The Rito featured in a TP Easter egg along with the Oocca where we see a carving on Castle Town wall depocting them which is why I think that these are in fact the Rito rather than a species that not many people know about and that hasn't featured since the very beginning of the Zelda series.
I'm sure he will be a friend. The colour scheme and look of the Rito doesnt scream enemy to me. In Zelda, evil tends to show in your physical appearance and based on that and the fact he takes flight away from link towards the big flying machine, it indicates he at least doesn't mean harm.