RON-1 Rotorcycle

The RON‑1 Rotorcycle was a compact, single‑person autogyro developed in the late 1940s by the Gyrodyne Company of America, a firm that had previously pioneered coaxial rotor helicopters for the U.S. Navy. Conceived as a low‑cost, portable aircraft for liaison, observation and rescue missions, the Rotorcycle first flew in 1949 and entered limited production the following year. Its design featured a lightweight tubular frame, a 65‑horsepower Continental A‑65 engine, and a two‑bladed rotor that spun freely in autorotation while the propeller provided forward thrust. The aircraft could be assembled or disassembled in under an hour, allowing transport by ground vehicles, ships or even airdrop. A modest 7‑foot rotor diameter gave the Rotorcycle a stall speed below 20 mph, enabling operations from clearings, rooftops or small decks where conventional fixed‑wing planes could not land. Although only a few dozen were built, the RON‑1 demonstrated the utility of ultra‑light rotorcraft for rapid deployment and battlefield reconnaissance, influencing later personal‑flight concepts and paving the way for modern ultralight gyrocopters. Its legacy endures as an early illustration of agility and simplicity in rotary‑wing aviation.