Jetson ONE eVTOL enters commercial production in 2022
Yes, there's a Swedish startup called Jetson, and the company has come up with the ONE personal aerial vehicle. Established in 2017 by Peter Ternstrom and Tomasz Patan, Jetson immediately went to work in developing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) vehicles. After building prototype versions of the ONE in 2018, Jetson has recently unveiled the consumer model slated for delivery beginning 2022.
And yes, it seems the dream of flying cars is finally within grasp, and the Jetson ONE is leading the way. "Our mission is to make flight available to everyone," said Peter Ternstrom, co-founder of Jetson. "The Jetson ONE is an electric helicopter that you can own and fly, and our mission is to make flight available to everyone."
Of course, the Jetson ONE is not a flying car per se (in the same manner the Alauda Airspeeder Mk3 is not a flying race car), but it does have the elements of an exotic four-wheeled machine. For instance, the ONE utilizes an all-aluminum, racing car-inspired spaceframe chassis and safety cell. It also has eight high-output brushless electric motors drawing power from an 88 kW lithium-ion battery.
Despite having eight motors, the Jetson ONE only weighs 190 pounds (86 kg). Furthermore, the ONE is resplendent in composite carbon fiber and 3D printed components to reduce weight further. We have no word on the exact physical dimensions of this nifty personal quad-copter, but Jetson did say the vehicle is collapsible to 35.5-inches (90 cm) wide if desired. Furthermore, the ONE is resplendent in composite carbon fiber and 3D printed components to reduce weight further.
The performance numbers are not video-game crazy, but the Jetson ONE can blitz the sky like a radio-controlled drone. Jetson claims a computer-limited top speed of 63 mph and a flight time of around 20 minutes, give or take. The single-seat cabin has a three-axis joystick, a throttle lever, and LIDAR sensors to monitor the terrain and other obstacles in your flight path.
Do you want one? We can't blame you, and here's where things get interesting. Jetson is only building 12 units of the ONE in 2022, but all are sold out. However, the order books are still open for 2023, but you better act quickly. Base prices are at $92,000, and you need to plunk down a $22,000 deposit to confirm your build slot.