Swedish startup Jetson is turning science fiction into something much more real with the Jetson One, a personal eVTOL aircraft that weighs just over 250 pounds including its batteries. Built with an aluminum space frame and carbon fiber body panels, it uses eight rotors mounted on four arms to lift a single passenger. The Jetson One is fully electric, delivering a peak power of 88kW and a top speed of 63 mph. Flight time averages around 20 minutes, making it practical for short commutes or recreational use. It can ascend at 25 feet per second, and most flights are expected to stay between 15 and 30 feet off the ground – just enough for that “landspeeder” feeling from Return of the Jedi , which the creators are openly channeling.
One of its standout features is simplicity. You don’t need a pilot’s license to operate it in the US, as it qualifies as an ultralight aircraft. That means no flying at night, over cities, or near airports – but aside from these restrictions, it’s good to go. Controls are beginner-friendly, allowing new users to get airborne within minutes. Safety is built into the DNA of the craft with a triple-redundant flight computer that will either hover or land if the controls are let go, lidar for obstacle avoidance, a rapid-deployment ballistic parachute, and a design that includes structural crumple zones. Even in case of motor failure, the aircraft can stay airborne.
Priced at $92,000, the Jetson One is sold as a kit that doesn’t require much effort to assemble. Once complete, it becomes a roughly 190-pound craft with an upper weight limit of 210 pounds. It’s already proving to be in high demand – early production runs for 2025 and 2026 are sold out, with the company now accepting orders for 2027. Jetson built just 12 units in 2022 and plans to at least double production annually. With such limited supply, they’re being selective with buyers, hoping to place units in the hands of experienced and influential enthusiasts who can help showcase the product to the world.
