When I was a boy and I first saw the movie The Rocketeer, I wanted a jetpack. The Martin Jetpack, a New Zealand based company, is about to make that a reality.
The company is currently prototyping a Jetsons-inspired jetpack that they are envisioning will change the world of transportation forever. Martin Jetpack is hoping to create ‘highways of the sky’, and dreaming of a world where a person finishes up a meeting in high-rise and fires across to another high-rise.
Martin Jetpack just received a major investment from KuangChi Science, a Chinese R & D company. A large portion of this money will push the jetpack from prototype to mass consumer product. The objective is, “a jetpack in every garage.” This James Bond tool will be able to travel in the tight spots other aerial vehicles like helicopters cannot because it is lightweight and not as bulky, so essentially you’ll be able to step into you garage, strap into the Martin Jetpack, and fly to work.
The jetpack uses two ducted fans and 2.0 liter V4 piston 200-horsepower engine with a max height of 3000 feet and a max speed of 46 mph with an endurance of 30 minutes up to 50 minutes. The prototype has also received high merits for its excellent safety features including a ballistic parachute, carbon fiber landing gear, and pilot module (enabling the pilot to release the controls while the aircraft hovers and awaits further instructions).
So, when is this monster going to be released and what’s the price tag? The good news is that jetpacks will be available before the end of the this decade. The bad news is that it’s going to cost a pretty penny.
“The price has not been set yet while the jetpack is still in development. The Martin Aircraft Company is targeting a sales price of under US$150,000 for the recreational version of the aircraft but this may take some years to achieve.” – From the Martinjetpack.com
My ten year old self is freaking out.