Does a viral video really show a Chinese electric helicopter you can buy for $300 and that can stay in the air for ten hours? No, that's not true: The video does not show a single-seat helicopter capable of flying at 120 kilometres per hour made by Xiaomi or "the world's cheapest helicopter". It shows an American-made helicopter from Florida company named Composite FX that runs on gas and costs upwards of $63,000.
The video appeared in an Instagram post (archived here) published on May 22, 2025 by a channel named "Pulse Wyre". The caption on the video read:
China unveils the world's cheapest single-seater helicopter -- and it only costs $300. Yes, you read that right. Lightweight, compact, and built for short-distance travel, this flying machine could redefine personal mobility in the skies.
Could this be the future of budget aviation?
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This is the video in question:
And here is the opening frame:
(Image source: screenshot of Pulse Wyre Instagram post)
A transcript of the voiceover read:
This is the cheapest helicopter in the world and you can buy it too. It was created by the company Xiaomi. It's a single seater designed for personal use plus it's an electric helicopter that flies at a speed of 120 km/h and can stay in the air for over 10 hours. It's price is only $300. But tell me, would you buy it?
However, during the video you can clearly see a model number on the tail of the helicopter: "XE290":
(Image source: screenshot of Pulse Wyre Instagram video)
The XE290 is a helicopter sold by Florida-based Composite FX (archived here) and the product page for this particular helicopter model (archived here) describes it as:
XE 290
The workhorse of the XE family, the XE 290 is a piston powered, water cooled, oil injected, fuel injected, electronic programmable ignition, 800 cc, 90HP experimental helicopter.Years of development went into the transition from the smaller, air cooled engine to this power plant. At 6000 RPM, this engine output is only half of its potential, leading to extended service and dependability. Fuel consumption (93 octane pump gasoline) is about 7 gallons per hour, providing exceptional economy, range and performance.
Pricing
Kit: $63,000
Factory Finished: $80,000
So it is a gas-powered helicopter with a price tag that is definitely more than $300.
The product page also lists a flight time of 3.3 hours (with an auxiliary fuel tank) and a top speed of 152 KPH, unlike what the viral video said.
