A.L.I. Technologies XTURISMO LE (defunct)

XTURISMO LE (defunct)
A.L.I. Technologies, Inc.
Minato City, Tokyo, Japan
www.ali.jp
www.xturismo.com

A.L.I. Technologies is a small start-up company established in September 2016 by a group of University of Tokyo student entrepreneurs developing drones. Komatsu Shuhei was named the company president in February 2017 and now its chairman. Katano Daisuke was named president in July 2018. Komatsu and Katano work together in guiding the firm, with Komatsu overseeing technology development and Katano handles the overall management of the company. The company ceased operations January 2024.

The company founders at a young age had their imaginations wowed seeing flying cars and other flying vehicles in Star Wars movies. There goal is to make science fiction become science fact. The XTURISMO hover bike is a one passenger aircraft, lift provided two large propellers in tandem under the fuselage, with four smaller side mounted fans on each main lift ducts, for forward and directional flight.

According to the company, to make urban air travel a reality, there are several things which need to occur, the production of VTOL urban aircraft, the control of the VTOL aircraft, and the design and authentication of air routes so that no accidents occur. Which is why the company is developing UAVs, hybrid-electric VTOL aircraft, all-electric VTOL aircraft, deep learning, 3D rendering, blockchain platforms, simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) control, three-dimensional control systems and air route designs, and artificial intelligence (AI) which will allow aircraft to fly safely for low altitude urban flight. The hover bike will have excellent stability in the air due to multiple sensors controlling it.

It’s a rare company that tackles both air infrastructure and air mobility. I think there’s only one other company like ours and it’s in Israel. Our company is working to achieve an air mobility society in which traffic accidents never happen. —Katano Daisuke, president, A.L.I. Technologies

In October 2021, the company announced it will manufacture and sell a limited edition hybrid-electric VTOL hoverbike called the XTURISMO LE. The aircraft holds one pilot with an open cockpit with a motorcycle type handle bar and seating. The hoverbike has a maximum speed of 62 MPH (100 km/h), a flight time of 30-40 minutes with a maximum payload of ~220 lb (~100 kg). The hoverbike has two main propellers for primary lifting and there are four smaller propellers on the four corners of the aircraft for stability for all modes of flight.

The aircraft is powered by a combustion engine which generates electricity for the propellers and all electrical systems on the aircraft. The engine is located just below the seat of the pilot and is enclosed inside the small hoverbike's fuselage. For simplicity and weight reduction, the aircraft has fixed skid type landing gear. The aircraft is 12 ft (3.7 m) in length and approximately 8 ft (2.4 m) wide.

The company foresees people using this off road until government regulations allow low flying aircraft to fly in any populated area, urban or rural.

The company started taking orders for the hoverbike in October 2021 and plans on making it first deliveries of the limited edition hoverbike in 2022. The company plans the sell the XTURISMO LE hoverbike for ¥77.7 million each (approximately $680,000).

Bankruptcy
It was reported in January 2024 that the A.L.I Technologies has filed for bankruptcy. The filing happened less than one year after the parent company Aerwins Technology Inc. debuted on the Nasdaq. According to one report, the loss of the company was ¥1.2 billion (JPY) or $8.3 million USD at the end of December 2022.

Specifications:

• Aircraft type: One passenger hybrid-electric VTOL hoverbike prototype
• Piloting: 1 pilot
• Cockpit: Open cockpit
• Cruise speed: 62 MPH (100 km/h)
• Flight Time: 30-40 min
• Maximum payload: ~220 lb (~100 kg)
• Length: 12 ft (3.7 m)
• Width: ~8 ft (2.4 m)
• Height: ~5 ft (1.5 m)
• Propellers: 6 propellers
• Electric Motors: 6 electric motors
• Power source: Hybrid-electric power source using a combustion engine
• Fuselage: Carbon fiber composite
• Landing gear: Fixed skid-type landing gear
• Safety features: Distributed Electric Propulsion (DEP), provides safety through redundancy for its passengers and/or cargo. DEP means having multiple propellers (or ducted fans) and motors on the aircraft so if one or more propellers (ducted fans) or motors fail, the other working propellers (or ducted fans) and motors can safely land the aircraft.

Related Aircraft:

• A.L.I. Technologies Hover Bike (defunct)
• A.L.I. Technologies XTURISMO (defunct)

Company Insights:

• Pitchbook
• Crunchbase

Resources:

• A.L.I. Technologies website
• XTURISMO website
• A.L.I. Technologies Facebook
• A.L.I. Technologies Twitter
• A.L.I. Technologies YouTube
• A.L.I. Technologies Instagram
• Article: Exhibiting the XTurismo Hoverbike, Akihabara News, Oct. 7, 2021
  Article: XTURISMO Limited Edition, the world’s first practical hoverbike, to be exhibited at Daikanyama Tsutaya, A.L.I Technologies, Oct. 7, 2021
• Article: XTURISMO Limited Edition Episode ONE The Universe Awaken, XTURISMO Official, Oct. 27, 2021
• Article: This New Hybrid Hoverbike Can Soar Above the Street at Up to 62 MPH, Robb Report, Oct. 29, 2021
• Article: Limited edition hoverbike takes flight, order books open, New Atlas, Nov. 1, 2021
• Article: Japanese Company Behind Bonkers $770k Xturismo Hoverbike Goes Bust, Car Scoops, Jan. 15, 2024
• Article: Japan Hoverbike Pioneer A.L.I. Technologies Files for Bankruptcy, Bloomberg, Jan.15, 2024