Imagine taking a backpack rocket to work or flying to another city and then landing and driving, soon this will be the norm
Jetpacks and small three-wheeled flying cars that can land and continue their journey on the road. Get ready, because in the coming months the concept of mobility could be permanently overturned. Above all, thanks to the increasingly frequent use of hybrid and innovative aircraft.
Jetpack Aviation, a company that creates special jet-propelled backpack rockets, has made this month in California the first "civilian" flight with its jatpacks. That is, a flight made by an inexperienced person with this tool who safely covered a short distance aboard a jetpack. Specifically, the JB-10 jatpack was used. The "pilot" was chosen after a long advertising campaign and the lucky one was Mischa Pollack, the host of the US channel "Drunk Tech Review". A semi-serious program about technology that is very popular on YouTube.
The jetpack flight
To perform the test Pollack, David Mayman, the CEO of Jetpack Aviation, and the rest of the company's small staff gathered in an avocado orchard just north of Los Angeles. A small test rig was built here. With ropes tied together to accompany Pollack during the flight and keep the pilot safe at all times. Pollack, in addition to being a presenter, has a background in aeromechanical engineering and has a background as a developer of solar-powered solutions for aircraft. But he had no experience with jetpacks. Both Pollack and the company's engineers have made flights. All ended without a hitch. Pollack, while inexperienced, was able to control the speed, maneuvers and flight height. Approximately the flight was 30 meters, with an average height of 9 meters.
Future Plans
The company after the test flight wants to work on making its jetpacks available to consumers as soon as possible. To increase safety in all eventualities it is also working on a rapid parachute system, to avoid serious consequences from falls. Moreover, by the end of 2017 it will organize a jetpack competition to show the world the safety and power of its aircraft.
Flying Car
In the meantime, the first flying car is available for pre-order. Yes you got that right. It's called the Pal-V Liberty and it's 15 years in the making. It is an autogyro, or gyrocopter, that in addition to flying can also be driven on the road thanks to its three wheels. The transition from gyrocopter to car takes 15 minutes because the propellers must be retracted and fixed to the roof. In flight it is capable of touching 160 kilometers per hour. And of course you need a pilot's license to drive it. But the license is not the only problem, to bring it home you need 600 thousand dollars. And the first shipments are expected starting in 2018. Moreover, it will have to be understood in which nations it will be possible to use them without breaking any laws.