It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a... jetpack?

David Swan
Friday, 12 March 2010 11:01

Science - Space

The Martin Aircraft Company's launch of the world's first commercially available jetpack is perhaps the best thing to ever happen to my future career as a secret agent.

The dual-propeller packs come from the mind of New Zealand's Glenn Martin, who's been working on the concept since 1981. It wasn't until 2005 that his ninth prototype achieved sustained flight times (it can now fly for 30 minutes), resulting in the product's final commercialisation and release to the general public. No license is even needed to fly!

The jetpack doesn't run on hydrogen peroxide, as previous 'jetpacks' have done. This one uses a 19 litre tank of petrol, meaning you can drop in at your local BP and fill 'er up. The Martin Aircraft Company sales target is 500 jetpacks annually at a price of about $100,000 per jetpack. This is made possible through a partnership with an unnamed international aircraft company. Possibly not Qantas.

I can think of approximately 1,000 cool uses for this jetpack. It would be the perfect Father's Day present. New sports can now be invented (Jetpack cricket, jetpack AFL..?) and no need for that sucky public transport. $100,000 is a fair bit of coin, a deposit on a house maybe, but who needs a house when you can fly to someone else's?

Any job interview would be instantly nailed, before you've even hit the ground. Every other normal boring person will be sitting with their briefcases, and BMW's outside, but you ride in on your jetpack! Perhaps it's a worthwhile investment after all.