CopterPack: The Electric Backpack Helicopter

Editor: Looks like fake videos

Main Takeaway: CopterPack represents a groundbreaking step toward personal electric flight by integrating the pilot’s body into the aircraft structure, featuring dual ducted rotors, self-levelling autopilot, and a carbon-fiber honeycomb airframe. It remains in prototype stages, with key performance metrics—price, flight duration, payload capacity—yet to be finalized.

1. Concept and Purpose

CopterPack is designed as a man-portable, all-electric personal flight system that conflates wearer and aircraft. By transforming the operator’s torso into part of the lift-generation system, it aims to set new benchmarks for agility, simplicity, and safety among personal aerial vehicles.copterpack​

2. Airframe and Propulsion

The Gen 2 prototype utilizes:

• A carbon-fiber honeycomb backpack structure for strength and lightness.copterpack​

• Two large ducted rotors (~3 ft/90 cm diameter each) mounted on either side of the pilot’s back for lift.newatlas​

• Tiltable rotor mounts enabling thrust vectoring for directional control rather than varying motor speed.newatlas​

• Underslung lithium-ion battery packs supplying power to electric motors.newatlas​

3. Flight Control and Autonomy

Control is effected via dual joystick-like hand controllers mounted on flat armrests. Each rotor can tilt independently to produce forward, backward, lateral, and yaw movements. A built-in self-levelling autopilot maintains stable hover and assists in smooth maneuvering.youtube​motorbiscuit​

4. Demonstrated Performance

Publicized tethered flights have shown:

• Controlled vertical takeoff and hover at significant heights.

• Forward, lateral, and yaw maneuvers executed with apparent precision.

• Gentle landings demonstrating stable descent profiles.newatlas​

5. Development Status and Uncertainties

CopterPack remains in early testing phases:

• Tethered trials only, to validate flight dynamics and system stability.copterpack​

• Price: Unannounced, speculated below US $20 000 but unconfirmed.forbes​

• Flight time: Likely limited to 20–30 minutes based on similar battery-powered VTOL designs, though official figures are not released.forbes​

• Range, payload, cruise speed: Not yet disclosed by the developer.

6. Safety and Certification Challenges

Key safety concerns include:

• Single-point rotor failure risk: No redundant lift sources if one rotor malfunctions.autoevolution​

• Open rotor exposure: Limited edge ducting offers some protection, but accidents at altitude pose severe hazards.startupselfie+1​

• Regulatory hurdles: Certification will demand fail-safe systems (e.g., parachute backup, collision avoidance) beyond current prototype capabilities.

7. Future Prospects

Advancements in battery energy density, materials science, and autonomous flight control are critical for CopterPack’s viability. Should development overcome current limitations, potential applications span recreational aviation, emergency response, and specialized operations requiring rapid vertical insertion.

---

CopterPack’s innovative integration of pilot and aircraft showcases the future potential of personal electric flight, though substantial engineering and regulatory work remains before commercial deployment.

1. https://copterpack.com.au
2. https://newatlas.com/aircraft/copterpack-electric-jetpack/
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5ITThhZyfc
4. https://www.motorbiscuit.com/electric-backpack-helicopter-flies-self-leveling/
5. https://www.forbes.com/sites/peterlyon/2021/06/28/personal-flight-might-be-just-around-the-corner-in-the-copterpack/
6. https://www.autoevolution.com/news/electric-backpack-helicopter-takes-its-first-manned-flight-in-australia-162713.html
7. https://www.startupselfie.net/2021/06/14/copterpack-electric-backpack-personal-helicopter-first-manned-flight/