Just six days ago on Oct. 5, the Daily Mail released an article about a jetpack prototype trial run that took place across the River Thames in East London. It supposedly lasted less than five minutes long, but it was still most definitely a historic moment for transportation technology! Test pilot, David Mayman, was the lucky man who got to pretend he was James Bond, or Boba Fett (for you Star Wars fans out there), for a few minutes as he flew 100 feet into the air, of which he said himself was "awesome" and the ultimate "freedom".
Mayman is the owner of the company developing this new innovation and they are projecting to have commercial versions of the jetpack, which the company anticipates to be electric, available in just about three years, which would be 2019.
According to the article on Daily Mail, the "JB-10 JetPack features two turbo [miniature] jet engines that run on aviation fuel and can reach 60mph." The device is controlled using two joysticks, just like if you were playing an arcade game only way cooler and more thrilling. Mayman and his team, a group of turbine engine design specialists and electrical and computer engineers, have developed a campaign to raise the amount of money they would need to create the electric version (roughly about $300,000 in case anyone would like to donate), which would go for about $250,000. So, basically, if a commercial jetpack that runs on electricity is available in just three years from now, we can probably expect to see rich kids getting jetpacks instead of Range Rovers or BMWs for their 16th birthday.
And, of course, the military has to get in on it, too. So, the company plans to design a "heavy lifting" jetpack that will be useful to the US Special Forces.
Mayman has been working on the jetpack with chief designer, Nelson Tyler, for ten years, according to their website. Together, they launched their company JetPack Aviation, which has produced nine versions of the jetpack thus far.
It is thrilling to see how the future is coming along, first with hoverboards, with hover-bikes being developed, then with self-autonomous cars being tested, and now with jetpacks being the newest possible mode of transportation in the near future!
