Single-Seat, Multi-Rotor Commuter Aircraft Is On The Drawing Board

Call it the dream that will just not die. There is a new entry into the field to produce a flying "car" ... though this one is not a so-called "roadable" aircraft. The JPA VTOL aircraft basically takes the concept of a multi-rotor UAV and scales it up to carry a person, and fit in your garage.

In an interview with New Atlas, JetPack Aviation CEO David Mayman explained the concept. The aircraft, which is still only a CAD concept, would use the technology developed for multi-rotor UAVs into the "manned multi-rotor" realm. Six arms would attach to the top of the fuselage, with the middle arms able to fold in for storage. While the concept design is for a single-seat aircraft, "the beauty of distributed electric propulsion is that it's very, very scalable," Mayman said. If a two-seat aircraft is the goal, "you just add more power to the electric motors. The ultimate limiting factor comes from battery storage density."

While the concept is similar to the Volocopter, and the JPA VTOL uses the same German Hacker brushless DC motors, the Volocopter uses 18 rotors, where the JPA aircraft has only 12.

So far, the technology is somewhat limited, Mayman said. The anticipated flight time of the aircraft is only about 20 minutes, with a hybrid system possibly extending that range. But he says that they will eventually be a viable form of transportation.

It will take time for the battery storage capacity to catch up, as well as the regulatory and infrastructure environment, he said.

For safety, Mayman said that he anticipates that a ballistic parachute will be standard on the aircraft, and they are working on a system of airbags for lower-altitude failures. The redundancy of rotors and motors also contribute to the safety of the occupants of the aircraft, he said.

JetPack Aviation is a four-person company, Mayman said. Still, he believes that construction on a prototype airframe will begin in about six months ... depending on cash flow.

(Image provided by JetPack Aviation)

FMI: http://jetpackaviation.com. Full Interview