The world’s fastest jetsuit is making human flight a reality - and could save lives

A pilot tests Gravity Industry's engine-powered jetsuit.
A pilot tests Gravity Industry's engine-powered jetsuit. Copyright Red dot media and Drift Limits
By Aisling Ní Chúláin
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Like something out of a sci-fi thriller, the jetsuit made by Gravity Industries is already being trialled in rescue missions and military exercises.

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Anyone who grew up imagining a future of flying cars, hoverboards and holograms might look around a little disappointed with the current crop of tech gadgets that have come to populate our lives.

For one thing, in defiance of childhood fantasies everywhere, none of them can make us fly.

But that is set to change.

Richard Browning, the founder of Gravity Industries, has taken it upon himself to extract the humble jetsuit from its sci-fi origins and create an impressive functional prototype for real world uses.

Browning’s jetsuit relies on two mini fuel-powered jet engines on each arm and one larger jet carried on the back to propel both pilot and gear off the ground.

The suit when fully fuelled weighs in at about 30 kilos and can travel at speeds of up to 136 km/hr.

So far, it has been tested by the UK’s Royal Marines in a military exercise to see whether the suits could be employed to intercept and board hostile ships.

It has also been trialled last year by the UK’s Great North Air Ambulance Service as a faster, more efficient method of mountain rescue.

To see the suit in action and an interview with its creator, watch the video in the media player above.

Watch the video in the media player above for more on this story.

Video editor • Aisling Ní Chúláin

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