What if personal flying machines—the kind that look straight out of The Jetsons—weren’t futuristic concepts anymore, but real products you could order online today? Even more surprising: what if some of them could be delivered in as little as 15 days and cost a fraction of the Jetson One?
That scenario is no longer hypothetical.
In a recent video, we explored three Chinese manufacturers producing personal flying vehicles that appeared to be near-replicas of the Jetson One. Since then, the situation has escalated rapidly. Three additional manufacturers have emerged, offering even lower prices, and two more companies have announced upcoming models.
These are not concept renders or distant prototypes. They are manned drones, listed for sale right now on Alibaba.
The Rise of China’s “Low Altitude Economy”
This sudden wave of personal flying machines didn’t happen by chance. China has been heavily investing in what it calls the Low Altitude Economy—a national strategy focused on accelerating low-altitude aviation technologies, including drones and eVTOL aircraft.
Under this initiative, manufacturers receive strong policy backing and, in many cases, generous subsidies. Provincial and municipal governments often provide direct financial incentives, dramatically speeding up development and commercialization.
Two regions, in particular, have become epicenters of this movement:
- Shenzhen – Widely known as the drone capital of China and home to DJI, the world’s largest drone manufacturer.
- Shandong Province – Rapidly positioning itself as a new hub for low-altitude aviation and manned drone development.
It’s from these regions that the latest generation of personal flying machines—often referred to in China as manned drones—are emerging.
What These Aircraft Have in Common
All of the currently listed models share similar baseline specifications:
- Flight time: ~15 minutes
- Maximum payload: ~90 kg
- Availability: Listed on Alibaba
- Delivery claims: As short as a few weeks
Here’s a closer look at the standout models.
Eagle One – UWant Intelligent Technology
The Eagle One places a strong emphasis on safety and redundancy.
It supports multiple operating modes, including:
- Manual joystick control
- Fully autonomous flight
- Remote ground operation
- Computer-based backend control
If one system fails, another is designed to take over immediately.
Navigation is handled through a combination of RTK and GPS, providing precise positioning and tracking. The aircraft also includes a black box for real-time data recording and analysis. Structurally, it’s built from aluminum and carbon fiber, balancing durability with weight efficiency.
Price:
- $49,550 for a single unit
- Significant discounts available for orders of five or more
Single-Person Manned Drone – BSM Industrial Manufacturing
BSM’s single-person manned drone closely mirrors the Eagle One in terms of features but adds a key enhancement: pre-set route functionality, allowing the aircraft to fly automatically between multiple predefined waypoints.
Its navigation system combines GPS with China’s BeiDou (BDS) satellite network.
What truly sets this model apart is its price.
Price:
- $41,450, making it one of the most affordable personal flying machines currently available
Cloud World – BJZ Technology Development
The Cloud World takes a more utilitarian, boxy design approach, but its performance claims remain competitive.
Its standout features include:
- 360-degree obstacle avoidance
- RTK navigation capable of centimeter-level positioning accuracy
That added precision comes at a premium.
Price:
- $68,415
Important Caveat: Performance Claims
At this time, there is no independent verification confirming whether all performance and safety claims made by these manufacturers are accurate. As with any emerging technology, real-world validation will be critical.
That said, two additional upcoming aircraft are worth mentioning.
DAVID II – Sky eVTOL
The DAVID II stands out for its focus on safety and pilot training.
Key highlights include:
- A ballistic parachute for emergency deployment
- A dedicated flight simulation platform
- A 180-degree immersive simulator designed for pilot training and familiarization
Pricing has not yet been disclosed.
High-Agility eVTOL – YAFeiya Aviation
YAFeiya Aviation’s High-Agility eVTOL takes a different engineering approach. Instead of four coaxial rotors, it uses six coaxial rotors, reducing disc loading and improving efficiency.
This design potentially lowers power consumption, but detailed performance figures have not yet been published. Pricing is also currently unavailable.
A Growing List of Jetson One Alternatives
In total, there are now at least eight alternatives to the Jetson One—and every single one of them is priced well below Jetson’s current $128,000 price tag.
There’s another major difference: availability.
While the Jetson One has a long waiting list, several of these Chinese alternatives claim delivery times measured in weeks, not years.
The Real Test: Reliability
Ultimately, price and availability are only part of the equation. The deciding factor will be reliability—something that can only be proven once a meaningful number of these aircraft are operating in real-world conditions.
When that happens, we’ll finally see which of these personal flying vehicles are genuinely ready for the future—and which are not.
For now, one thing is clear: the era of affordable personal flight may be arriving much faster than anyone expected.