The world’s first flying motorcycle will take flight as early as next year
Published on Jul 05, 2022 at 1:45 PM (UTC+4)
by Patrick Jackson
Last updated on Aug 12, 2022 at 3:40 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
Flying cars are an idea that has been worked on for years now, but a California company is looking to throw a flying motorcycle into the mix.
JetPack Aviation is building an actual flying motorcycle, called the Speeder, and has told Supercar Blondie it will be ready as early as 2023.
Unlike most new VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) concepts we see these days, the Speeder isn’t electric.
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JetPack Aviation’s director of training and entertainment Sean Ray said the final product wasn’t far away from hitting the streets (the skies, rather).
“Testing is going amazing, actually,” Ray told SupercarBlondie.com.
“We are blown away with its progression in so [few] test flights.
“We are on the stabilization and hover control testing phase – we are still on safety tethers, but are getting phenomenal results.”
The company is hoping the Speeder will be commercially available as early as next year, 2023.
The Speeder is powered by a number of small jet engines.
The idea came from the military, emergency services, and offshore energy industries.
All of them have a need for a fast and compact aircraft that can carry a heavy payload.
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That’s why jet propulsion is the only option for the flying motorcycle as batteries are too heavy.
Plus, the company clearly knows a thing or two about building a working jet-powered VTOL aircraft.
It will only need an area about the size of a car to take off into the air.
JetPack Aviation has written its own flight-control software for it as well.
That will make operation intuitive and like that of a normal motorcycle.
It will also boast the ability to fly itself autonomously to carry small but heavy items itself.
Early experimental versions of the flying motorcycle will require a pilot’s license to fly.
Potenitally, they’ll be able to travel at an insane 402km/h (250mph).
However, ‘ultralight’ civilian versions will be limited to 97km/h (60mph) under FAA rules and won’t require a pilot’s license to operate.
Flight time will also differ between 35 minutes for the full-fat military version, down to 15 minutes for civilian Speeders.
Four turbines were specified on the original concept but the final product will have eight.
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A car zealot from a young age, Patrick has put his childhood spent obsessing over motoring magazines and TV shows to good use over the past six years as a journalist. Fuelled by premium octane coffee, he’s contributed to Finder, DriveTribe, WhichCar, Vehicle History and Drive Section.
