In 1962, Hanna-Barbera imagined life 100 years in the future with “The Jetsons.” The show featured space-age technology woven into daily life. But nothing captured imaginations quite like the flying car.
While 2062 is still 37 years away, that vision may be closer than expected. At this year’s SOF Week in Tampa, Florida, one aircraft stood out — Pivotal’s BlackFly eVTOL — this week’s weapon of the week.
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What is an eVTOL?
At first glance, the BlackFly resembles a next-generation remote-control drone. A second look reveals something more: an American-made, all-electric aircraft capable of vertical takeoffs and landings.
Pivotal designed the BlackFly and its successor, the Helix, for private use and emergency medical services. Now, the company is exploring military applications.
“There are a number of missions that we think we are ideally suited for,” Ken Karklin, CEO of Pivotal, said. “That could be covert insertion, covert extraction, or rescue of a downed pilot.”
Karklin said the aircraft can also fly autonomously.
“You could send out a number of these aircraft autonomously,” he said. “One of them comes back with the stranded individual, who can fly it back — or it’s done remotely.”
Who is looking at eVTOL technology?
The U.S. military has taken notice. In 2024, Pivotal delivered four BlackFlys to AFWERX, the innovation arm of the Air Force Research Laboratory.
That interest is driving the company’s next step: a larger, defense-focused aircraft called the Spiro.
“It’s the same platform, but scaled up,” Karklin said. “It will carry 2,000 pounds of cargo over 300 nautical miles.”
Pivotal also secured a two-year agreement with the Air Force and AFWERX Agility Prime. The deal provides access to testing facilities, expert resources and restricted airspace.
With that support, Pivotal aims to accelerate flight testing and system verification for both crewed and uncrewed missions.
“We believe there are missions we can do better than anyone else,” Karklin said. “At a better cost point — and solving real problems for the warfighter.”
