Pivotal

Flying the Helix feels like stepping into the future of personal aviation. Roughly the size of a small car, the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, built by Silicon Valley startup Pivotal, combines the thrill of flight with a seamless, safe and user-friendly experience – no pilot’s license required. Unlike aircraft with tilt-wing and tilt-rotor designs, the Pivotal Helix achieves vertical takeoff and landing by rotating the entire aircraft. The Helix effortlessly transitions into forward flight, making it perfect for short trips (under 20 miles) over rivers, lakes, hills or the remote countryside. For those lucky enough to take the controls, Helix gives them a front-row seat to a new era in aviation, where high-tech meets adventure.

Driven by a passion for flying, Marcus Leng, Pivotal’s founder, envisioned bringing personal aviation to the masses through a new generation of aircraft. He built the first eVTOL prototype, SkyKar Rebel, in his basement. After years of refining the technology, accumulating tens of thousands of flight miles, and securing the first consumer sales, the company is winning awards for its innovative design and shaping a future where the skies are open to more people than ever before.

“Year by year, we’ve accomplished many firsts in the eVTOL space, from the first crewed hover to the first 10-mile journey,” said Kristina Menton, head of Flight at Pivotal. “In 2018, I became one of the select few to fly the Pivotal BlackFly, which was a truly remarkable experience. Leading up to this, we spent months in safety review board meetings ensuring the technology was thoroughly vetted. There’s no other company out there doing what we are at this level.”

With the Helix now available to pre-order in the US, Pivotal is preparing to ramp up production. The company adopted Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE® platform to manage a seamless transition from design to full-scale manufacturing. Moving beyond previous in-house solutions, Pivotal relies on the platform to bring its design, engineering and manufacturing processes within a unified environment to improve efficiency and streamline collaboration between each discipline.

“We chose the 3DEXPERIENCE platform as we already used CATIA and the seamless compatibility between the two was really important, as is the potential to integrate stress analysis software in the future without cumbersome imports and exports,” said Soummya Datta, head of engineering at Pivotal. “The platform excelled in our trade-off study.”

The shift reflects Pivotal’s need for streamlined data management as it plans for larger production volumes. Investing in scalable solutions and implementing robust processes, especially around version control, will future-proof the company as it grows.

“We found the 3DEXPERIENCE platform to be an excellent blend of what we were looking for,” Menton said. “The customization options and support from Dassault Systèmes has been incredible.”

Supported by Dassault Systèmes’ business partner Inceptra, Pivotal is learning to harness the power of the 3DEXPERIENCE platform and adapt it to suit its operations. Recently, this involved moving to an on-premise installation of the platform so it could customize some of its workflows, including the engineering bill of materials (EBOM) and change management with ENOVIA.

“Inceptra has been an excellent technology partner, assisting us in our digital journey and on-premise transition,” said Sai Nuthi, PLM and configuration specialist at Pivotal. “With their help, we dramatically reduced our issue resolution time frame with enhanced support and platform maintenance.”

By minimizing complexity, Pivotal’s novel design approach dramatically yields simplification, resulting in fundamental advantages in weight, cost and reliability.

“Helix had to be light, and it couldn’t have complex articulating motors, propellers or wings,” Menton said. “When it takes off and lands, the fixed airframe rotates back into an upright position. We did a huge amount of research and development so that we could guarantee every landing is smooth.”

Dassault Systèmes’ advanced solutions support the Pivotal team’s goal to design for durability and reduce weight wherever possible, resulting in a lighter, high-performing aircraft. In particular, the design team values the composites design capabilities in CATIA to refine and build Helix’s carbon fiber frame.

“The composites module is excellent for transitioning between design and manufacturing, handling carbon ply orientation, layers and zones,” said Yuval Fox, senior aeromechanical engineering manager at Pivotal. “Flattening composite parts significantly enhances our workflow. Weight calculations also are simplified with defined zones, allowing us to quickly adjust drawings as we go.”

The 3DEXPERIENCE platform also supports Pivotal’s in-house development of the battery management system, which is crucial for maximizing flight range and guaranteeing consistent performance. Today, Helix’s flight range of approximately 20 miles on a single charge makes it ideal for quick, scenic trips. However, as demand grows for longer flights, Pivotal continuously refines its battery technology, focusing on energy density, lightweight materials and thermal management, to extend the aircraft’s range. At every stage of development, the Pivotal team considers the entire lifecycle of the eVTOL and is constantly looking for ways to reduce its carbon footprint and keep waste to a minimum.

“What’s important for us is to save energy and reduce waste, and we are finding ways to do that throughout the entire development process, from requirements to delivery of the aircraft,” Menton said. “For example, we don’t use oils, lubricants, or fuels in the aircraft that contribute to additional waste.”

As Pivotal prepares to release its first batch of Helix eVTOLs to customers in 2025, it uses Dassault Systèmes’ manufacturing solution, DELMIA, to plan and manage all in-house production processes. DELMIA is vital for Pivotal’s operational flexibility, allowing the company to optimize workflows and make real-time adjustments based on production requirements. Its simulation process flows determine the most efficient way of producing and assembling specific parts.

“Dassault Systèmes’ CAD/CAM integration keeps design updates aligned with the final product, allowing smooth transitions between planning and production,” said Alexis Couturier, head of Manufacturing at Pivotal. “When a design is released, we anticipate the full product development lifecycle, all the way from scoping the manufacturing bill of materials (MBOM) to the shop floor. Work instructions allow us to see and address broken links when design changes occur, facilitating quick modifications rather than starting afresh.”

This streamlined approach will help Pivotal to scale effectively while maintaining high standards of quality throughout its manufacturing operations. It’s also leading to greater efficiencies on the shop floor.

“DELMIA allows us to link the EBOM to the MBOM seamlessly and gives us the flexibility to adjust our processes as needed,” Couturier said. “For example, we realized it was more efficient to manufacture the joystick as two separate pieces and have the production process run in parallel. By doing this, we reduced the assembly time by 25-30%.” 

At the moment, Pivotal’s eVTOLs are classified by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as a Part 103 Ultralight vehicle – the same regulatory group as hang gliders – which restricts them from flying in controlled airspace without prior approval and above populated areas. While no pilot license is needed, all Helix owners are required to complete thorough flight training.

“We comply with FAA Part 103 and AS9100D quality standards as we want to demonstrate that we’re setting rigorous benchmarks for safety, quality and accountability within the eVTOL space,” Couturier said. “When it comes to complying with industry regulations, the 3DEXPERIENCE platform significantly aids traceability; it keeps all documentation in one place and helps to make sure all parts are properly reviewed and released.”

This commitment to quality enhances safety and builds public confidence in the integrity of Pivotal’s products. To further establish trust, Pivotal places great importance on its innovative approach to training. Its specialized comprehensive training program, paired with the aircraft’s advanced software-driven controls, have been carefully developed to deliver an accessible learning experience for even the most inexperienced flyers. 

Beyond personal use, Pivotal is exploring other innovative applications of its eVTOL technology, particularly within the defense and public service sectors.

“We’ve received interest from public bodies that want to use the aircraft for different missions, whether it’s people-carrying or load-carrying,” Menton said. “We are uniquely positioned to help in areas such as first response, getting medics to emergencies within minutes, or firefighting in hard-to-access locations.”

As Pivotal continues to refine its technology and scale its operations, it plans to tap into the power of Dassault Systèmes’ simulation and analytical tools. This is part of its ongoing commitment to use all aspects of the 3DEXPERIENCE platform for current and future eVTOL development.

“Our strategic focus on data-driven decision-making ensures that Pivotal remains at the forefront of the eVTOL industry,” Datta said. “I believe this type of technology from Dassault Systèmes is essential, and a company like ours cannot survive without it.” 

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