircraft, called Urban, as a standing eVTOL designed specifically for individual flight. CoolFly says users can learn how to operate the aircraft in approximately 10 minutes and that it can be flown without a pilot’s license under applicable ultralight regulations. The company simultaneously debuted its seated Dream aircraft lineup and a proprietary flight-control platform known as NA80.
Powered entirely by electricity, Urban relies on enclosed propellers rather than exposed rotors, a design that CoolFly says provides additional protection and safety. Rather than targeting lengthy commutes, the company envisions the aircraft being used for recreational flights, tourism and short trips through urban areas.
CoolFly lists Urban at approximately 90 kilograms, or 242 pounds, and says it can carry a single occupant of roughly the same weight. The aircraft can reach a top speed of approximately 70 kilometers per hour, or 62 mph, and is intended primarily for low-altitude operations below approximately 30 meters.
A Hangzhou-based startup unveiled CoolFly Urban, a standing eVTOL "air skateboard." The flower-shaped platform runs four enclosed ducted fans and an AI gravity-sensing system that adjusts thrust as the rider leans.
Carries up to 90 kg, reaches 70 km/h, and offers about 11… pic.twitter.com/zIVKfetnth
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The technology behind the aircraft centers on CoolFly’s NA80 flight controller, which the company describes as an artificial intelligence-powered, gravity-sensing system. The technology continuously monitors the combined center of gravity of the aircraft and its rider, making automatic adjustments designed to maintain balance while the vehicle is airborne.
CoolFly says the flight-control system incorporates a dual-redundant architecture for additional protection against potential failures. Each of its control units also uses triple-redundant inertial measurement units as another layer of safety.
The company says Urban was engineered to comply with the Federal Aviation Administration’s Part 103 regulations governing ultralight vehicles in the United States. Under those rules, CoolFly says, a person operating the aircraft would not require a pilot’s license, medical certificate or aircraft airworthiness certificate. The company has repeatedly highlighted that feature while promoting the product during the past year.
CoolFly also used the launch to introduce its Dream series, which provides a more conventional seated alternative to Urban’s standing configuration. The Dream ST was developed with ultralight regulations in both the United States and China in mind and includes a folding design intended to make transportation easier.
A higher-end version, the Dream Pro, is designed to carry more weight and remain airborne for longer periods. It also incorporates millimeter-wave radar for detecting obstacles, automatic flight-route planning, airbags intended to reduce the impact of a collision and a parachute system capable of supporting the entire aircraft.
CoolFly says the two product lines are intended to complement each other, with Urban aimed at users seeking a standing personal-flight experience and the Dream aircraft providing seated options for other types of recreational and personal aviation.
The company is also working to build the infrastructure and partnerships needed to support the emerging personal-aircraft market. During its launch event in Hangzhou, CoolFly announced a cooperation agreement with the Zhejiang Institute of Security Technology focused on creating training programs and shared facilities for the sector.
CoolFly separately announced insurance arrangements with PICC Property and Casualty and China Pacific Property Insurance. According to the company, insurance policies covering both the Urban and Dream aircraft have already been established, including product liability protection for aircraft sold overseas.
The Chinese manufacturer has increasingly sought international exposure for its personal aircraft as it looks beyond its domestic market. CoolFly has displayed its technology at major aviation and technology gatherings, including CES 2026 in Las Vegas and EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in Wisconsin, as it works toward eventually offering the Urban and Dream aircraft outside China.
{Matzav.com}
