AssetID: 54912300
Headline: RAW VIDEO: Texas Firm Unveils Jet-Powered Flying Car That Takes Off Like A Drone And Flies Like A Fighter Jet
Caption: A Texas-based aviation company has unveiled what looks like something straight out of a sci-fi blockbuster — a jet-powered, one-person aircraft that lifts off vertically like a drone and flies through the skies like a high-speed jet. FusionFlight, the firm that previously stunned tech fans with its JetQuad drone, has now taken a giant leap with the Axion - a futuristic flying machine designed to carry a human through the air at blistering speeds of up to 225mph. The Axion is no ordinary flying machine. It ditches the electric motors and spinning propellers seen in most VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) aircraft and instead packs a whopping eight jet engines powered by kerosene, diesel, or Jet-A fuel - the same stuff that powers commercial planes. These micro-turbines churn out an astonishing 809 lb-ft of thrust, giving the Axion the muscle to lift off from tight urban spaces with a full-sized adult and additional cargo - all while maintaining the agility to hover, dart forward, or land precisely where it started. Weighing just 330 lbs when fully fueled, the Axion is about the size of a small car - but don’t let its compact frame fool you. It can carry an extra 176 lbs of payload, has autonomous flying capabilities, and can even stay airborne if one of its jet engines fails. Not bad for something that looks like a cross between a Star Wars speeder and a military drone. The Axion can hit 225mph and stay in the air for 15 minutes per refuel. While that might not sound like a long flight, it’s more than enough for quick-response missions - and unlike electric aircraft, there's no waiting around for batteries to charge. FusionFlight is touting the Axion not just as a thrill ride for the super-rich, but also as a serious tool for emergency response, surveillance, and cargo delivery - especially in areas where weather and terrain make helicopters or drones unreliable. You can either fly the Axion manually using dual joysticks or sit back and let its smart systems do the work. With its touchscreen interface, you simply punch in a destination, and the aircraft handles the rest. It can also be flown remotely - perfect for missions that are too dangerous for humans. A full Axion setup will cost $289,995, complete with all eight engines and onboard autonomy. FusionFlight says ground testing is already underway, with full flight tests expected by the end of the year.
Keywords: feature,photo feature,photo story,Jet-powered personal aircraft,Axion,FusionFlight,VTOL,micro-turbine engines,drone takeoff,high-speed flight,autonomous flying,urban air mobility,future of aviation
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