Air racing on single-seat multicopters

The Swedish company Jetson attended the UP.Summit event, where they demonstrated their concept for racing single-seat multicopters.

Jetson demonstrated four single-seat multicopters flying in a synchronized formation, and then staged a full-scale high-speed race. This all took place at the UP Summit in Arkansas, where the Jetson Air Games were officially launched. These are aerial races where the pilot flies at 102 km/h (64 mph), dodging pylons.

By the way, the Jetson ONE multicopter itself is impressive. The pilot controls it with a four-axis joystick while seated inside a lightweight frame. Eight electric propellers are arranged in an X-configuration, ensuring stability and maneuverability. Lithium-ion batteries provide up to 20 minutes of flight time, and the maximum speed is software-limited to 102 km/h (64 mph) to prevent pilots from getting carried away.

Already, nearly 550 Jetson ONEs have been ordered. The first unit was delivered last month to Oculus founder Palmer Luckey, who has been waiting for his personal flying machine since 2023. Production for 2026 and 2027 is completely sold out. If you want to get on the waiting list for 2028, you'll need to pay an $8,000 deposit.

The full price is currently $128,000, but will rise to $148,000 on November 3.