The 5 Most Mind-Blowing Jetpacks
Nothing matches the thrill of flight! Humans have already conquered the reign of birds. Aircrafts? Helicopters? Can there be a new game changer for aviation?
After decades of elaborate research taking into advantage the most advanced technology available, aviation geniuses invented devices that allow a completely new experience. Flying without “armor.” Flying like a bird using a jetpack!
What is a jetpack? It is a device, worn on the back or on the feet, which uses jets of gas or water to move the wearer through the air. Jetpacks were considered sci-fi fantasies just a decade ago. Nevertheless, they have long been used by astronauts to maneuver in the vacuum of space. However, personal jetpacks weren’t available for the mass market due to a very costly technology. These days, the futuristic dream is turning into reality. Check out several devices designed by those who found a key to the gates of a new miraculous era!
Martin Jetpack
In 2005, a New Zealand firm said that it would finally begin selling a personal jetpack. The device was designed as the dream of a New Zealand university student Glenn Martin. He has been developed his dream device over the past 35 years. However, it would cost around $150,000. According to the jetpack’s creator, “Martin Jetpack is very similar to a Formula One racing car. The device is actually equipped with a new ballistic parachute that is the basis of recognizing the way that we can be as safe as we possibly can.”
Skyflash
In 2013, Fritz Unger in Germany developed a jetpack called Skyflash with rigid wings about 3.4 m (11 ft) wingspan and two turbojets designed to run on diesel fuel.
Jetmen
French “Jetman” Yves Rossy and his daredevil protégé Vince Reffet flew over Dubai using a kevlar wing with four engines. According to the “Jetmen” team, these jetpacks weigh just 40 kilograms (88 pounds) and can fly at up to 314 kilometers per hour (195 mph). The duo, both experienced pilots, was deployed at 1,676 meters (5,500 feet) by a helicopter and released a parachute to safely return to the ground.
Hydro-jetpacks
A hydro-jetpack seems like something straight out of a superhero movie, but you’ve already seen it everywhere. It’s a water-powered propulsion system that lifts its wearer as high as 10 meters above the water, spinning in circles and zigzags at a mind-boggling speed. Needless to say, this experience is nothing you’ve ever encountered in your life!
Jetboards
The Flyboard Air may currently be the most advanced personal flying device in the world. Invented by Franky Zapata and his team at Zapata Racing, a Flyboard Air flight will take your breath away! The jet-powered hoverboard has four 250-horsepower engines inside and can travel at 90mph (150km/h). The ground-breaking device can reach a height of 50 meters! The engine power is controlled by a hand-held remote. There’s no steering wheel, of course. The pilot can only turn by balancing his body weight. According to Zapata, the Flyboard Air would be useful for government and security forces. What about us, puny humans?