Regulation
Do you need a pilot licence?
In the United States, no — under FAA Part 103.
In the United States the YIVTOL S-ZERO is operated as an FAA Part 103 ultralight. That means no pilot licence, no airworthiness certificate and no medical certificate are required. Part 103 is a recreational category with strict operating limits, and it applies only inside the United States.
What Part 103 actually permits
- Single-seat, recreational flying only — no carrying passengers and no compensation.
- Daylight operations, with the pilot maintaining see-and-avoid at all times.
- No flight over congested areas or open-air assemblies, and no flight in certain controlled airspace without prior authorisation.
- An empty weight limit (254 lb / 115 kg) that the aircraft must meet.
What Part 103 does not mean
- It is not an airworthiness approval. The aircraft is not FAA-certified.
- It does not remove the need for training. YIVTOL requires training before solo flight, and so does good judgement.
- It does not legalise flying over cities, crowds, airports or neighbours' property.
- It does not apply outside the United States. Other countries have their own rules — YIVTOL provides compliance support per market.
Outside the United States
The same aircraft is handled differently by jurisdiction. In Europe, the S-ZERO received the first-ever Certificate of Filing issued to a civil eVTOL (9 June 2026) and is classified as a manned aircraft. In China, the aircraft holds the relevant civil aviation certifications for compliant flight. YIVTOL supplies technical documentation and local compliance consulting for each market.
This page summarises publicly available rules for orientation only and is not legal advice. Confirm requirements with your local aviation authority before flying.