Young dreams
Tomasz Patan, Jetson Inventor, Founder & CTO, is in the skies since childhood. He started by constructing remote-control model aircraft that over time grew bigger and bigger until turning into aerial filming drones and helicopters during his studies at Gdańsk University of Technology. These machines used by him in filming business were also growing to carry more and more advanced equipment until one day Tomasz thought about replacing a camera with a pilot. He constructed this first vehicle intended to carry a person in three weeks. Like many young men of that time he was a great fan of SF films, especially those with gliders and starships, so he named it Jetson ONE after the American TV cartoon the Jetsons from the 1960s.
For test flights he left Poland for Italy with better weather conditions for aviation. To check safety of manned flight he first ran a few dozen remote-control tests with a sack of potatoes as pilot-imitating ballast. It worked. Finally he personally took off in his first manned electric vehicle of Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) with control joysticks in his hands. The impression was shocking and incomparable to any other, as the joysticks moved the machine and also the body. He got accustomed only after the eighth flight. The year was 2018.
One card bet
This innovative prototype cost a few thousand dollars and drained his budget to the ground so Tomasz returned to Poland. He realized that to achieve success he would have to bet on one card and construct complete and perfectly working vehicle that would amaze the world. He sold his car to gain money and started work facing two key challenges. The first one was engineering, or how to construct innovative futuristic structure suitable for industrial production. He is not an engineer and never did that before so he plunged into his own designing and engineering studies. The second one was personal, or how to manage his skills, time and resources, which was even tougher as innovations are rarely comprehended and investors are rarely eager to pay. To make life more difficult the world was hit by covid and lockdown.
Luckily, eagerness arrived. Tomasz raised $ 15m from Global Angel Investors and William James Adams, an American singer, songwriter and entrepreneur, known as will.i.am, who will also become one of the first Jetson pilots. Tomasz established Jetson, Inc. in Palo Alto (CA), USA and again turned to Italy because of its climate with perfect testing conditions. In search for larger R&D facility with some place to fly he spotted an advert on a shabby property in Arezzo, Tuscany, and after a few days bought it. “In April 2022, the stars aligned for Jetson. We found our new home in a private airfield south of Florence, with an 800-meter airstrip and an adjacent industrial facility from the late 19th century” he recollected. After aggressive renovation the place became Jetson HQ and work started again not only in R&D but also production. In August 2022 Official Launch Video of Jetson ONE was released on YT with the mission of “making the skies available for everyone”. In the first week it reached staggering 10 million of viewers.
Skies for everyone
The skies were opened and clients were flocking, sometimes dozens a day, following the company’s dream to “make everyone a pilot”. Jetson ONE became probably the most popular VTOL on the Internet with more than 49,000,000 viewers on its YT channel and many more websites. In 2023 over 300 Jetsons were sold at the price of $98,000. Arezzo team grew to 30 people, including Poles. “Jetson is on a mission to redefine the future of air mobility and transportation. We are enabling new and exciting ways of travel which will solve many problems, ultimately making our cities a much better place to live.” said Tomasz.
2023 was a breakthrough. In August Jetson, Inc. with SWANE creative agency from Montana built “Jetson Astro” robot-dog to perform automated preflight vehicle inspection and ensure take-off safety. It was based on legendary robot-dog “Spot” engineered by Boston Dynamics in 2016. On 5th October Jetson ONE obtained from Aero Club d’Italia (AeCI) the first world official permit to fly in uncontrolled airspace, i.e. anywhere except for cities and airports. It applies in Italy but opens possibilities in other countries. The permit was registered under number I-X078 and Jetson ONE became part of aviation history. On the same day it was for the first time officially presented in USA in Westlake (TX) at UP.Summit, annual invitation-only event for CEOs of the world biggest companies and founders of the most inspiring start-ups, in total representing investments worth over $1 trillion. Twenty days later Jetson ONE was presented for the first time in Saudi Arabia at the prestigious Future Investment Institute event with over 5,000 leaders, innovators, and change makers in Riyadh.
Hands full of work
In 2024 the success continues. In April Tomasz with another pilot presented the first flight of a formation of two Jetsons across Arezzo HQ airfield. In May Jetson team demonstrated their flying skills at the annual Frecce Tricolori airshow in Italy for over 100,000 fans from all over the world coming to enjoy aviation in all of its forms, historical and new, from private planes to combat helicopters. Jetson ONE was also presented to over 200 students and professors of three highly esteemed Italian establishments: Malignani Institute Tecnico, Istituto Nobile and Universita Indirezzo. “It was great to see a vision of the future, seeing the next generation of pilots meeting the next generation aircraft.” – said Chief Pilot Andrea Spresian.
2024 is also the year of launching serial production of Jetson ONE. The present version weighs 86 kg and can fly for 20 minutes or 30 km in straight line at top speed of 102 km/h. It is controlled with two joysticks and onboard computer. Vehicles are manufactured to individual orders with sequential numbers. Anyone can be a pilot without a license, just after short practical training. Now Jetson ONE costs $ 128,000, including a downpayment of $8,000 to reserve the number. The entire production for 2024 and 2025 is sold out, new orders are available for 2026. So far Over 440 vehicles have been ordered by clients mainly from USA, but also from Europe, including Poznań, Chełmno and Kwirynów in Poland. Tomasz considers Poland as a potential market with many ambitious people and ponders about large-scale production in USA closer to main clients, prospective partners and influential societies. How about featuring Jetson ONE in Hollywood blockbusters with Tom Cruise or James Bond? Tomasz’ social media motto is clear: “I have never stopped dreaming. Day is always too short, head full of ideas, hands full of work.”
