Why This Jetpack is Close to Making Fantasy a Reality

LJ Ellis

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Why This Jetpack is Close to Making Fantasy a Reality


We've all been fantasizing of the day that jetpacks escape the realm of science fiction and enter the real world. Thus far, there hasn't been much to get our hopes up about. Enter the JB-9 jetpack, the most genuine jetpack ever built.

While somewhat functional jetpacks have been produced in recent years, they've all been flawed to varying degrees. Whether the jetpacks have been too bulky, too cumbersome or too impractical (needing to be launched from an airplane, for example), at least one important aspect has always been amiss.

But the JB-9 jetpack is different. As you can see in the video footage, it's quite compact despite utilizing turbojet engines. It's relatively easy to handle, using either your body weight or hand controls to navigate. It's practical with its ten minutes of flying time. And, perhaps most importantly, the jetpack is useful due to the fact that it can reach speeds of approximately 100 MPH.

Unfortunately, fantasy isn't ready to become reality just yet. The company behind the JB-9 isn't in a rush to put these on the market. In fact, Jetpack Aviation has been hard at work for the last 40 years attempting to master this technology -- so it's safe to say they aren't in a rush.

When Jetpack Aviation eventually has a jetpack ready for market, be prepared for a hefty price tag. Industry experts believe it will cost tens of thousands of dollars, with a price tag of more than $100,000 a definite possibility.

Source: ScienceAlert [http://www.sciencealert.com/this-could-be-the-jetpack-we-ve-all-been-dreaming-about]

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Seraj33

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Soon, in a war near you!


Because with that pricetag I guess the military can buy a few new toys.
 

FirstNameLastName

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As cool as jetpacks seem, unless we can develop some kind of small, light weight, and extremely efficient way to fuel them I really have to wonder what utility they will have in the future. Pretty much all technology starts off gimmicky and useless, or course, but not all technologies go any where. Perhaps they could have some kind of niche applications in emergency services, but as a method of transport they seem worthless, especially since you'll need somewhere to store your jetpack once you arrive at your destination anyway, and since the 10min @ 100mph specs mean (for now) you'll only be traveling ~16.6 miles.

Still, it's always nice to see technology progress, even if none of the people salivating over this device are likely to ever use one, or live long enough to see them become useful.
 

Thaluikhain

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FirstNameLastName said:
As cool as jetpacks seem, unless we can develop some kind of small, light weight, and extremely efficient way to fuel them I really have to wonder what utility they will have in the future. Pretty much all technology starts off gimmicky and useless, or course, but not all technologies go any where. Perhaps they could have some kind of niche applications in emergency services, but as a method of transport they seem worthless, especially since you'll need somewhere to store your jetpack once you arrive at your destination anyway, and since the 10min @ 100mph specs mean (for now) you'll only be traveling ~16.6 miles.
Yeah, all sorts of things were killed off because something else was found to be more convenient. Videophone booths were killed by mobile phones, for example.

Though, as some sort of weird parachute type thing, I could see this having a niche, perhaps.
 

Callate

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Coming soon: headlines about rich idiots killing themselves in jetpack accidents.
 

freaper

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Seraj33 said:
Soon, in a war near you!


Because with that pricetag I guess the military can buy a few new toys.
Liberation just became a whole lot easier.
 

kajinking

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Going back and comparing to the models that only came out a few years ago it's a huge difference in size for only 5 years. That said we still need to work out fuel issues before we can use them for much.

Even then; we have drones now who do everything better than jetpacks without risk of injury to a human pilot. It almost looks like robots took jetpack users jobs before they even had any to begin with.

We are truly living in the future when someone can say something like this.
 

Lightknight

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FirstNameLastName said:
As cool as jetpacks seem, unless we can develop some kind of small, light weight, and extremely efficient way to fuel them I really have to wonder what utility they will have in the future. Pretty much all technology starts off gimmicky and useless, or course, but not all technologies go any where. Perhaps they could have some kind of niche applications in emergency services, but as a method of transport they seem worthless, especially since you'll need somewhere to store your jetpack once you arrive at your destination anyway, and since the 10min @ 100mph specs mean (for now) you'll only be traveling ~16.6 miles.

Still, it's always nice to see technology progress, even if none of the people salivating over this device are likely to ever use one, or live long enough to see them become useful.
Jet pack + Hang Glider with solar fan? The pack would then only be necessary to provide initial vertical take off and perhaps a more stable vertical landing. This would essentially make hangliding more akin to harrier jet flight than paper airplane mechanics where take off and landing are concerned.

I wonder how high this current model can go. Was he testing that in the video or just playing it safe at the height he went to by keeping it at something survivable without injury?
 

Pyrian

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Callate said:
Coming soon: headlines about rich idiots killing themselves in jetpack accidents.
Lightknight said:
Was he testing that in the video or just playing it safe at the height he went to by keeping it at something survivable without injury?
Always fly low over the water to avoid sudden death. =D
FirstNameLastName said:
...the 10min @ 100mph specs mean (for now) you'll only be traveling ~16.6 miles.
So... A commuter's (unrealistic) dream, basically? ;)
 

Smooth Operator

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There have been dime a dozen rocket/jet packs in operation over the years, the reason none of them go on sale is because they can kill you a million different ways before you ever set off.
If you even remotely think this thing is easy to handle then you are one silly goose, this is like balancing dishes on a needle while getting attacked by angry bees. That guy is an expert pilot and he can still only do very minor manoeuvres, and they put him over water just in case.

The company already said this version will only go to very specific customers while they work on automated flight, only if that works out will general public get access.