Tomas Salvo, an aerospace engineering student at Georgia Tech, has unofficially broken the world speed record for jet-powered drones, reaching 491 mph with a drone built and assembled in his dorm room. The drone, named Reaper, was constructed from a custom-molded carbon fiber shell and a laser-cut internal structure, powered by a 250N jet engine with a titanium 3D-printed nozzle, at a cost of $13,000. Salvo's achievement puts him in contention for the $800,000 Boom Prize, offered by Boom Supersonic CEO Blake Scholl for a drone that breaks Mach 1 under specific conditions.
The Reaper's record-breaking flight reached 790 km/h (491 mph) while carrying a 1.2 kg payload. In a social media post, Salvo wrote, "My college dorm project just broke the world speed record." He added that the drone can hold that speed for four minutes on a full tank, climb to 6,500 feet in under 20 seconds, and fly 31 miles at full speed. He described the system as "a reliable and repeatable system" and expects future optimizations to push speeds past 500 mph.
The previous drone speed record of 465 mph was set by Niels Herbrich. The Reaper's run has not been officially recorded by Guinness World Records. Before the Boom Prize, Salvo secured sponsorships for a JetCat 250N engine, but the prize rules exclude corporations or people backed by venture capitalists or government funding. Since the Boom Prize announcement, he has turned to crowdfunding, asking for $50,000 in August after raising $20,000.
The Boom Prize requires an air-breathing aircraft to surpass Mach 1 (approximately 767 mph) for at least five seconds while climbing or level, land intact, and complete two flights in one day with the same aircraft. The prize is open to individuals or teams, not corporations or people backed by venture capitalists or government funding.
Another project, Mach Initiative's Kingchaser, a 3D-printed jet-powered RC aircraft, was also inspired by the Boom Prize. Its test flight reached only 273 mph, though the team estimates a 550 mph top speed with more space. However, since the team is not US citizens, they are ineligible for the prize. They responded to the Boom Prize announcement with "challenge accepted" but currently face that eligibility hurdle.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Demonstrates that significant aerospace innovation can come from a college dorm room with a limited budget.
- The Boom Prize uniquely targets individual hobbyists rather than well-funded corporations, potentially lowering the barrier for breakthrough achievements.
- Advances in small jet drone technology could have practical applications for surveillance, racing, or propulsion research.
Background
The previous world record for fastest jet-powered RC aircraft was held by Niels Herbrich at 465 mph. In 2025, Boom Supersonic CEO Blake Scholl announced the $800,000 Boom Prize to encourage small teams to break Mach 1 with an air-breathing, reusable aircraft. The prize rules exclude corporations, VC-backed startups, and government-funded projects, aiming at garage hobbyists. Tomas Salvo's Reaper project and Mach Initiative's Kingchaser are among the first serious contenders. The Reaper was built in Salvo's dorm at Georgia Tech using a combination of custom molding, 3D printing, and off-the-shelf components.
Key Perspectives
Tomas Salvo: Claims his Reaper drone is now the world's fastest small jet-powered drone at 491 mph, calling it a "reliable and repeatable system." He intends to win the Boom Prize by pushing the drone past Mach 1.
Mach Initiative: Responded to the Boom Prize with "challenge accepted" but their Kingchaser project faces ineligibility due to non-US citizenship.
What to Watch
- Whether Salvo can optimize the Reaper to exceed 500 mph and eventually Mach 1.
- If an official Guinness World Record attempt will be made for the drone speed record.
- Whether any other US-based hobbyist projects emerge to compete for the Boom Prize.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe Reaper unofficially broke the jet-powered drone speed record at 491 mph.Latest from Tom's Hardware: “A new 'Reaper' jet-powered drone project just unofficially broke the previous drone speed world record of 465 mph by hitting 491 mph.”
- SupportedSalvo is aiming to win the $800,000 Boom Prize with the Reaper.Latest from Tom's Hardware: “Tomas Salvo aims to win the $800,000 Boom Prize posted by Boom Supersonic CEO Blake Scholl.”
- SupportedSalvo wrote, “My college dorm project just broke the world speed record.”Latest from Tom's Hardware: “My college dorm project just broke the world speed record.”
- SupportedSalvo described the system as “a reliable and repeatable system.”Latest from Tom's Hardware: “This is now a reliable and repeatable system.”
- SupportedTomas Salvo is an aerospace engineering student at Georgia Tech.Latest from Tom's Hardware: “Tomas Salvo is an aerospace engineering student at Georgia Tech, and his project was assembled in his dorm room.”
- SupportedThe Reaper was assembled in Salvo’s dorm room.Latest from Tom's Hardware: “Tomas Salvo is an aerospace engineering student at Georgia Tech, and his project was assembled in his dorm room.”
- SupportedThe Reaper reached 491 mph while carrying a 1.2 kg payload.Latest from Tom's Hardware: “Reaper hit 790 km/h (491 mph) carrying a 1.2 kg (2.6 lb) payload.”
- SupportedThe Reaper cost $13,000 to build.Latest from Tom's Hardware: “The drone is comprised of a custom-molded carbon fiber shell, laser-cut internal structure, and a 250N jet engine with a titanium 3D-printed nozzle, costing $13,000 to build.”
- SupportedThe drone can hold its speed for four minutes on a full tank.Latest from Tom's Hardware: “Each of them can hold that speed for 4 minutes on a full tank.”
- SupportedThe Reaper’s run has not been officially recorded by Guinness World Records.Latest from Tom's Hardware: “They were beaten by Tomas Salvo, but Tomas’ run was not officially recorded by Guinness.”
- SupportedThe previous drone speed record was 465 mph, set by Niels Herbrich.Latest from Tom's Hardware: “A new 'Reaper' jet-powered drone project just unofficially broke the previous drone speed world record of 465 mph by hitting 491 mph.”
- SupportedThe Boom Prize requires an air-breathing aircraft to pass Mach 1 for at least five seconds while climbing or level, land intact, and fly twice in one day with the same aircraft.Latest from Tom's Hardware: “The prize’s conditions are: First, pass Mach 1 for at least 5 seconds while climbing or level, not descending. Second, it must be an air-breathing aircraft with no on-board oxidizers or rockets for propulsion. Third, it must land intact, and lastly, the same aircraft (wings, fuselage, engine, and flight computer) must fly twice in one day.”
