After Call of Duty, it’s time to use jetpacks in real life too!
“If you could have a superpower, what would it be?” If you ask this question from people, the most common answer would be “flying.” There’s just something about flying that fascinates us all; maybe it’s our lack of ability to float weightlessly in midair or us trying to prove a point that we can resist the gravitational force that brings us back to reality, whatever it is, if we are ever given the option to fly, most of us would accept the offer without thinking twice.
Jetpack Aviation, a California-based startup is targeting the flying enthusiast audience and selling two of its jetpack units for $400,000 each. The buyer seems to be an “undisclosed military customer from South-East Asia” which shows that jetpack technologies are becoming increasingly popular with the military as well. Even the US Department of Defense is officially looking into jetpacks as a potential asset for the military.
The jetpack called JB-12, features three small jet turbine engines on each side, which ensures safety in case one of the turbines malfunctions during flight. The jetpack weighs about 105 pounds and can accelerate at speeds up to 120 mph so you’ll be literally swooshing through air.
David Mayman, CEO and chief pilot of Jetpack Aviation labeled this as a milestone for the company and said, “The ratification of this deal demonstrates that the JB12 JetPack provides defense forces with exceptional aerial capabilities to fulfill a wide array of mission requirements.” If you’re thinking of peacefully floating through the air then the jetpacks are not for you as they’re extremely loud because of their six turbine engines and require a lot of effort and leg workout to get in the air. It’s still a long way to go before the military can actually make use of jetpacks during operations but seems like the company is optimistic for its future sales.