Electric Jet Aircraft VertiPod IV

VertiPod IV
Electric Jet Aircraft
Anderson, Indiana, USA
www.electricjetaircraft.com

Pete Bitar founded Electric Jet Aircraft in 2018 in Indiana, USA, pursuing a lifelong goal to build an electric powered jetpack. Electric Jet Aircraft’s VertiCycle is an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) hoverbike and a competitor in Boeing's GoFly Prize (USA) competition.

Bitar started testing electric components for eVTOL aircraft in 2013 and originally wanted to make an eVTOL aircraft for agricultural applications but Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulatory rules would have been difficult to overcome for the aircraft. He decided instead to make small ultralight Part 103 personal aircraft instead with the first invention to be an all-electric personal jetpack. Then continued making other types of personal eVTOL aircraft.

The VertiPod IV is a multicopter drone with four propellers, four electric motors, powered by batteries, has skid type landing gear, has a maximum payload of 150 lb (68 kg) and has an empty weight of 54 lb (25 kg). Because of the heavy payload of this multicopter drone, it can be used in many applications from carrying freight to carrying agricultural sprays for farming and for other environmental uses.

In 2017, it was reported that the VertiPod IV retails for $20,000.00 USD and has an optional sprayer costing $2,000.00 USD and $1,500.00 USD for an extra set of batteries and a four-pack of 250 Watt-hour power cells, one for each motor. Please remember if interested in purchasing this multicopter to please check with the manufacturer first, we do not know the status of production or its current pricing.

Specifications:

• Aircraft type: eVTOL cargo multicopter aircraft
• Piloting: Remote
• Maximum payload: 150 lb (68 kg)
• Empty weight: 54 lb (25 kg)
• Flight Time: 20 minutes
• Propellers: 4 propellers
• Electric Motors: 4 electric motors
• Power source: Batteries
• Landing gear: Fixed skid landing gear

Resources:

• Electric Jet Aircraft website
• Electric Jet Aircraft Twitter
• Article: From Lightning Weapons to Flying Cars, WIRED, Nov. 27, 2007
• Article: Watch This Drone Carry A Person, Popular Science, Apr. 14, 2015
• Article: Indiana aerospace takes off. State's attractiveness for industry skyrockets to sixth in nation, Greensburg Daily News, Apr. 12, 2017
• Article: Heavy-Hauling Drone Reaches Market, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Aug. 3, 2017
• Article: AHS Supports GoFly!, Vertiflite, Nov/Dec 2017
• Article: Meet the Teams, Go Fly Prize, Jan. 8, 2019
• Article: Oshkosh e-AirVenture, Vertiflite, Sep/Oct 2019
• Article: Flying Solo: GoFly Advances Single-Passenger Air Mobility Solutions, Vertiflite, May/June 2019
• Video: Electric Jet Aircraft. Q2, 2020 Overview Video, Pete Bitar, Apr. 28, 2020
• Article: GoFly Inspires Innovation, Vertiflite, May/June 2020
• Article: GoFly Teams Prepare to Fly Again, Vertiflite, Nov/Dec 2020