Martin Jetpack officially unveiled, lifts off on video

One of mankind's most adored gadgets (yes, the jetpack) is moving one step closer to mainstream today with the unveiling of the Martin Jetpack. Revealed in front of a crowd in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, this human transporter is technically defined by the FAA as an "experimental ultralight airplane, equipped with a gas-powered, V-4 piston engine and two ducted fans that provide the lift." Currently, the $100,000 machine can only hover for around 30 minutes and rise to 8,000 feet, and those who sign up to purchase one will first have to complete 15 hours of flight training as well as a "safety screening." Check out an all-too-short video after the jump to see the device lift off, float around and land -- totally underwhelming, but the optimistic few will surely see promise.

Read - Martin Jetpack unveiling, video
Read - Details on Martin Jetpack
Read - More photos from EAA AirVenture

[robomaniac Posted Jul 29th 2008 4:06PM]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25907397#25907397

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25907397#25907397

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25907397#25907397



for people who don't read, go check the other video!

[Greasy McNugget Posted Jul 29th 2008 5:02PM]

That guy flying looks like hes dead

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 29th 2008 5:22PM]

There's another video at
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/25907397#25907397

FH3

[tdburn Posted Jul 29th 2008 5:35PM]

I've never been so underwhelmed by something as that video. Sure it is still experimental and has a long way to go, but why do a presentation if it's going to be so lame?

[IanKen Posted Jul 29th 2008 5:48PM]

Not much JET in that JETpack.

But sign me up. I bet that would annoy the hell out of my neighbors every morning.

[SmoothMarx Posted Jul 29th 2008 5:50PM]

I don't get it. What were all those people there to see?

[nimblesquirrel Posted Jul 29th 2008 5:56PM]

Here's a little more detail on the Kiwi that built it:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4636000a11.html
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4635822a11.html

The thing is a powered by a 200HP engine, but it isn't just a motorcycle engine. Motocycle engines aren't designed for very high duty cycles, yet this thing has to maintain 100% duty cycle for at least 30 minutes (or it falls out of the sky). It seems to be a 4 stroke, liquid cooled engine. I'm sure he could boost the power to weight ratio (and also lower fuel consumption) by using an injected 2 stroke engine. If the engine was lighter, he wouldn't need as many HP).
Other people have pointed out that he could use a turbine as the powerplant. There are several drawbacks to this: the gearbox needed to lower the RPM to something more usable would be very heavy; hot and high velocity exhaust gasses need to be ducted somwhere safe, and diffused to not affect flight; and the fuel consumption of turbines is extremely high (the extra HP would just be spent hauling around the extra fuel needed).

[(Unverified) Posted Aug 1st 2008 5:35PM]

check out www.srdtitanium.com these guys designed and built the martin jet pack engines and all the drive train.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 29th 2008 7:43PM]

Ok. I have watched the videos and this is clearly not a "JET" and not a "PACK"!! So it is not clear where the term "jetpack" came from for describing this craft.

This is really a small, single person, VTOL (Vertical Takeoff And Landing) aircraft, which this person is "riding".

I agree with previous posters, What happened to the _real_ jetpacks, the ones that were real "jets" and were actually a "pack". Yes, they had a short flight time, but come-on, after 40 years, that jetpack design couldn't be improved upon?

I think the guy wth the "wingsuit" with multiple small model jet engines attached is closer to a real "jetpack" than this one-man VTOL aircraft.

[brentos Posted Jul 29th 2008 8:12PM]

Life is not some cheesy Japanese movie where the hero pulls on a pair of jet pants and flies off the balcony like Astro Boy.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 29th 2008 9:40PM]

that was retarted.... they held him the whole time. he didnt actually take off...

[Akuda Posted Jul 30th 2008 8:04AM]

GAY!

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 29th 2008 10:53PM]

It needs an automatic stabilizer instead of two men.
It is really crappy.........

[linuxamp Posted Jul 30th 2008 12:29AM]

If the FAA categorizes this thing as an aircraft, doesn't that mean you have to get a pilots license, launch from an airport and have clearance for your flightpath...

[GanjaMan Posted Jul 30th 2008 2:48AM]

Fake. Those guys were just lifting it. Durrr

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 30th 2008 3:27AM]

Not only is this not a jet pack: every video to date shows this thing "flying" a mere 2 feet above the ground with technicians holding on to the contraption.

Is the pilot actually in control of the device? Or are the technicians steering and is the jet pack only providing the lift?

This is more like the real thing!
http://ariztravel.com/2008/07/08/grand-canyon-view-from-a-jetpack/

[KVirtanen Posted Jul 30th 2008 1:53PM]

Wow. It's so discrete in every possible way.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 30th 2008 5:19PM]

I read all about that guys jetpack, i would love to go up to 8,000, its sick

[NewsWorthy Posted Jul 30th 2008 8:43PM]

We need volunteers to paint the lines in the sky so we don't go crashing into each other when these are mass produced.

~ Slim ~