LEO Solo JetBike Gets Ready for Liftoff as Pre Orders Begin

The LEO Solo JetBike is finally here, as Techeblog reported, and it looks like something dreamed up after one energy drink too many. Pete Bitar has spent years chasing the joy of electric flight, building prototypes that have flown, wobbled, or occasionally tried to end the day early.

In 2021, he teamed up with designer Carlos Salaff, known for some of Mazda’s most daring concepts, to form LEO Flight. Both founders are hands on builders with a long history in experimental aircraft and automotive design. Together they decided that the science fiction vision of compact personal flying cars was finally within reach and that someone might as well start building them.

Their early dream was the LEO Coupe, a flying car meant to blend practicality with sci fi flair. But ambition gave way to a more focused and fun idea. A tiny, single rider JetBike built for pure excitement. Enter the Solo.

At 6.5 feet by 6.5 feet, the Solo is basically the size of a spare mattress. It fits in a normal garage, which is useful when you want to casually glide out on a Saturday morning and pretend you are in a futuristic movie. Just do not lie down on it. The 48 ducted fans underneath would object.

Forty eight fans, one brave pilot

The Solo uses 48 small fans to lift you into the air. No giant rotors. No wings. Just simple ducted thrust. These fans handle all the lifting and keep the craft easier to control at low altitudes. The JetBike stays close to the ground, topping out at about 15 feet. Enough to impress friends, but not enough to get scolded by the FAA or your mother.

Top speed clocks in at around 60 mph and flight time is about 10 to 15 minutes per charge (if we test it against the Neo 2, he will win) and range lands at roughly 15 miles in perfect conditions. It is short, but let’s be honest. If you are airborne on an electric mattress, you are already winning.

Noise is about as loud as a vacuum cleaner, which means your neighbors cannot complain. Or at least they cannot complain more than they already do.

The Solo runs on a solid state battery, giving it better safety and energy density than older battery tech. You can charge it at home and avoid any odd scenarios. LEO expects commercial versions of these batteries to arrive in the coming years, which should only improve future flight times.

Safety wise, the Solo includes redundancy through its many fans. If one decides it is done for the day, the others pick up the slack. That keeps the ride smooth and predictable. Pete Bitar has been seen hovering inches off the ground with impressive control. Landings are calmer now too compared to some earlier prototypes that looked like a shopping cart hitting a speed bump.

No licence needed and pre orders open

The Solo qualifies as a Part 103 ultralight, meaning no pilot licence required. Anyone with decent reflexes and a respect for gravity can take it for a spin. Pre orders are now open and the initial deposit is $999, fully refundable if you change your mind. The full price starts at $99,999. A number that will either make you say “that seems fair for a flying machine” or “maybe I will just get a scooter instead.”

The founders believe this is only the beginning. LEO Flight’s advisory board includes top names from flight systems, energy infrastructure, and manufacturing. Their alliances give them confidence that they can help shape the future of personal air mobility. The LEO Coupe remains their long term vision. A practical, fast, and safe flying vehicle that offers the simplicity of a car but the freedom of flight.

DroneXL’s Take

The LEO Solo JetBike is one of those rare machines that makes you smile even before it leaves the ground. It is small, strange, clever, and surprisingly practical. If LEO Flight can keep the price stable, maintain safety standards, and deliver on battery improvements, this could become the first widely adopted personal hover craft. And if it does not, it is still the coolest vacuum cleaner sized flying machine we have seen all year.

Photo credit: LEO Solo