French aircraft manufacturer DTA Aircraft is preparing to begin U.S. flight testing of its JP1 hybrid-electric multicopter in Arizona in 2027. The company displayed the two-seat aircraft at the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition in Las Vegas last week after accumulating more than 200 hours of flight testing in France. DTA said it intends to assemble the aircraft in Arizona and begin customer deliveries in 2028.
Hybrid-Electric Design
The JP1 uses eight electrically driven rotors arranged in pairs across four booms. An onboard engine burning jet fuel supplies power to the aircraft’s hybrid-electric system.
DTA advertises a cruise speed of 90 mph, a range of 156 nautical miles and two hours of endurance. The aircraft also incorporates an autopilot and whole-airframe ballistic parachute. Those performance figures remain preliminary.
DTA opened reservations at a list price of $385,000 with a $12,000 deposit, of which $10,000 is refundable. The company said it plans to deliver its first 50 aircraft in 2028, followed by additional deliveries beginning in 2029.
Certification Questions Remain
DTA said it intends to certify the JP1 under the FAA’s MOSAIC framework. The FAA’s accepted standards include ASTM F3840-26, which addresses powered-lift aircraft and multicopters. However, the agency currently accepts the standard only for powered-lift aircraft, a distinction noted when the FAA approved new standards in July.
“Certification is the objective, and it is not yet granted,” DTA states in its preorder terms.
The company said the FAA has not yet determined which aircraft category will apply to the JP1. That decision will establish the pilot certification and training requirements necessary to operate the aircraft.
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