Tomas Salvo - GoKawiil

Georgia Tech student's dorm-built jet drone hits 491 mph, claims world record

Aerospace engineering student Tomas Salvo says his jet-powered RC aircraft 'Reaper' reached 491 mph while carrying a 2.6-pound payload, surpassing the 465 mph record set in 2017. Salvo built three prototypes in his dorm room since last February, each using carbon-fiber shells, laser-cut parts and custom turbojet engines, at a total cost of about $13,000.

techspot.com · 2026-11-02

Georgia Tech student's dorm-built jet drone unofficially tops 491 mph speed record

Aerospace engineering student Tomas Salvo built a jet-powered drone called Reaper in his Georgia Tech dorm room, which unofficially hit 491 mph, surpassing the previous 465 mph record for small jet-powered drones. The $13,000 aircraft uses a custom carbon fiber shell, laser-cut internal structure, and a 250N jet engine with a titanium 3D-printed nozzle, and Salvo says three such Reapers can sustain that speed for four minutes per tank.

tomshardware.com · 2026-11-01