Jet-Powered Human Flight Is on the Horizon
A manned jetpack for commercial and government use by mid-2013
A manned jetpack for personal use about mid-2014
Takeaway: Martin Jetpack’s latest prototype flies at approximately 30 mph and has been flown by humans. The company hopes to bring the manned jetpacks to market within a couple of years.
After last year’s successful 5,000 ft. elevation flight, Martin Jetpack, one of the world’s leading jetpack researchers and developers, is continuing its quest to bring a practical jetpack to market.
The Martin Jetpack consists of a gasoline powered, two-stroke engine that drives twin-ducted fans capable of lifting the aircraft and a human operator off the ground and sustaining flight. It was designed with recreational use in mind, but it has many commercial and government applications as well. For safety, the jetpack has a ballistic parachute onboard and will crumple on impact to protect the operator. This partially computer-animated video shows some of the Martin Jetpack’s commercial applications.
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