ndiana'sPeteBitarhasquiteafewpotsontheboilrightnow.BetweenprototypinghisLEOCoupeeVTOL"flyingsupercar,"developingdirectedenergyweaponsfortheUSMilitarythroughhisXADScompany,manufacturingelectricductedfans,sellingheavy-liftdronesthroughhisVertipodcompany,workingonsmallpersonalflightvehicles,anddevelopingandtestingelectricjetpacks,amongotherthings,you'dthinkhe'dhavehishandsfull.
Nottoofull,though,togivepartsoftheLEO'spropulsionsystemasecondhomeinanelectricparaglidersystem.Bitar'sspentplentyoftimewithparachutesinthepast;beforeXADSstoodforXtremeAlternativeDefenseSystems,itstoodforXtremeAds,abusinessinwhichBitarpaintedadvertsonparachutes.TheCanop-Ehadtohappen.
ThisprototypestartedoutasatestfortwoofthesixforwardpropulsionjetsdesignedfortheLEOeVTOL.Weighinginat57lb(26kg),itcomprisesaseat,two216-mmductedfans,aharness,anda100-V,18-Ah,1.8-kWhbatterypackmountedinasimpleframe.Tothetop,oneattachesa28-m(92-ft)parachutecanopy,andfromthereitfunctionslikearegularparamotorrig.
Bitarandhisteamhavetest-flowntheCanop-E,claiminganenduranceofaround20minutesfortheprototype,andatopspeedsomewherearound70mph(110km/h).
Electricparamotorsarenotnew,butBitarsaystypicallythey'remuchbulkierthanthis,withsinglepropellersshroudedbyaprotectivecagethatneedsometeardownorfoldingtofitinacar.TheCanop-E,hesays,needsnofurthersafetygeararounditsductedelectricturbines,andcanbethrownintheseatorthetrunkofacarasitis,readytohookupandfly.
"Theplanistoofferahigherend,noveltyCanopE-Jet1,andalowercost,ductedpropellerCanopE-JetLight,"Bitartoldus."Notincludingparaglider,theLightmodelwillsellforUS$8,995andtheCanopE-Jet1willsellfor$18,995.Ithinkwe'llopenuppre-orderssoononCanopE-Jet,becauseIthinkwecanstartdeliveringunitsbyQ3ofthisyear."
Inothernews,Bitarsayshe'scompletedaseedroundoffundingfortheLEOeVTOLproject,and"shouldbeflyingtheLX-1mannedprototypebyMay."Andwhilehecan'tsaytoomuchabouttheelectricjetpackatthemoment,"that'saverycoolproject,andgettingcoolerallthetime."SeetheCanop-Eflyinthevideobelow.
