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The First 'Practical' Jetpack May Be On Sale In Two Years

Posted by Soulskill on from the for-sufficiently-impractical-values-of-practical dept.

Daniel_Stuckey writes "This week, New Zealand-based company Martin Aircraft became certified to take what it calls 'the world's first practical jetpack' out for a series of manned test flights. If all goes well, the company plans to start selling a consumer version of the jetpack in 2015, starting at $150,000 to $200,000 and eventually dropping to $100,000. 'For us it's a very important step because it moves it out of what I call a dream into something which I believe we're now in a position to commercialize and take forward very quickly,' CEO Peter Coker told the AFP."

10 of 127 comments (clear)

  1. Practical by ZombieBraintrust · · Score: 4, Insightful

    30 minutes max... 400 pounds.... starting at $150,000

    I think this guy has a skewed idea of practical.

    1. Re:Practical by jones_supa · · Score: 5, Funny

      30 minutes max... 400 pounds....

      A Pentium 4 laptop on battery?

  2. More like a ultralight helicopter by Animats · · Score: 4, Informative

    This thing is heavier than some ultralight helicopters.

    If you want an ultralight helicopter, they're available for as little as $6,000.

    1. Re:More like a ultralight helicopter by CanHasDIY · · Score: 5, Insightful

      This thing is heavier than some ultralight helicopters.

      If you want an ultralight helicopter, they're available for as little as $6,000.

      FYI, My wife will not be happy about you providing that link. You did a baaaaad thing :)

      I, on the other hand, can't think of a more fun way to get myself killed! Well, not for the low, low price of 6 grand, anyway.

      --
      An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
    2. Re:More like a ultralight helicopter by RenderSeven · · Score: 4, Funny

      You can probably get one cheaper at the Estate Sale

  3. hmm by orbitalia · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Only it's not practical, a jet, or a pack.

  4. Re:Could somebody... by capnkr · · Score: 5, Insightful

    You'd better "earmark" a portion of that $150K for some serious hearing protection...

    Watched the video and *phew* is that thing ever noisy, and in a range which is bothersome - like an overlarge mosquito.

    --
    "...there are some things that can beat smartness and foresight. Awkwardness and stupidity can." ~ Mark Twain
  5. I'd rather have by ackthpt · · Score: 4, Interesting

    A portable, one man blimp with pedal power.

    just try to keep me out of your cactus farm now!

    --

    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
  6. Awesome by TheSkepticalOptimist · · Score: 5, Funny

    Can't wait to take my jetpack to the Hyperloop station so I can commute to my job in Atlantis.

    --
    I haven't thought of anything clever to put here, but then again most of you haven't either.
  7. Math lesson by somepunk · · Score: 4, Funny

    Not practical for 99.999999999999999% of people.

    99% is all but one in a hundred, or 1e2.. add a power of ten for each 9, and you get.. 1e17, or all but 1 in 100 million billion. People? That's more people than ever existed. I think this thing is at least practical for the promoters, or at least whomever has been recieving the money they spend on devlopment and promotion. You'd still be off if you counted each person's individual cells.

    I could add more 9's

    No, you've added quite enough already.

    --
    Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do. (Isaac Asimov)