Martin Jetpack lets you experience the magic of flying

We would suppose that the ability to fly has been one of man’s ambitions since time immemorial – and if you happen to live in New Zealand, then you would be proud to hear of the latest invention from that part of the world – the Martin Jetpack that lets you soar up to 5,000 feet from where you took off (that’s around 1.5km), marking a milestone when it comes to making a leap towards commercial production.

This experimental machine by Glenn Martin has always ended up ground hopping at best, but with a crash test dummy in tow as the pilot, it managed to hit 5,000 feet above sea level via remote control before parachuting to safety later on.

You can say that this is a labor of love, having seen Mr Martin invest the past three decades of his life in this project, using up to $12 million in savings and venture capital. It is hoped that the latest development will roll in more investment from interested parties, leading to the path of mass production. Useful if one wants to get away from an earthquake or tsunami, no? The only problem we can see with this would be the cost, assuming no one else uses it for nefarious purporses, that is.

The Martin Jetpack tips the scales at 115kg, using a couple of powerful “superfans” that lets it cruise at speeds of up to 100km/h while climbing more than 1000 feet per minute.

Edwin Kee
Categories: Gadgets
Tags: jetpack