College student unofficially breaks world record for fastest jet-powered drone with 491 mph aircraft built in his dorm — Reaper aims to grab the $800,000 Boom Prize
An undergraduate student from Georgia Tech is trying his hand at an $800k prize for the fastest jet-powered RC aircraft, achieving 790 km/h (491 mph) and breaking the previous world record.
Tomas Salvo, an aerospace engineering student from Georgia Tech, constructed a jet-powered drone in his dorm room that unofficially shattered the previous speed record. The drone, dubbed the Reaper, reached an impressive 491 mph (790 km/h) during its test flight. Carl Salvo's drone, constructed from a carbon fiber shell and a titanium 3D-printed nozzle, cost just $13,000 to build. The goal for Salvo is to claim the $800,000 Boom Prize sponsored by Boom Supersonic CEO Blake Scholl.
The Reaper is capable of carrying a 1.2 kg payload and can maintain its speed for four minutes on a single tank of fuel. It can launch via rail or truck, reach 2,000 meters altitude in less than 20 seconds, and fly for 50 km at full speed. The project caught the attention of Boom Supersonic CEO Blake Scholl, who now sponsors the Boom Prize which aims to beat the previous world record of 465 mph set by Niels Herbrich.
The Boom Prize requires participants to achieve Mach 1 for at least 5 seconds while climbing or flying level, land intact, and be operated by an individual or team, not a corporation or venture-capital-backed entity.
This achievement has put Tomas Salvo's Reaper on the radar as a potential contender for the $800,000 prize.
Written by urgent.news from Tom's Hardware's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
