PALO ALTO, Calif., April 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Pivotal, the market leader in light electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, today announced it was recognized with the prestigious Gold 2025 Edison Award in The Future of Personal Flight & Drive category for the Helix, its high-performance, cloud-connected personal aircraft.
The Helix redefines personal mobility. Hop into the flight deck, power the props, tilt to take off straight up, then tilt back to cruise in this electric biplane. From the panoramic canopy to the ergonomic flight controls, every inch of the flight deck is designed for ease of use. By reducing complexity, Pivotal’s single-seat aircraft immerses the pilot in the wonder of flight, minimizes points of failure, and offers a high degree of safety.
“We are honored to be recognized by the Edison Awards for Pivotal’s innovations in personal aviation. Like Edison and Ford, who transformed how people lived and moved in everyday life, we set out to make flight more accessible,” said Ken Karklin, CEO of Pivotal. “Our light eVTOL aircraft combine breakthrough electric propulsion and an unconventional architecture with simplified controls, opening the skies to more people than ever before.”
“At Pivotal, we are driven by a relentless focus on excellence. Our mission is to bring safe, easy-to-fly eVTOL aircraft to market, transforming the future of personal aviation by rethinking and executing the art of possible,” added Karklin.
“Pivotal’s Helix is a game-changing innovation in personal transportation, making the future of personal flight a reality right now. It’s the kind of forward-thinking solution that exemplifies the visionary work we recognize at the Edison Awards,” said Frank Bonafilia, CEO, Edison Awards.
All nominations are reviewed by the Edison Awards Steering Committee with the final ballot being determined by an independent judging panel. The panel is composed of more than 3,000 senior business executives and academics from the fields of product development, design, engineering, science, marketing, and education, as well as past winners.
About the Helix
Ideal for recreation and short-hop travel, the Helix personal aerial vehicle takes off and lands on grass, asphalt, snow, ice—there’s no landing gear, just a keel strip. Fly-by-wire controls, a 270° view, and quiet operation allow pilots to become immersed in their natural surroundings. At the heart of this vehicle is a robust fault-tolerant design with triple modular redundancy for reliability and safety. As an ultralight aircraft, the Helix complies with the Federal Aviation Administration’s Regulation Part 103.
About The Edison Awards
Established in 1987, The Edison Awards™ recognize excellence in new product and service development, marketing, design, and innovation. Developed and maintained in the legacy of Thomas Edison, The Edison Awards™ “symbolize the persistence and excellence personified by Thomas Edison and his Menlo Park team, while also strengthening the human drive for innovation, creativity, and ingenuity.
About Pivotal
Pivotal designs, develops, and manufactures light eVTOL aircraft. An industry pioneer, Pivotal is renowned for the BlackFly, the first light eVTOL to be commercially available and delivered to customers in the United States. In October 2023, Pivotal introduced its next generation production aircraft, the Helix, and in January 2024 began sales of the Helix. The company’s distinctive tilt-aircraft architecture and scalable technology platform have been under continuous improvement for well over a decade, and today, Pivotal has the most mature technology in the light eVTOL category. Efficient, compact, and simple, Pivotal vehicles are designed for a wide range of consumer, public safety, and defense applications. The company is headquartered in Palo Alto, CA. For videos and more information, visit https://pivotal.aero.
Media Contact:
Heidi Groshelle
[email protected]
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8736958f-fbaf-4405-a56c-c2fcaed2a7bc