World's First Commercial Jetpack To Be Sold For $75,000 (VIDEO)

*See video below*

The Martin Aircraft Company has created the first jetpack that will be commercially available, the Daily Mail reports.

The jetpack has a height of five feet, width of five-and-a-half feet and a length of five feet, and features a dual-propeller construction that uses fans to provide lift instead of jets of exhaust gas.

The company's chief executive, Richard Lauder, expects the jetpacks will be sold to a variety of different buyers--from emergency service personnel and private users to the military.

Its fuel capacity is five gallons, but its consumption is ten gallons an hour, which results in an operation time of around 30 minutes on a full tank. FAA regulations limit the maximum speed to 63 mph, which means the furthest a pack can travel on one tank is about 31.5 miles. When empty, the Jetpack weighs 250 pounds and can carry a pilot of over 280 pounds.

The jetpack complies with FAA Ultralight Regulations, and though users will not need a pilot's license to fly the equipment, they will be required to complete Martin's training program before receiving their jetpack. Training for the first ten owners will be held in New Zealand, where the company is headquartered.

Safety features include an internal roll cage, parachute, a proposed "minimal avoidance curve," and no tail rotor or exposed rotors that are often the cause of light helicopter accidents.

The company intends to manufacture 500 packs a year and sell them for 50,000 pounds (around $76,000) each.

See the jetpack in action below:

WATCH:

Comments

[Farzan]

11:54 PM on 04/17/2010

Love the two guys acting like training wheels.

[ProComputer]

04:35 PM on 03/15/2010

Sorry for pessimism. Personal jet packs like this thing are WAY too risky for even a licensed pilot. Anything goes wrong with these unstable platforms for even a second and you're history. Winged aircraft (as if you don't know) can glide and perhaps recover from a problem. They can land without power and are inherently stable. I guess inventors and enterprising companies still want to follow that dream.

[calgary]

12:21 PM on 03/01/2010

I think I will wait until version 2 comes out after all the "kinks" have been worked out.

[ImAPoster]

10:22 PM on 02/28/2010

They all laughed at the horseless carriage, too. ;-)

[gimiesome]

01:03 PM on 02/28/2010

This will take weeks for the NTSB to figure out what it is when one falls from the sky.

[ezbreezer]

08:57 AM on 02/28/2010

The first customers with the ability to purchase these will be organizations with 150 lb. pilots and 130 lb. of cargo making a run for the border.

[ectoendomezo]

01:54 PM on 02/27/2010

Y'know...it alway's...really...AMAZES me that basically all the corporate entities in this world..fail..to maintain a job title..for specifically dealing with the "Subconscious" or.."Psychelogical" significance of their MARKETING!

They sort of "Pretend" to do this...using these expensive studies of Children etc...but they FAIL to basically..hire an individual to tell them..."This Advertisement makes your product look like........"

Example is the Marketing for this Amazing piece of Technology...so..what do they use to Advertise this? To Market this Product upon its Maiden Public Exposure?

Bi m B 0 S..in states of..."Shock n Awe"..as if that is.."Hard To Do".

They refuse to show the machine actually.."Flying"..but rather "Hovering" at an UTTERLY USELESS 4-7' above a CEMENT FLOOR...with..no less than TWO..."Dudes" Holding onto the thing..and one of them is in a "Universal Jogging Suit" like some Jersey Crime Lord..and the Other is in fact in the "T-Shirt over Long johns" Ensemble...

I mean..they might as well...just SHOUT it out.."This is pure podunk...we won't show you this thing in actual exterior conditions..because we CAN'T...and our "Techs" are doofuses...and our "pilots" are on loan from some poor-mans "godaddy" commercial....

POINT?: If they have BLOWN the "Marketing" that badly...then how can the "Product" be any better?

This actually serves only to set them BACK..it does NOT encourage "Confidence"...

Amazing!

[natturnerx]

12:21 PM on 02/27/2010

i'm disappointed. it looked cooler than that in the james bond movie.

[truenortherner]

04:20 PM on 02/26/2010

Hooray for my Homeland, New Zealand. Builders and creators of all things that can potentially maim or k!ll
(Re: jetboats and bungee jumping)

[Dwells75]

03:48 PM on 02/26/2010

Sooo... do the two human stabilizers come with for that price? Or do I need to hire my own?

[DavidWyld]

03:11 PM on 02/26/2010

OK, that line about a fool and his money comes to mind here! Still, fascinating possibilities if this really works more than 5 feet off the ground and without handlers holding on to you. If it would reliably and safely replace getting in the car for the morning commute, then let's all get one (but could lead to some very interesting traffic jams and scary accident {and who know, drunk flying} possibilities)!

David http://wyld-business.blogspot.com/

[ectoendomezo]

02:12 PM on 02/27/2010

Exactly..Thank you..

This flat out..is "Not Ready For Prime Time"...sorry...

In fact..this "marketing"...bad as it is...actually literally.."Screams".."We are doing this to thwart another company from being first...we aren't ready..but this way we'll garner the potential investment capitalists.."

However..the.."Variables"..make this thing.."Improbable"..

For ONE thing.."DUST"...CLOUDS..of DUST...billowing up around this thing should it be required to take flight off ANY "Surface" OTHER than the CEMENT SLAB in the clip.

And as DavidWyld points out..this thing will HAVE to utilize a "Breathalizer" for ignition to be possible! This isn't a "Car"..this thing WILL be above your house...if it "Fails"..or the Operator is ummm.."FUI"...than..Ka-Boom!..Hello Jeezis!

I mean talk about yer "Missiles"..can you IMAGINE the level of "Salivation" that is going on in the minds of the Crazies out there? Hey..a FLYING 5 Gallon tank of Gasoline..is bad enough..but strap a few pounds of "plastique" to the operator..and VOILA'..."MAN-MISSILE"!

Also..the invasions of PRIVACY this contraption affords...are...staggering...just..staggering!

And it WILL be abused by the ever more hostile to Civil Liberties "Police"..a foregone conclusion...in fact...I bet DOLLARS to Doughnut-holes..phones be a'ringin off d'hook...calls from various "Agencies"..gnashing their teeth in sweaty anticipation of the ability to invade the privacy of "Suspects"..and of course..NON-Suspects as well...

[Cryostatic]

08:25 AM on 02/26/2010

When they can get it higher than the six feet they've been able to manage so far, let me know.

[wellstoner]

07:41 AM on 02/26/2010

Why don't they use this footage instead? With someone who is obviously experienced with it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TBndcBjQFM&feature=player_embedded#

Why show those dumb girls barely doing it?
Or do a stunt like that Buffalo Bills game guy that jet packed to mid field from the bleachers?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW3kijZDwp8

[SamKnause]

01:54 PM on 02/26/2010

Thanks for the links. That looks like it would be so much fun !!!!!!

[taiwanjohn]

03:03 PM on 02/26/2010

Ditto! Thanks OP for the linkage, which is SO much better than the lame "collage" of still photos, masquerading as a "video", in the HuffPo link.

In this (real) video you can actually see the potential of this machine. It allows such precise control... with one of these, a rescuer could just about thread his/her way down through trees to reach a stranded camper, or whatever.

Maybe that's not the best example, but I reckon this technology will find a useful niche very quickly. Kudos to the developers.

--jrd

[gjohnthehorrible]

07:40 AM on 02/26/2010

The sad part is that this thing is probably safer than a Prius LOL.

[hypnotoad72]

01:22 PM on 02/26/2010

LOL! Too true...

[greg556]

05:07 AM on 02/26/2010

Uh, does each one come with two spotters? This is the promotional video, and they never take it outside, or really fly it around?! I can make that girl smile like that for free!