[Image above] The first units of the Jetson ONE personal electric aerial vehicle will ship to consumers this fall. Credit: Jetson, YouTube
In the years immediately prior to 2020, the tech world seemed poised to launch itself into the future with driverless cars, flying cars, and foldable smartphones. Once the pandemic hit, however, attention on these technologies fell largely by the wayside as the world focused on advancing needed medical innovations instead.
That doesn’t mean innovation in these areas stopped, though. And for one company, 2022 is the year its work is expected to come to fruition.
Jetson is a Swedish company that aims to develop personal electric aerial vehicles. Peter Ternström and Tomasz Patan founded the company in 2017, and by spring 2018, they finished their first “proof of concept” prototype.
Ternström, Patan, and the rest of the Jetson team spent the next three years working on a consumer-friendly version of the aerial vehicle. And in October 2021, their work culminated in the unveiling of the Jetson ONE.
The Jetson ONE is a personal electric aerial vehicle that features a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) design, meaning it lifts directly off from the ground and does not require a runway. Though this design makes it more like a helicopter than a car, news media outlets use the “flying car” terminology for VTOL vehicles because of how it captures the public’s imagination.
The Jetson ONE consists of an all-aluminum airframe chassis that houses a lithium-ion battery to power the eight electric motors for 20 minutes of flight time. Carbon fiber and 3D-printed components are used throughout the vehicle, making it extremely lightweight (86 kg, 190 lbs). The Jetson ONE also is equipped with numerous safety features, including a redundant propulsion system, a ballistic parachute, and LiDAR sensors to drive terrain tracking and obstacle avoidance.
While other companies such as HT Aero and Volocopter have shown proofs of concept for VTOL vehicles, Jetson is the first to offer its vehicle to consumers. It is no wonder then that the 12 units planned for 2022 production already are all reserved, and Jetson is now taking orders for 2023—despite the $92,000 cost ($22,000 upon order).
Production on the 2022 Jetson ONE vehicles is scheduled to begin this summer, with deliveries to follow in the fall. The company is now seeking outside funding to finance scaling production of the Jetson ONE.
Though Jetson has not given details on the amounts or types of investors it is seeking, Patan says in a DroneDJ article that the right fit will trump pure financial capabilities.
“Jetson is looking globally for a company that shares our vision. We are at the forefront of a new industry. The skillset needed to lead in this industry is incredibly niche. As is the mindset and energy to be in a company that wants to shape the future,” he says.