Altidude

The idea was born 5 years ago: jump from his local mountain and land in his garden. Only electric would work. In 2017, BMW i became the perfect partner, sharing his vision of sustainable innovation. In 2020, that vision became reality, pioneering electric flight and earning a Guinness World Record in the process.

Ideas became sketches, then digital models. First prototype: cardboard for dimensions. Then aluminum mockups for weight simulation. Key decisions: drive unit moved from back to chest, smaller impellers for mobility. The final Flyunit: 12kg, carbon fiber and aluminum, twin impellers, 15 kWh at 25,000 rpm.

BMW’s AEROLAB wind tunnel tested impeller variants first. Then Stockholm’s wingsuit facility, the world’s only indoor testing site. The suit flew stable and controlled. Additional air inlets were added after analysis showed insufficient airflow.

Over 30 helicopter jumps refined every detail. Weight, emergency systems, throttle positioning, all optimized. Peter trained daily for months, strengthening his core to hold flight position under extreme loads. Every component checked repeatedly.

World premiere: South Korea, spring 2020. Then COVID-19 hit. Months of uncertainty followed. When the pandemic subsided, the team regrouped in Austria. The dream was delayed, not defeated.

Early morning, Austrian Alps, 3,000+ meters. Peter exits the helicopter, rushes past rock faces, pulls the throttle. The electric drive pushes him upward. Quiet euphoria at 1,000 meters. Parachute deployed. History made.

Peter landed safely, packed his wingsuit into his BMW iX3, and looked back. But resting isn’t an option. South Korea awaits, flying between skyscrapers. More training, better technology, bolder horizons. Progress means breaking new trails.