In serviceLIFT Aircraft
Hexa
18 rotors, single-seat experience aircraft
Single-seat 18-rotor multicopter eVTOL from LIFT Aircraft of Austin, Texas. Hexa weighs 432 lb, carries a pilot up to 250 lb and has 18 motors, 18 batteries, floats and an autonomous ballistic parachute; LIFT says it can land with up to six motors out. The Hexa-U is flown as an FAA Part 103 ultralight, so no pilot's licence is needed, and flies up to 15 minutes under 63 mph. LIFT doesn't sell aircraft: it offers a $199 2-hour training and introductory flight experience in Austin. A Light Sport Hexa-S (20 kWh, 25 min, 90 mph) is planned, and in December 2025 LIFT started FAA type certification of a commercial Hexa-C (30 kWh, approaching 40 min). Part 103's 254 lb empty-weight limit excludes floats and emergency safety devices; LIFT says Hexa complies.
- Range
- Not published
(varies with speed, reserves, and how the pilot flies the mission).
- Payload
- 250 lb (max pilot weight)
- Cruise
- 45 mph
(chosen by the pilot, and traded against range and endurance).
- Top speed
- Under 63 mph (Hexa-U) / 90 mph (Hexa-S)
- Flight time
- 15 min (Hexa-U) / 25 min (Hexa-S)
(varies with the speed the pilot selects and the reserves kept for the mission).
- Price
- $199 (2-hour training + intro flight, Austin TX)
- Empty weight
- 432 lb
- Seats
- 1
- Battery / fuel
- 10 kWh (Hexa-U) / 20 kWh (Hexa-S) / 30 kWh (Hexa-C)
- First flight
- October 2018 (first crewed flight)
- Entry into service
- Experience flights in Austin, TX now
Full figures
- Seats
- 1
- Rotors
- 18 electric motors and propellers, 18 separate swappable batteries
- Empty weight
- 432 lb, carbon-fibre airframe
- Max pilot weight
- 250 lb
- Cruise speed
- 45 mph (VFS)
- Top speed
- under 63 mph (Hexa-U, Part 103 limit); 90 mph (Hexa-S)
- Flight time
- 15 min (Hexa-U); 25 min (Hexa-S); approaching 40 min (Hexa-C, LIFT target)
- Battery
- 10 kWh (Hexa-U); 20 kWh (Hexa-S); 30 kWh (Hexa-C)
- Safety
- lands with up to 6 motors out; 3× redundant flight computer and sensors; autonomous ParaZero ballistic parachute; floats for water landings
- Models
- Hexa-U (Part 103 ultralight, flying now); Hexa-S (MOSAIC Light Sport, pilot's licence required); Hexa-C (FAA type certification started Dec 2025)
- Access
- LIFT doesn't sell aircraft; $199 buys a 2-hour training + intro flight experience in Austin, TX
- Buy
- Not sold; book a flight experience
- First crewed flight
- October 2018, Lago Vista, TX
For
- Paying experience flights in Austin now; no licence needed
- Highly redundant 18-rotor layout
Against
- Not sold as a take-home aircraft on the public site
- 15 min flight time (Hexa-U)