Frontline | Tantu Tech's World's First Consumer-Grade Water Jetpack Completes Its Maiden Flight, Expanding the Mobility Ecosystem Across Land, Water and Air Scenarios
Text by | Zhang Ziyi
Edited by | Yuan Silai
Recently, Tantu Technology, an intelligent outdoor travel brand, launched the world's first consumer-grade manned watercraft, the WaveFly 5X, in Suzhou and completed its first public flight. With the debut of this product, Tantu Technology's hardware layout has officially extended from short-distance land transportation to the fields of water and low-altitude travel.
The launch of this new product category fills the gap in the consumer - end products of the low - altitude economy. According to Morgan Stanley's prediction, the global low - altitude economy market scale will exceed $2 trillion by 2030. Among them, water flight is a niche scenario with consumption potential, but there was a lack of mass - produced products for ordinary consumers in the market before.
The "ground - effect water - skimming flight" mode chosen by Tantu Technology this time aims to lower the access and operation thresholds for personal flight through technological means.
In terms of product design, the WaveFly 5X adopts a double tandem wing layout and an aircraft - grade carbon fiber fuselage. Since it operates based on the ground - effect principle, its flight altitude is maintained at a low altitude of 30 to 80 centimeters above the water surface. It can take off and land directly on open water without the need for dedicated runways, airports, and cumbersome flight approvals. In terms of performance parameters, the maximum speed of this aircraft is 85 kilometers per hour, the maximum load is 140 kilograms, and the cruising range is up to 80 kilometers. The fuselage is equipped with modular quick - change batteries, and the longest single - flight endurance is 70 minutes.
For non - professional users, the core of the WaveFly 5X lies in safety and lightweight operation. Due to the ground - effect characteristics of near - water flight, the product avoids the risk of high - altitude falls of traditional aircraft. At the same time, the entire instrument panel of the aircraft is greatly simplified, and the whole - process operation is integrated into a single - hand joystick. Users do not need to obtain a professional aviation license and can start using it after short - term training. At the press conference, Tantu Technology has signed the first batch of agency intention letters with partners in regions such as the United States and Australia.
The research and development of the watercraft is not carried out in isolation. Since its establishment in 2021, Tantu Technology has accumulated nearly 500 patent applications in the field of two - wheeled short - distance transportation. Its electric scooter business has been expanded to more than 60 countries and regions around the world, and it has built three major product series: commuting, off - road, and flagship. The engineering experience in battery, motor, and electronic control accumulated in the research and development of scooters has been systematically reused in the intelligent electric - assisted bicycle product line, resulting in the launch of the high - performance Speed Pedelec SP01 for urban commuting and the Storm X Pro for off - road fun.
Through the technology spill - over of scooters and E - bikes, Tantu Technology is expanding its product line to a wider range of outdoor travel peripherals. In addition to two - wheeled tools, the hardware it exhibited also includes the Birdie series of golf cart carriers equipped with UWB following technology, the E - WAGON 4X - LITE electric camping vehicle, and mechanical exoskeleton equipment for assisting walking.
With the official debut of the WaveFly 5X, Tantu Technology (NAVEE) has achieved the integration of ground and water scenarios, as well as short - distance commuting and outdoor exploration. The launch of this consumer - grade product, to a certain extent, responds to the industry proposition of the low - altitude economy moving from concept to actual implementation, and also reflects the brand's global product ambition to promote the evolution of intelligent outdoor travel from a tool attribute to a lifestyle.