Flying electric vehicle 'straight out of Star Wars' reaches 65mph as it soars higher than the Statue of Liberty
Share:
It looks like something straight out of Star Wars. But this new electric flying vehicle is the latest in a line of aerodynamic EVs set to take over the skies over the next decade. The stylish $300,000 Manta M4 offers space for one passenger and takes off from land and sea, but can only land in water.
![[The device uses three propellers to take off from land or water, and can fly at 65mph for up to 30 minutes using its electric battery]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/09/06/93899995-14265757-image-a-14_1736403435663.jpg)
The Manta M4 travels up to 65 miles per hour and weighs as much as a small jet ski. The vehicle is steered using a joystick, allowing riders to soar up to 500 feet above the ground — about the height of two Statue of Liberty, or half the height of the Empire State Building.
![[Manta M4 has a thermal onboard system to detect and warn of birds and other dangers in the air and a system emitting ultrasonic sounds to scare away sharks that may be lurking in the water beneath]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/09/13/93912565-14265757-image-a-4_1736428997316.jpg)
Riders are protected by a glass hood, which will protect against wind speed and keep users safe from the craft's three propellers. The craft gets 30 minutes of power with an electric battery or three hours using one of its hydrogen fuel cells. Revealed at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada, founder David Simchon told DailyMail.com how his vehicle would surely be the next pleasure craft of the skies.
![[Developer SimTechLabs prices the craft at $300,000 for one. Ten are set to go on sale]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/09/06/93899979-14265757-image-a-2_1736403125659.jpg)
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 hits the market for the first time. Pictured 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 at 65mph for up to 30 minutes using its electric battery. Simchon said that users will not need a license due to the craft’s lightweight design that is at under 300lbs, meaning it is considered ultra-light, a point where the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) does not require users to have a license.
