Martin Jetpack hits the 5,000 feet milestone, could come to market within 18 months (video - Polidicks

[img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/05/martin-jetpack-2.jpg[/img] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHPedpE70Es[/media] [quote=stuff.co] A New Zealand-invented jetpack has reached 5000 feet, or 1.5km, above sea level, a major leap towards commercial production, its developers say. Up until now Glenn Martin's experimental personal flying machine has only ever ground-hopped, but with a crash test dummy in the pilot's position and flown by remote control it flew to 5000ft, then down to about 2000ft before parachuting to safety on the Canterbury Plains a few days ago, TV One's Sunday programme reported. Mr Martin has spent the past 30 years and $12 million in savings and venture capital on the project, and hopes the successful test will bring more investment and ultimately mass production. The 115kg Martin Jetpack relies on two powerful "superfans". It has the ability to fly for half an hour or more, climb more than 1000ft per minute and to cruise at 100kmh. Last year, the jetpack, which runs on ordinary petrol, was named in Time Magazine's 50 Best Inventions list. However, when it was shown bouncing just off the ground at the Oshkosh Air Show three years ago it was ridiculed by industry professionals. Mr Martin told Sunday that only left him more determined. "This successful test brings the future another step closer," he said. "We limited the jetpack to 800ft/min climb so the chase helicopters could keep up," Mr Martin said. He said it was a major step towards commercial production of the world's first practical Jetpack and the Martin Aircraft Company aims to have first deliveries of both the manned and unmanned versions to key customers within the next 18 months. Martin Aircraft chief executive Richard Lauder said the Christchurch-based company was now in an intensive testing period to refine technology and performance over extended and continuous hours of operation. "In the past two years we've gone from unveiling a world leading invention to a company on the verge of international commercialisation of both the manned and unmanned versions of the jetpack." Martin Aircraft had received substantial interest from governments, military and emergency services around the world, along with many in the general aviation sector who are interested in being one of the first to own a jetpack, Mr Lauder said. [/quote] Source: [url]http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/5071233/Giant-leap-for-Kiwi-jetpack[/url]

Lets hope this is the future of personal travel. Bout fuckin time.

[QUOTE=Pythagoras64;30133246]Lets hope this is the future of personal travel. Bout fuckin time.[/QUOTE] [img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/05/martin-jetpack-2.jpg[/img] That's not really the most convenient thing to use daily.

smaller than a car

[QUOTE=TheBrokenHobo;30133266][img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/05/martin-jetpack-2.jpg[/img] That's not really the most convenient thing to use daily.[/QUOTE] More convenient than getting stuck in traffic for 3 hours. Also it's not too much bigger than a motorcycle so you can store it in your garage pretty easily.

It's going to suck if a bunch of birds fly into him

[QUOTE=Pythagoras64;30133286]More convenient than getting stuck in traffic for 3 hours.[/QUOTE] If this were to become the new method of personal travel, what makes you think it wouldn't be regulated to the point that we have "air roads" of sorts? Same traffic, just in air this time.

though its not like it will replace a car, seeing as you probably cant use it in the rain, especially not a storm edit well i guess you wont get hit by lightning(since you're not connected to the ground) but theres still all that water and wind

[QUOTE=Pythagoras64;30133246]Lets hope this is the future of personal travel. Bout fuckin time.[/QUOTE] If people will make so much noise every morning I will go insane

[QUOTE=Bletotum;30133317]though its not like it will replace a car, seeing as you probably cant use it in the rain, especially not a storm[/QUOTE] Exactly, so it's more like a bicycle that is both amazingly expensive and very bulky.

I kinda giggled when the camera zoomed in on this little ant flying 2 miles above the Earth

[QUOTE=Pythagoras64;30133286] Also it's not too much bigger than a motorcycle so you can store it in your garage pretty easily.[/QUOTE] What about when you go to work?

[QUOTE=TheBrokenHobo;30133450]What about when you go to work?[/QUOTE] Land on the roof :v:

That's noisier than the frigging helicopter

It sounds like a pair of large delta fans.

[QUOTE=TheBrokenHobo;30133266][img]http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2011/05/martin-jetpack-2.jpg[/img] That's not really the most convenient thing to use daily.[/QUOTE] Looks to me like it'd be about as practical as my motorcycle. You can't use one of those in the rain or for hauling anything either, depending on terrain long distance is out, and they're not always the most fuel efficient things on the road, but fun to use and make your normal drives less boring.

[QUOTE=Xenocidebot;30133931]Looks to me like it'd be about as practical as my motorcycle. You can't use one of those in the rain or for hauling anything either, depending on terrain long distance is out, and they're not always the most fuel efficient things on the road, but fun to use and make your normal drives less boring.[/QUOTE] Hang a garbage bag from the bottom and put your groceries and/or kids in there

[IMG]http://filesmelt.com/dl/thistooktoolong.png[/IMG]

[QUOTE=skynrdfan3;30133974][IMG]http://filesmelt.com/dl/thistooktoolong.png[/IMG][/QUOTE] fans don't work in space

[QUOTE=Zeke129;30133944]Hang a garbage bag from the bottom and put your groceries and/or kids in there[/QUOTE] [img]http://www.toys-that-last.com/images/baby-swingseat.jpg[/img] Add a stronger chain and suddenly your "World's Best Parent" mug actually means something other than "this was the only thing left at the dollar store".

Awesome but I'd be too much of a pussy to use it.

[QUOTE=TheBrokenHobo;30133305]If this were to become the new method of personal travel, what makes you think it wouldn't be regulated to the point that we have "air roads" of sorts? Same traffic, just in air this time.[/QUOTE] I highly doubt that'll ever be a problem. They'll probably just end up being a nice alternative to a motorcycle. Plus, more people with jetpacks means less cars on the road, which can't be a bad thing.

It's not the kind of jetpack I wished for in my childhood...

Imagine a drunk person flying a jetpack, that wouldn't end well.

[quote]The 115kg Martin Jetpack relies on two powerful "superfans". It has the ability to fly for half an hour or more, climb more than 1000ft per minute and to cruise at 100kmh.[/quote] Hot damn, that's pretty quick in a short amount of time for that thing. However, that's some super short timing.

[QUOTE=SwizzChees;30134399]It's not the kind of jetpack I wished for in my childhood...[/QUOTE] It's at least a start. Baby steps, my friend. Give this a while longer and we'll be zooming into work on sleek, compact little gadgets that make no more sound than a regular car. Or at least I hope I'm alive long enough to see that. :smith:

[QUOTE=Zeke129;30133994]fans don't work in space[/QUOTE] There's still the inertia from the rotating fans although that's like a limp dog trying to fly.

I would never want to fly in one. Imaging the situation, yes you could be a a perfect safe driver but imagine if mcsteve comes along and knocks you. You will get seriously injured or killed when you plummet from the sky. Time and time again we have been shown that flight may be routine, but on the ground a little bump on the motorway and you pull into the hard shoulder, in the air there really is no such thing as a little bump. Its the same reason why space travel will never be routine. If something goes wrong, it really really goes wrong. Nasa wanted to space shuttle to show space-flight could be routine... Think how many road accidents to death we have on roads, now imaging that in the air, i would think death to accident ratio would rise. Only way in which air commute could be viable is if they programmed in a auto pilot. Still cool mind.

[QUOTE=Bletotum;30133317]though its not like it will replace a car, seeing as you probably cant use it in the rain, especially not a storm edit well i guess you wont get hit by lightning(since you're not connected to the ground) but theres still all that water and wind[/QUOTE] So planes get struck by lightning all the time because they are connected to the ground? Right.

[QUOTE=DrBreen;30136281]There's still the inertia from the rotating fans although that's like a limp dog trying to fly.[/QUOTE] that would be like trying to row a canoe in space