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Martin Jetpack soars successfully
by Jamie Anderson - May 31, 2011 - comments
The Martin jetpack, a commercially developed jetpack, has successfully completed a new test and may soon be rolled out for a commercial launch.
In the 19th century, the idea of humans flying in the air might have appeared outlandish. Then came this machine, called the aeroplane, which successfully made its 1st flight on December 17, 1903.
The world applauded and thanked Orville Wright and Wilbur Wright, the brothers who invented the aeroplane. Even then the thought of individuals flying separately in the sky, just like birds, seemed bizarre.
Fitted with ballistic parachute
And here we are; courtesy the Martin Aircraft Company of New Zealand. The bizarre appears a possibility. The Martin Jetpack which can help individuals fly as a free bird has been named, and rightly so, as the Time Magazines’ top 50 inventions for 2010.
Martin Aircraft successfully completed new tests for a 250 pound carbon fibre jetpack. The machine remained in the air for seven minutes.
“This test also validated our flight model, proved thrust to weight ratio and proved our ability to fly a Jetpack as an unmanned aerial vehicle, which will be key to some of the Jetpack’s future emergency/search & rescue and military applications.”--Martin
The Jetpack shot into the sky at a climb rate of 800ft per minute, and reached an altitude of 5,000ft (previous record 100ft/min & 50ft altitude). Thereafter it landed safely by deploying the first ballistic jetpack parachute.
Glenn Martin, inventor of the Jetpack avers, “In this test we limited the jetpack to 800 ft/min climb so the chase helicopters could keep up.”
The target market
At present, two versions of the Martin Jetpack are in the final stages of development. The unmanned remote-controlled (UAV) version is reportedly is the advanced stage of development and is expected to go for field trials in the second quarter of 2011.
The Jetpack, once it goes through series of tests and proves it sturdiness, will be extremely valuable for emergency responses and the defense sector. The machine is likely to find acceptance in the recreation sector as well.
“This test also validated our flight model, proved thrust to weight ratio and proved our ability to fly a Jetpack as an unmanned aerial vehicle, which will be key to some of the Jetpack’s future emergency/search & rescue and military applications,” said Martin.