Martin Jetpack

After years of design and testing, the commercial Martin Jetpack may be finally ready to hit stores, priced at $20,000. Inventor Glenn Martin and his New Zealand-based company Martin Aircraft Company have been issued a test license for their prototype product from the New Zealand Civil Aviation Authority. The company is now set to release a military version of the device by the end of 2015. Continue reading for two videos and more information.

“The solution was a large carbon-fiber and aluminum vehicle, powered by a 2-litre, 200-horsepower petrol engine, with 2 ducted fans to provide lift and directional control. A fly-by-wire computer system allows the pilot to demand a position which the jetpack then flies to, meaning that, unlike a helicopter, if the pilot’s hands come off the controls, the jetpack will simply hover and wait for further instruction. The Martin jetpack can carry a 120-kilogram payload for 30 minutes, reach a maximum altitude of 3,000 feet, and because it doesn’t have a helicopter’s large rotor system or bulky dimensions, the jetpack can go places other vehicles cannot,” reports CNET.

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