A Swedish company has unabashedly adopted the pop culture name synonymous with flying cars and is now taking orders for what might be a viable personal eVTOL. The production model Jetson One was unveiled last week and the 12 ultralight and drone-like single-seat aircraft being built in 2022 have already been sold at the introductory price of $92,000. The company’s brazen adoption of the name of the iconic space age cartoon family made popular in the 1960s is also reflected in its mission statement. “Our mission is to make flight available to everyone,” the company said in its news release. “The Jetson ONE is an electric helicopter that you can own and fly.  We intend to make everyone a pilot.”

The actual operation of the aircraft blurs the line between passenger and pilot, however. The occupant steers and decides how fast to go (up to a limit of about 50 knots) but the computer looks after mundane details like keeping it in the flight envelope and away from objects thanks to a suite of LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensors. Like a drone, the aircraft will automatically hands-free hover over a point. Endurance is about 20 minutes. Because it’s an ultralight, no certificate is required. The Jetson has eight motors and rotors and can fly with one motor out. If things get more serious than that, a ballistic parachute is standard equipment. It comes as a 50 percent kit that has “detailed build instructions” but the company doesn’t say how long it takes to complete.

Russ Niles
Russ Niles is Editor-in-Chief of AVweb. He has been a pilot for 30 years and joined AVweb 22 years ago. He and his wife Marni live in southern British Columbia where they also operate a small winery.

33 COMMENTS

  1. Dr. Moller has been trying to build and market one of these things for decades … and suddenly a Swedish company beats him to it ???

    Hmmm … my birthday is coming up.

  2. With the whirling blade of death inches away from the cockpit and of course open to all nearby spectators, lets see how long it take for a major amputation. Why is “safety” always stressed in aviation and then so blatantly ignored for the “New Technology”?

    • “With the whirling blade of death inches away from the cockpit and of course open to all nearby spectators”

      Not much different from a light twin, really, or perhaps a “traditional” helicopter…

  3. Once again, an inspiring, magical video of these personal drones with exhilarating music in the background. I think it’s pretty clear now that the personal drone industry wants to mask how god-awful LOUD these things are. A small, whiny drone is annoying enough. Four or six heavily loaded disks moving one or two fat butts around will be beyond reason.

    • Just how LOUD are they? I’ve certainly never witnessed one, so I wouldn’t know . . . but how would you propose to present the volume? You could certainly use a live recording, but the videographer can still set the sound level wherever he wants.

    • Definitely loud when in hover. Blackfly is loud in hover but less than 80db when in cruise. You can get some idea on the EAA demo video.

  4. The camera drone does far more maneuvering than the product itself.

    The cynical part of me sees a lot of marketing and camera-hype to pump up a ‘meh’ product. I would much rather see a video that uses a fixed camera and has the machine do all the flying around to demonstrate its capabilities.

    • That was my thought too, Kirk. Someone really knew how to fly a camera drone. The “pilot” pretty well just motored along in a straight line. To me, this thing looks like the Chinese E-Hang except before they put the fancy fiber glass shell over it. The video reminds me of scenes from the Mandelorian where he is riding one of the speeders across the desert.

    • Arthur, why bother with reality? After the pilot is killed by the “whirling blades of death…” (see Roger the Dodger’s comment) he/she won’t need insurance, except maybe burial! 🙂

      • No problemo … the flyer’s legs are wrapped around the HV battery so he’ll be self-immolated in any substantive crash ?

    • By paying the premium to the insurance company of course.

      Now if the insurance company’s choose to not offer insurance at an affordable price, then the federal government can step in. Like they do with flood insurance.

      • Unlicensed pilots flying “blades of death” into highly populated areas? I doubt if the federal government is going to subsidize WMD’s.

        • If you bothered to read the article and actually synthesize it, you would realize they’re planning on operating this under Part 103, which means no operation over congested areas already.

          • Then there is even less reason for the federal government to get invoked in subsidize the insuring non useful “toys” out over the prairie.

            Original question remains: how do you get insurance, even liability insurance, for flying in the USA?

  5. I would order one today if it had a range twice the current 20 minutes. 20 minutes has to be on a perfect day with a 160 lb occupant (notice I didnt say pilot) which Im guessing puts yo more in the 10-15 min range.

  6. How high would you have to be for the ballistic parachute to do anything? The video doesn’t show him more than 50 feet above the ground.

    • My thought exactly. The video would lead you to believe it’s more of a Star Wars land speeder than an aircraft.

  7. When I was a kid, you could buys plans out of the back of comic books to turn your mom’s vacuum into a hovercraft. This is obviously generation two!

  8. I am highly Suspicious. There have been so many personal aircraft conns over the years. I see nothing in the video that does not say this is a lightweight dummy in a converted drone being controlled from the ground. Show us one long continuous take of a person walking up, getting in, and flying over the
    Grand Canyon then you may have some credibility .

  9. This will be another aviation mess similar to ICON’s introduction of their aircraft as the “jet ski” with wings. Jetson One maybe classified as a Part 103 vehicle. However, it still flies and is just as capable of crashing as any other certified airplanes.

    When an accident happens to a Part 103 aircraft, the NTSB and FAA have no part, nor interest in investigating once it is known it is indeed flying under Part 103 rules. The aircraft now becomes a “vehicle” that now falls under the jurisdiction of the State Police or local law enforcement. Notice how the video has the Jetson One flying low, weaving around trees, hills, and directly over by mere feet, other Jetson One “vehicles”. This is the attitude being portrayed that anyone now is a pilot.

    How do does one get a checkout for their $92K aerial “vehicle”? And will the checkout foster the image that anyone is a pilot promoting the type of flying being seen in the video? And when one of these Jetson machines crashes, who will be investigating? Who will be picking up the pieces? Not the FAA or NTSB. It will be the local constable after the State Police wash their hands clean of any responsibility for “policing” aerial “vehicles”. What could possibly go wrong with owning and flying a Jetson One?

    ICON found out that not just anybody can be a pilot. ICON found out that an airplane is an airplane not an aerial “jet ski” just because it can land and take off from water.

    Flying requires ADM. Not everyone understands what that means. Now we have an aerial “vehicle” that allows anyone with $92K to buy a flying “vehicle”, and become a pilot without ADM skills. This leaves anyone who finds out the hard way ADM needs to be taught and understood prior to flight and crashes… to the scrutiny not of the aviation community but local or state law enforcement.

    Although Part 103 flying has matured greatly since its early 80’s inception with better equipment, training, and 20/20 hindsight. It’s roots to present have been associated with and largely trained by the aircraft/airplane community. This Jetson One puts a lot of sophisticated technology, performance, with considerably different flying capabilities into the realm of Part 103 community with little or no prior association with airplanes or helicopters. Is the current Part 103 community prepared for this? And is the current Part 103 community prepared for the intervention of enforcement and/or investigation by government agencies outside of the flying community as a whole?

  10. I can not remember when I have read so much disinformation in one spot. The operator/pilot wears a helmet; plus the fuselage is strategically placed to stop a broken blade from reaching the operator. Since everyone values their lives, no mess exists here. I expect the FAA to reserve airspace up to 200 feet AGL to Jetson 1 or equal eVTOLs because all metro freeways are stop and go most mornings and most evenings within the entire US. Anyone who holds a drivers license can avoid the traffic mess by using a Jetson 1 or equal in visual flight rule conditions (VFR). Current ultra light rules prevent flight in urban areas. So a rule change is a necessity for eVTOLs to land and takeoff where ever an open space is available, the same size as any parking spot; on any public street or highway. The Jetson 1 uses LIDAR sensors for wires, trees, other aircraft, and any obstruction. So with operators eyes plus the LIDAR; safety has backup and is paramount. Or the negative comments at this location can suck eggs for their unreality; not considering the real picture; partially as described here. Or get real or consider all of the positive options. There are more positive options. eVTOLs that fit within parking spaces; 14 feet or less wide will take over the skies below 200 feet agl because it is the only real choice for staying out of stopped freeway and highway traffic and really wasting one’s time. Once this becomes obvious to most people; after they see it; literally millions of commuters will want one to have an unobstructed, traffic free life, most of the time. Except on weather days of course. But people stay home from work on weather days rather than getting on slippery or icy roads. So, commuting on weather days should usually be better than on a clear day; where being in the air is very much first choice. $98,000 for a Jetson 1 is a high price that only multi millionaires can afford. Except, the multi millionaires will probably tire of the Jetson 1 wanting a newer version with a longer endurance capability, creating a used market in Jetson 1 or equals that is affordable. Like autos that immediately depreciate to around 60% of their sales price; this can be expected of Jetson 1s or equals. So watch the used aircraft market at: Trade-A-Plane or Barnstormers for a used Jetson 1 or equal. Around 400 Jetson 1s have been built to date; Feb 2024. I would expect at least 10% of them will be on the used aircraft market within a year. Are you ready? Yes, you can get out of stop and go traffic if you hold a drivers license. Nothing better than not having to get in stop and go traffic.

  11. I have written the FAA and EASA on proposed rule changes for ultralights and light sport aircraft and have urged the Experimental Aircraft Association and AOPA to get behind and push for these 3 possibly 4 rule changes. 1. Increase the empty weight of ultralights to 800 pounds. 2. Increase the empty weight of light sport aircraft to 1600 pounds. 3. Reserve airspace up to 200 feet AGL to street legal eVTOLS; less than 14 feet wide; not including the ends of airport runways. eVTOLS will need to dip down to 25 feet AGL or less at runway ends to stay away from fixed wing traffic departing and landing. 4. Provide any airworthy eVTOL with a permanent transponder code; so when lifting off or landing and where ever they go; will be known to ATC computers and screens. The reason for the weight increases are for more battery capacity. With these large jumps in allowable empty weights should allow more batteries and much more endurance. I really want 3.5 hours endurance to match a Cessna 150, thankyou very much!!! And since the Jetson 1 is being manufactured in Italy, should bring EASA on board. At least half of the US population holds a drivers license; and with training; can fly an eVTOL. Reducing traffic jams in metro US areas; and in Europe also. It just needs to happen. Please help make this happen!!!! With thought, this should sell itself because trillions of dollars of additional freeways and highways could be avoided. I have emailed the US DOT to make them aware of the tremendous savings by directing the FAA to implement these 3 or 4 rules. From my perspective, this is a no brainer!!!!

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