Worldwide Electric Paramotor Efforts

Several groups around the world are working towards a practical, marketable electric paramotor. Many have different goals, some want to just climb up to go soaring, some want to replace the two stroke even for motoring around low. This highlights those efforts as information comes in.

Designer/Company	Description, link to details, status
Skynch	This is not a paramotor in the normal sense but can get a paraglider pilot aloft through self towing. It was being developed in about 2006, then set aside for a few years but has been resurrected. Visit Skynch.com for more info.
YUNEEC International, China	Sized like a normal paramotor and prop with molded-looking frame and solid cage. Direct drive. Wires its own motors. Shown and flown (by Jeff Goin and Eric Dufour) in July 2009.
Fresh Breeze / Helix Propellers Germany	Large frame, large prop, Lithium Ion batteries, flown in the German Electric PPG Competition and by world champion Michel Carnet. First unit offered to public for sale.
Werner Eck (flown), Germany	Large frame, large prop (folding), stock electric motor, Lithium Ion batteries. Flown numerous times in front of observers.
Parawatt	Standard paramotor setup and available for sale. You can either buy the whole paramotor or just the powertrain for mounting on your own machine.
FlyTec E-Drive	A working system is being sold to makers of various ultralights from hang glider trikes to powered sailplanes to paramotors.
Razeebuss	Based on free-flight pilot's desire to self launch, this machine is intended to get a soaring pilot high enough to find lift. Started production as of Oct 2009.
Ernie Van Dongelen, Holland	Standard paramotor, regular prop, other details unavailable. They have asked for confidentiality so as to avoid getting anyone's hopes up until they are farther along. Stills of the product but other flight status unknown.
ElectraFlyer	This company is producing and, as of 2010-Sept-02, selling an electric trike variant. Although it's not a paramotor, we include it here for completeness since the power and drive system is so close to the same needs.
Neil Andrews, U.K.	Uses a standard paramotor frame and prop, two stock brushless DC motors through a belt. No information on whether or not it will be produced but probably not.
Electric Flight Systems, U.K.	This well funded team is concentrating on motor efficiencies with safer battery technology. Electric paramotor and hang glider. No public video, stills or public performance flown yet. As of Oct 2009, still nothing from this team.
Csaba Lemak (flown), Canada	Standard paramotor, regular prop, home-rewired motor, Lithium polymer batteries. Flown numerous times for video and in front of crowds. No longer in development.

Note: the two US teams previously listed have discontinued their projects as of Nov 11, 2007.

If you have any news of those actively working on an electric paramotor, please send it to our contact or post it on the yahoo ElectricPPG forum.

What it takes

It's never as easy as it looks. Many individuals and teams have started projects that ended in frustration for a wide range of reasons. We hail both those who have tried and those who will ultimate eventually succeed.

It's apparent that regardless of the outcome, it will take:

Passion. It is only with extreme passion that anyone would muster the discipline necessary to see what are usually major undertakings with usually marginal support. These people believe in their product!

Money. Pioneers must spend lots of money. Even the Wright Brothers had to have the support of their Bicycle shop to feed them and pay for expenses incurred while perfecting their flyer. Capable enough equipment to handle the challenges here are very expensive.

Time. The developers have all recounted countless hours working through the design then countless hours solving unforeseen problems and tweaking. Frequently time must be spent instead of money.

Smarts. Either know it or learn it, it will be difficult to succeed otherwise.