A flying electric vehicle ‘straight out of Star Wars’ reaches speeds of 65mph as it soars higher than the Statue of Liberty
It looks like something straight out of Star Wars.
But this new electric flying vehicle is the latest in a series of aerodynamic electric vehicles that will take over the skies over the next decade.
The stylish $300,000 Manta M4 seats one passenger and takes off from land and sea, but can only land in water.
The Manta M4 travels up to 65 miles per hour and weighs as much as a small jet ski.
The vehicle is controlled using a joystick, allowing riders to fly up to 500 feet above the ground – about the height of two Statues of Liberty, or half the height of the Empire State Building.
Riders are protected by a glass canopy, which protects against wind speed and protects users from the craft’s three propellers.
The vessel is powered for 30 minutes with an electric battery or three hours using one of the hydrogen fuel cells.
At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, founder David Simchon revealed to DailyMail.com that his vehicle would certainly become the next pleasure craft in the sky.
Only a model of the vehicle was shown, but the company, called SimTechLabs, says the full product will be unveiled at a boat show in Florida next month when it first goes on sale.
Above is a model of the Manta M4, which will debut at a boat show in Florida next month
The device uses three propellers to take off from land or water, and can fly up to 100 times per hour for 30 minutes using the electric battery.
Simchon said users do not need a license due to the craft’s lightweight design that weighs less than 300 pounds, meaning it is considered ultralight, a point at which the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) does not require users to be licensed.
However, owners without a pilot’s license will have to follow FAA regulations and airspace restrictions.
The Manta M4 has an onboard thermal system to detect and warn of birds and other airborne hazards, and a system that emits ultrasonic sounds to scare away sharks that might be lurking in the water below.
The base features a 360-degree camera, allowing riders to capture breathtaking views of the world below as they fly – or check the water below for signs of rocks or sharks.
It also features eight ultrasonic sensors, sixteen sonar jamming sensors and four thermal cameras to capture scenes of the environment and avoid oncoming obstacles.
In the worst case scenario where the craft loses power, it has three parachutes that deploy to ensure a safe landing.
It is the second device to be launched by SimTech laboratories after it launched a flying aircraft called the Icarus Project in 2024.
According to the FAA, flying planes and taxis — some of which operate autonomously — are expected to routinely fly through U.S. airspace in the coming years.
And the same goes for Britain, where the government says it expects them to be in ‘routine’ operation by 2028.
The Manta M4 has an onboard thermal system to detect and warn of birds and other airborne hazards, and a system that emits ultrasonic sounds to scare away sharks that might be lurking in the water below
Developer SimTechLabs prices the craft at $300,000 for one. Ten will go on sale
Former Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) head Sergio Cecutta, who resigned in 2023, said at the time that one of his major achievements was rapid progress in getting electric air taxis into the skies.
Also unveiled at CES was another UFO-like craft – dubbed the ‘Invo Moon’ – that could carry up to three passengers through US airspace.
And Toyota debuted its Joby aircraft, which is expected to go on sale later this year.