The dream of personal flight is no longer a distant prototype or a luxury reserved for those with $128,000 and years to wait. According to recent developments, the market for “manned drones” is exploding, particularly in China, where several manufacturers are now offering Jetson One-style aircraft on Alibaba with delivery times as short as 15 days.
The Rise of China’s “Low-Altitude Economy”
This rapid influx of personal flying machines is the result of a deliberate national strategy. China is investing heavily in the “low-altitude economy,” providing government subsidies and policy support to companies in this sector. Two cities have emerged as the heart of this movement: Shenzhen, known as the drone capital of the world, and Shandong, which is quickly becoming a primary hub for personal aviation technology.
The Contenders: 5 New Manned Drones
While the Jetson One remains a benchmark, these new evtols alternatives offer a variety of features at a fraction of the cost. All of them generally claim about 15 minutes of flight time and a 90kg maximum payload.
Here are the specific models identified in the sources:
1. Eagle 1 (by Uwant Intelligent Technology)
◦ Features: Focuses on safety with multiple operating modes (manual joystick, autonomous, remote, and backend control). It uses RTK and GPS for precision and includes a “black box” for data recording,.
◦ Price: $49,550 per unit (with discounts for bulk orders).
2. Single-Person Manned Drone (by BSM Industrial Manufacturing)
◦ Features: Similar to the Eagle 1 but includes a preset route function for automatic waypoint navigation. It utilizes both GPS and the Chinese BeiDou satellite network.
◦ Price: $41,450—currently one of the most affordable options available.
3. Cloud World (by BJZ Technology Development)
◦ Features: A more utilitarian, boxy design featuring a 360-degree obstacle avoidance system and centimeter-level RTK navigation accuracy,.
◦ Price: $68,415.
4. David 2 (by Sky EVTOL)
◦ Features: Distinguishes itself through a safety ecosystem that includes a ballistic parachute. The company also emphasizes training, offering a 180-degree immersive flight simulator for pilots.
◦ Price: Not publicly listed in the source.
5. High Agility eVTOL (by Yafei Aviation)
◦ Features: Unlike the others, this model uses a six coaxial rotor design (instead of four). This configuration is intended to reduce disc loading, making the aircraft more power-efficient,.
◦ Price: Not publicly listed in the source.
Reality Check: Price vs. Reliability
The most striking difference between these models and the Jetson One is the barrier to entry. While a Jetson One costs $128,000 and carries a long waiting list, these alternatives are priced significantly lower and claim they can be delivered in weeks, not years.
However, a word of caution: the sources note that there is currently no independent validation of the performance or safety claims made by these manufacturers. As these machines move from Alibaba listings to real-world operation, their true reliability and safety will be the ultimate deciding factor in who wins the race for the future of personal flight
