New Zealand Jetpack Close to Commercial Reality

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Well if you've ever dream of flying like a bird, New Zealand inventor Glenn Martin may be able to help. Recently, Martin flew his shoulder-mounted jetpack -- higher than any jetpack has flown before. Let's take a look at this amazing aircraft.

It's soaring at 5,000 feet above New Zealand's Canterbury Plains, going at a height never reached by any other jetpack before.

This is the Martin Jetpack, invented by Glenn Martin.

[Glenn Martin, Inventor]:
"No jetpack, whether it's manned or unmanned, has been higher than about 150 feet."

This jetpack uses two "super-fans." The two fans generate a one hundred eighty-six miles per hour rush of air to create lift.

The jetpack doesn't need rocket fuel. Instead, it uses ordinary gasoline to power its 2 liter, V4 engine.

Unlike conventional aircraft, this jetpack can fly close to trees, next to cliffs, and between buildings.

[Glenn Martin, Inventor]:
"You can get into places you can't go. You can use it for search and rescue operations that you couldn't do in a helicopter."

The jetpack undergoes a first high-altitude test. It's being controlled remotely, and with a crash-test dummy in the hot seat.

Also being tested is a rocket powered parachute, in case of engine failure.

Martin has been working on his jetpack concept for 30 years. It began as garage project.

Now, it has received venture capital funding, with the intention of taking it into mass production.

The Martin Aircraft Company hopes the jetpack will retail for around USD $49,000.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• NTD
• NTDTV
• New Zealand
• Jetpack
• Commercial Reality
• Glenn Martin
• Canterbury Plains
• Martin Jetpack

[juki0h]

@MOFUZION i know right

[MOFUZION]

This should be renamed helicopter back pack....wheres the jet engines ? 

[controlledburst]

Personal VTOL has to break through sometime, somewhere. I sure hope this is finally it. This is one of the most practical, sensible approaches to this multilateral aviation hurdle. Hope this kiwi is successful. Parachute needs to be improved, though. Seems ballistically deployed canopies should open quicker - was a reefing device used to delay opening? Old USAF emergency chute had spreaders on each suspension line for instant inflation.

[spohn96]

my future wife

[LaburnumDorado]

I would love to have one of those!

[femanvate]

$50,000 deathtrap, no license needed. Parachute works at a mile high, but not at 100ft, where most people will fly it, and not during takeoff and landing.

250lbs strapped to your back is not a pleasant way to hurtle into the ground.

American lawyers fantasize about such deadly consumer products.

[ChrisDaWolf]

For starters, NOT a jetpack. Just saying.. Now for the other problems. 1. People not wanting to train to use it. 2. Morons finding a way to aquire it without training and killing themselves and possibly others. 3. Laws and restrictions for city dwellers and whatnot. 4. I live in Dallas, people are idiots when driving on a 2 dimensional road, now try 3. Now dont get me wrong, I LOVE the idea, love the design, but mankind can be quite stupid, especially with a beer in them.

[lastxp]

Hope we don't lose this to the chinese like stephen preest's hovercraft.

[98avro98]

Note the landing, a real person would be broken after that performance.

[scorpiooooooh]

Sweeeeeeeet ! Cheaper than most BMWs too.