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Tethered, Water-Powered Jetpack Provides Two Hours of Flight Time

Posted by Soulskill on from the fun-on-the-lake dept.

arshadk writes "Unlike 'ordinary' jetpacks, the JetLev is actually two vehicles, tethered by a hose the thickness of your thigh. On the water is a small speedboat-like unit which contains a 250 horsepower motor and a pump. This is connected to the pack — into which you strap your frail body — by a 10-meter hose. The water is pumped from the sea or lake below up to the nozzles on the jetpack, providing a 1,900-Newton thrust, enough to lift a human weighing up to 150 kilos."

4 of 170 comments (clear)

  1. Dupe? by Nibbler(C) · · Score: 2, Informative

    I think i've seen this before, I wonder where that was. Oh wait, it was two years ago, on /. http://tech.slashdot.org/story/09/02/17/0058202/Jet-Pack-Runs-For-Hours-On-Water

    1. Re:Dupe? by bhsx · · Score: 4, Informative

      Not a dupe, the old article was about him trying to bring this thing to market. He's now selling these to anyone with the cash.

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      put the what in the where?
  2. Re:could it be scaled up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    At certain heights, "orbital velocity" is zero speed delta relative to the ground.
    Geosynchronous orbit, for instance... If you go higher, then you need more speed, but in "reverse".

  3. Slashdot's Trusty Time Machine at work! by arielCo · · Score: 4, Informative

    Jet Pack Runs For Hours On Water

    Posted by kdawson on Tuesday February 17 2009, @06:11AM

    from the got-your-back dept.

    Ponca City, We love you writes

    Jet packs have been around for half a century, but there's always been one problem: they run out of fuel in around 30 seconds. Now a German company has taken the standard jet pack design, run a fat yellow hose out the back, and connected it to a small unmanned boat that houses an engine, pump, and fuel tank and sends pressurized water up the hose, where it's shot out by two nozzles just behind the wearer's shoulders. Called the JetLev-Flyer, the design purportedly can reach a height of 15 meters, a speed of 72 kph, and a range of 300 kilometers based on four hours of flying time. A digital fly-by-wire system is used to control the throttle. Future designs may achieve higher altitudes, higher top speeds, and extended range, and even travel below the water's surface. The American manufacturers claim it is 'amazingly easy to learn and operate' and they're taking orders now at $130,000 each.

    It's 2009 again!

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    This post contains no rudeness or derision of any kind. All arguments are friendly. Terms and exclusions may apply.