Franky Zapata returns with the Zapata JetRacer one-person eVTOL
French inventor and jet ski champion Franky Zapata has designed a new aircraft called the Zapata JetRacer one-person eVTOL that resembles a plush, padded beach chair that can fly like an airplane without a lifting surface. Thanks to the ten micro-turbo jet engines fitted around the seat, the JetRacer can hit 155 mph and reach over 9,800 feet (3,000 meters) of altitude.
The Zapata JetRacer one-person eVTOL is able to navigate difficult terrain and endure through flights in high gusts. It can provide autonomous flying when needed, serving as a conveyance for supplies. Certified under the FAA’s Ultralight category, the JetRacer can be pilotted without a license, similar to the Ryse Recon and RotorX Dragon.
Built on a modular carbon fiber chassis, this 7-foot-2 by 6-foot-5 eVTOL can carry up to 400 pounds for its solo passenger. According to Zapata, if there’s ever an instance where two engines from the micro-jets are lost, the flight can still be continued without further troubles. The integrated control and fuel system provides all the flight information the pilot needs along with a power supply indicator. There’s also an electrical control feature that provides assisted steering for the pilot.
By taking part in the US flight test campaign of JetRacer, Zapata and his crew are asking their audience to become the forerunners of mobility in the future. They will be choosing 100 people from the campaign sign-up list, and 25 of them will be selected to fly the Zapata JetRacer one-person eVTOL. It goes without saying that Zapata and company will be there guiding the pilot with assistance and support.
