A Ugandan man who attracted attention after building a homemade aircraft he claimed could withstand bullets and fly at altitudes of up to 30,000 feet has survived a crash during a test flight in Kamuli District.
The man, identified as Matege, from Kasambira Trading Centre, reportedly sustained injuries, including a broken arm, after his unusual flying machine went down during an attempted flight on November 4, 2026.
The incident marked a dramatic setback for the inventor, who had been preparing to officially unveil his creation, named Chopper Fighter Jet 136 Matege UG, on Christmas Day.
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Matege had attracted attention with his ambitious claims about the aircraft’s capabilities, describing it as a machine designed to combine features of a helicopter, an aeroplane and a fighter jet.
Among the claims he had made was that the homemade aircraft could fly to heights of 30,000 feet and had a bulletproof protection system. He had also envisioned a machine that could serve as a road vehicle, potentially allowing it to travel between towns.
Photographs and videos circulating online show the unusual contraption assembled using metal materials, with rotating blades, a cockpit-like section and wheels resembling those of a motorcycle.
However, the aircraft’s first reported test flight ended in a crash, raising questions about whether the machine could achieve the ambitious performance Matege had envisioned.
Despite the accident, the inventor has reportedly maintained his determination to pursue the project and appealed to the Ugandan government and members of the public for financial and technical assistance to improve his creation.
His invention has generated mixed reactions, with some people expressing admiration for his determination to build an aircraft using locally available materials, while others have questioned its design and the safety of attempting to fly an experimental machine without established aviation engineering assessments.
Building an aircraft capable of safely carrying a person requires specialised knowledge in aerodynamics, structural engineering, propulsion systems, weight distribution and flight controls. Its ability to fly safely must also be established through appropriate technical assessments and regulatory oversight.
Matege’s claims about the aircraft’s bulletproof protection and ability to reach 30,000 feet have not been independently verified.
For now, the crash has interrupted what was intended to be a Christmas Day unveiling, leaving the inventor facing the challenge of recovering from his injuries and seeking the expertise and resources needed to advance his aviation ambitions.
