Inventor Franky Zapata has unveiled his latest creation: a flying car. He presented his machine by crossing the Etang de Berre, near Marseille, and performing some acrobatics.
Franky Zapata is a 43-year-old self-taught inventor who is best known for flying across the English Channel three years ago. In 2019, he created the Flyboard , a flying board that allowed him to make his first flights.
This year, the engineer created a new invention: a flying car, named JetRacer. It is a lightweight chassis, made up of 10 small jet engines that allow the driver to fly through the air. The pilot is seated, as if he were driving a car, in a sort of armchair piloted using a joystick. Very light, the vehicle weighs 78 kg and can carry up to 200 kg.
With a speed of 250 km/h and a range of 40 km, this flying car is accessible thanks to vertical take-offs and landings.
To present his new device, Franky Zapata flew over the Etang de Berre, west of Marseille. A successful first flight, which was punctuated by several acrobatics. According to Franky Zapata, this device would emphasize « agility » and would be « easy to learn », since it can be mastered in less than 20 minutes.
The flying car can also be piloted remotely and is currently intended for rescue forces, the army and for extreme leisure, but not for daily commuting.
Currently, two other flying cars are being built for testing by amateurs. At the end of 2022, another minivan flying machine will be available. Hybrid, it will consume less fuel than a flying car.