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The Martin Jetpack

RandomEngyRandomEngy Registered User regular
edited March 2010 in Debate and/or Discourse
Glenn Martin, from New Zealand, has invented a jetpack.

martinjetpack006.jpg

You may have read about other jetpacks. They have enough fuel for about 26 seconds of flight, need special fuel and are very difficult to fly.

What's special about this one? It can run for 30 minutes, with a range of 30 miles, goes up to 60 mph and up to 8000 feet. It runs on a 5 gallon tank of premium gasoline. It's stable enough that people can quickly learn to fly it. It can carry a 240 lb person. When mass production is started, it will cost around $75,000. And it falls within the FAA Part 103 Ultralight regulations. Which means you don't need a pilot's license to fly it.

This won't be the kind of thing you fly to work (the range, MPG and restrictions on flying it over neighborhoods and populated areas and such), but would be a recreational vehicle similar to a jetski that you might take out to the country and fly around.

I have not really seen a huge "catch" so far about it. Is the future finally arriving?

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    TlexTlex Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    That is so cool

    i am without words

    Tlex on
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    TomantaTomanta Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Until I see video of this flying higher than a warehouse ceiling, I won't believe it can do what they claim.

    Tomanta on
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    krushkrush Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    it's not the future until it's like this

    iron-man-superbowl7.jpg


    when we get to this point, sign me up.

    krush on
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    zeenyzeeny Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    My first two thoughts were: This would make for some awkward deaths and this would murder home privacy as soon as law enforcement gets it.
    I don't know if I'd have the balls to try one, but it does sound very appealing.

    Edit: Also, how long until somebody mods it with big ass laser canons?

    zeeny on
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    ImprovoloneImprovolone Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    I live 3 miles from work. Flying over shit would cut this down.
    This could totally work.

    Improvolone on
    Voice actor for hire. My time is free if your project is!
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    TlexTlex Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    How is your first thought not

    OOOH JETPACK!

    Tlex on
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    QuidQuid Definitely not a banana Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    I don't think I would ever feel safe in it. I'd have to wait for decades of statistics proving my car is a much worse death trap before trying.

    Quid on
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    zeenyzeeny Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Quid wrote: »
    I don't think I would ever feel safe in it. I'd have to wait for decades of statistics proving my car is a much worse death trap before trying.

    And even then, the psychological impact of going from Malfunction => car crashes to Malfunction=> Fall 150 feet would still be a pretty big deal. They should package it with some sort of small, fast, lightweight parachute.

    Edit: ...and the big ass laser canons, of course.

    zeeny on
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    psychotixpsychotix __BANNED USERS regular
    edited March 2010
    Sign me up, though I'll probably maim myself.

    psychotix on
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    KhavallKhavall British ColumbiaRegistered User regular
    edited March 2010
    zeeny wrote: »
    Quid wrote: »
    I don't think I would ever feel safe in it. I'd have to wait for decades of statistics proving my car is a much worse death trap before trying.

    And even then, the psychological impact of going from Malfunction => car crashes to Malfunction=> Fall 150 feet would still be a pretty big deal. They should package it with some sort of small, fast, lightweight parachute.

    Edit: ...and the big ass laser canons, of course.

    Actually, I believe they do package it with a parachute that deploys automatically if both engines stop or something like that.

    Khavall on
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    RandomEngyRandomEngy Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Yeah it's equipped with a micro ballistic parachute. It deploys to float both you and the jetpack down.

    RandomEngy on
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    zeenyzeeny Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Khavall wrote: »
    zeeny wrote: »
    Quid wrote: »
    I don't think I would ever feel safe in it. I'd have to wait for decades of statistics proving my car is a much worse death trap before trying.

    And even then, the psychological impact of going from Malfunction => car crashes to Malfunction=> Fall 150 feet would still be a pretty big deal. They should package it with some sort of small, fast, lightweight parachute.

    Edit: ...and the big ass laser canons, of course.

    Actually, I believe they do package it with a parachute that deploys automatically if both engines stop or something like that.

    .....1 done, 1 to go!

    zeeny on
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    FencingsaxFencingsax It is difficult to get a man to understand, when his salary depends upon his not understanding GNU Terry PratchettRegistered User regular
    edited March 2010
    zeeny wrote: »
    Quid wrote: »
    I don't think I would ever feel safe in it. I'd have to wait for decades of statistics proving my car is a much worse death trap before trying.

    And even then, the psychological impact of going from Malfunction => car crashes to Malfunction=> Fall 150 feet would still be a pretty big deal. They should package it with some sort of small, fast, lightweight parachute.

    Edit: ...and the big ass laser canons, of course.

    They do. It has like three failsafes built in or smething.

    Fencingsax on
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    Rhan9Rhan9 Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Wait, someone finally got a jetpack concept to work for more than a minute or so? Excellent. I'm pretty curious about how this is going to proceed from here. Hopefully it'll take off, so we'll get something cool instead of another Prius or something like that to represent the future.

    Rhan9 on
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    RedTideRedTide Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    I'm just curious as to what we would get if there was an actual push (money) to make a workable/advanced jetpack with todays technology.

    RedTide on
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    Eat it You Nasty Pig.Eat it You Nasty Pig. tell homeland security 'we are the bomb'Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    I would absolutely get one of these

    that is, if I had any money in my jetpack fund

    and if I thought I could actually you know, fly it anywhere within fifty miles

    Eat it You Nasty Pig. on
    NREqxl5.jpg
    it was the smallest on the list but
    Pluto was a planet and I'll never forget
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    dlinfinitidlinfiniti Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    kinda sucks you have to stay vertical in this thing
    i want my body to go horizontal so i can be like superman

    dlinfiniti on
    AAAAA!!! PLAAAYGUUU!!!!
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    Raiden333Raiden333 Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Well, I know what I'm asking for this Christmas.

    Raiden333 on
    There was a steam sig here. It's gone now.
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    BurtletoyBurtletoy Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Anyone want to loan me $75000 in about 2 years?

    Burtletoy on
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    override367override367 ALL minions Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    well see if the US military gets involved, then we'll get a stealth jetpack with internal bomb bays that costs $50 million each

    override367 on
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    Dunadan019Dunadan019 Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    I now have a reason to save my money for 2 years.

    Dunadan019 on
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    Mr PinkMr Pink I got cats for youRegistered User regular
    edited March 2010
    I'd buy it, just to take around campus. Late for class in three minutes? Jetpack over everyone else!

    Mr Pink on
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    shrykeshryke Member of the Beast Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Strap them to bears so we can do urban ursine bombardment.

    Fuck, we could pacify the shit out of Afghanistan if we had bears with jetpacks and sniper rifles patrolling the skies.

    shryke on
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    Raiden333Raiden333 Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    shryke wrote: »
    Strap them to bears so we can do urban ursine bombeardment.

    Raiden333 on
    There was a steam sig here. It's gone now.
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    Bionic MonkeyBionic Monkey Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited March 2010
    Thank fucking god, I was wondering when the future would get here. I was beginning to think the 1950's had lied to us.

    Bionic Monkey on
    sig_megas_armed.jpg
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    ProPatriaMoriProPatriaMori Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Not a jetpack.

    No, seriously. Them there's ducted fans. Also it's not what even the most diehard campers or soldiers would consider a pack.

    The big catch is that it's going to be loud as all fuck. Not as loud as a genuine jetpack probably would be, but still really shockingly goddamn loud. I wouldn't want to operate it in a parking lot where people weren't routinely wearing ear protection.

    ProPatriaMori on
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    TheOtherHorsemanTheOtherHorseman Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    It's technically a personal helicopter. On a related note, give me one now I want to be a futurey spaceman.

    TheOtherHorseman on
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    JokermanJokerman Everything EverywhereRegistered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Mr Pink wrote: »
    I'd buy it, just to take around campus. Late for class in three minutes? Jetpack over everyone else!

    are you kidding? A jet pack? In columbus? The fucking army would have every gun in the world tracked on you like you were osama bin laden.

    Jokerman on
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    PeccaviPeccavi Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Least appealing jetpack ever.

    Peccavi on
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    Bionic MonkeyBionic Monkey Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited March 2010
    Really? Less appealing than the ones that only kept you in the air for 30 seconds?

    Bionic Monkey on
    sig_megas_armed.jpg
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    KhavallKhavall British ColumbiaRegistered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Not a jetpack.

    No, seriously. Them there's ducted fans. Also it's not what even the most diehard campers or soldiers would consider a pack.

    The big catch is that it's going to be loud as all fuck. Not as loud as a genuine jetpack probably would be, but still really shockingly goddamn loud. I wouldn't want to operate it in a parking lot where people weren't routinely wearing ear protection.

    Are you actually being snobbish about a motherfucking jetpack?

    Khavall on
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    BurtletoyBurtletoy Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Peccavi wrote: »
    [strike]Lea[/strike]Most appealing jetpack ever.

    Burtletoy on
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    Bionic MonkeyBionic Monkey Registered User, ClubPA regular
    edited March 2010
    Ultralights aren't exactly quiet either, are they? I mean, who here really thought the first working jet pack was going to be whisper quiet?

    Bionic Monkey on
    sig_megas_armed.jpg
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    dlinfinitidlinfiniti Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    martian jetpack

    dlinfiniti on
    AAAAA!!! PLAAAYGUUU!!!!
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    FeralFeral MEMETICHARIZARD interior crocodile alligator ⇔ ǝɹʇɐǝɥʇ ǝᴉʌoɯ ʇǝloɹʌǝɥɔ ɐ ǝʌᴉɹp ᴉRegistered User regular
    edited March 2010
    RandomEngy wrote: »
    This won't be the kind of thing you fly to work (the range, MPG and restrictions on flying it over neighborhoods and populated areas and such), but would be a recreational vehicle similar to a jetski that you might take out Gerlach, NV and fly around.

    I fully expect to see a few of these flying around Black Rock a year or two after they hit the market.

    Feral on
    every person who doesn't like an acquired taste always seems to think everyone who likes it is faking it. it should be an official fallacy.

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    yalborapyalborap Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    I want this yesterday.

    yalborap on
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    dlinfinitidlinfiniti Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    great, now we're gonna have human pigeons

    dlinfiniti on
    AAAAA!!! PLAAAYGUUU!!!!
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    RandomEngyRandomEngy Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    Not a jetpack.

    No, seriously. Them there's ducted fans. Also it's not what even the most diehard campers or soldiers would consider a pack.

    They have a page just for you.

    RandomEngy on
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    HonkHonk Honk is this poster. Registered User, __BANNED USERS regular
    edited March 2010
    What if you forget about how much fuel you have left?

    People will die like flies when these things reach the market.

    Honk on
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    HappylilElfHappylilElf Registered User regular
    edited March 2010
    RandomEngy wrote: »
    Not a jetpack.

    No, seriously. Them there's ducted fans. Also it's not what even the most diehard campers or soldiers would consider a pack.

    They have a page just for you.

    I'm laughing so hard at this right now.

    HappylilElf on
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