
JB-9 jetpack makes debut flying around Statue of Liberty - deegles
http://www.gizmag.com/jetpack-aviation-new-york-flight/40286/
======
throwaway92
I used to work for this guy, for a company called Yodel (owned by Fulfilnet).
I know it's not Hacker News worthy, but he's a really awful human being and I
remember him coming into the building and firing people blindly just so he
could make enough money to keep his jetpack hobby alive. He's British, so he
started businesses in Australia and left them running remotely so he couldn't
be brought down by them.

Sorry for talking about the person and not the technology, I just can't stand
by when I watched this guy really screw people over for his own personal gain.

Sources: [http://www.ecommercereport.com.au/failed-businesses-yodel-
bl...](http://www.ecommercereport.com.au/failed-businesses-yodel-blink-
digital-fulfilnet-etc-re-surface-as-australian-internet-advertising-pty-
limited/) <\-- This is the interesting one. After crashing his previous
businesses he started up another and bought the assets and customers under a
new name, then started fresh. New company is
[https://www.aiad.com.au/](https://www.aiad.com.au/)

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yodel_Australia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yodel_Australia)

[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-12-16/customers-left-in-
the-...](http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-12-16/customers-left-in-the-lurch-as-
internet-ad-agencies-go-bust/5159762)

~~~
codedokode
What is wrong with firing people to cut the costs?

~~~
themodelplumber
Sounds like two things: 1) Firing people blindly and 2) Doing #1 to fund an
expensive hobby. Neither one really demonstrates responsibility that you'd
want in a good leader, to say the least.

So to your question: Nothing. But embracing parent's experiential data:
Everything.

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hyperpallium
In USA future, backpack carries _you_!

I was a skeptic, but this looks unbelievably cool (even though they could have
done a lot more cinematically).

However, jetpacks seem fundamentally limited to me because of the energy
required. Perhaps a nuclear powered one would solve this? Or, the mythical
massively higher density battery.

An alternative for personal flight is the powered parasail (aka parapont).
There's a local guy who cruises around the bay shoreline at about 20-30feet,
for a couple of hours. It's not capable of jetpack acrobatics, but more like
seagulls soaring along a ridge.

~~~
mikeash
Nuclear would definitely solve the endurance problem. Since there's no weight
margin for shielding, a few minutes of fuel would suffice for a lifetime
supply.

~~~
function_seven
Ha. I suppose a lifetime warranty is not out of the question as well?

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eadz
The competition referenced may be the Martin Jetpack.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Jetpack](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Jetpack)

It is listed on the ASX stock exchange, although hasn't released a product to
market yet. However, I think they may be further down the line towards
commercialisation.

The JB-9 looks more lightweight and fun, but the Martin has a parachute...

~~~
nradov
A parachute doesn't really make it safe. There is still a large "dead zone"
where it would be too high for the pilot to survive a crash but too low for
the parachute to work. Unlike a helicopter, the propulsion system doesn't have
enough inertia to perform a power-off autorotation.

Some designs for larger powered lift vehicles have somewhat solved that
problem by using multiple engines with cross-linked drive shafts. But that
increases size, weight, and cost.

These jet pack devices may find a very limited niche market. But they don't
have much of a real use case beyond looking cool on video. Most potential
buyers will still prefer small helicopters, or drones.

~~~
retbull
I wonder if they could put in an electric hybrid system that could give a few
seconds of propulsion to slow decent in the case of losing gas power. I have
no idea though if that would even make sense because it seems like it would
just increase the weight with no benefit.

~~~
nradov
Sure but it would require a complex, heavy, and expensive set of electric
motors, transmissions, clutches, batteries, etc. At that point you might as
well just use a helicopter.

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deegles
I actually submitted this yesterday but it got resubmitted automatically? Is
this a new HN feature?

~~~
sprobertson
An experiment they're doing to give "the best stories" a good chance
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10537417](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10537417)

~~~
jcsnv
This is great

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vskarine
This one is cool too: [http://mashable.com/2015/11/05/jetman-
airbus-a380/#R7nf8vKsQ...](http://mashable.com/2015/11/05/jetman-
airbus-a380/#R7nf8vKsQ8q3)

~~~
Florin_Andrei
The JetMan device is not a jetpack in the proper sense of the word. It's
actually a full-fledged airplane (just mini size) with turboprops. It requires
forward velocity to generate lift. Also, it can fly quite a bit longer than a
jetpack.

A true jetpack generates lift reactively, and can hover at zero forward
velocity.

~~~
johansch
It looks a lot cooler though, in motion. :)

------
sounds
Serious question, anyone know the ballpark figures of thrust-to-weight based
on 1000 ft/min ascent rate for fully loaded and ground level?

I'm trying to calculate maximum theoretical fuel capacity, essentially 1:1
thrust-to-weight, given it burns kerosene - 6.82 lbs/gallon at STP.

10 gallons of kerosene = 68.2 lbs is much less than the weight variation of a
standard adult human, which falls roughly in the range 100 lbs - 200 lbs, so
doubling the fuel capacity should be easy.

I suppose engine upgrades would also be easy. They did mention the JB-10 was
in the works...

[Edit: thanks Retric, 68.2 lbs not 16 lbs]

~~~
jessriedel
Yea, 10 minutes of flight time seem incredibly high to me. That means you
could significantly increase it with external fuel tanks (say, for a total of
20 gallons). 15 minutes would be a darn long jet pack ride. Limiting factor is
actually just how much weight you could plausibly carry on your back.

(Edited numbers.)

~~~
trhway
it seems they are using pure jets and in this case high-by-pass would be a way
to immediately improve the thrust and thus to decrease the fuel consumption.

~~~
watmough
It crossed my mind that all you really need is the right engines and some
means of control ...

[http://jetbeetle.com/JB_body_products.htm](http://jetbeetle.com/JB_body_products.htm)

Cost for 150lbf thrust about $15k
[http://crxturbines.com/jetbeetle.htm](http://crxturbines.com/jetbeetle.htm)

------
trhway
obligatory
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJARrc40imk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJARrc40imk)
\- used turbojet as the one on Tomahawk cruise missile.

------
rotten
Big city firefighters need these. They could fly up skyscrapers and rescue
people or bring hoses way up there.

Mountain rescue teams could use them to extract people or get first aid to the
sides of cliffs.

I remember watching Navy Seals jumping out of helicopters in San Diego harbor
and then presumably swimming down to meet submarines. They could do this in
reverse - climb out of a submarine and then flying up to the helicopter.

Cool stuff.

~~~
gilgoomesh
Except that you can't really carry additional weight (certainly not another
person). Even a lightweight hose or line would mess up your flight if it was
tethered. As for fires: burning buildings are masses of hot, moving air which
wouldn't be navigable (the best you could do would be to land on an unaffected
side of the building).

Even the Martin Jetpack (the only other nearly-commercial product in this
market at the moment):

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Jetpack](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Jetpack)

is only likely to be useful in a small number of "first responder" situations
despite being dramatically more powerful.

~~~
msie
Party-pooper, you're holding the future back! ;-)

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bambax
Shouldn't we look to genetics and try to grow wings instead?

I often wonder how different the world would look if "humans" had evolved from
birds instead of from primates...

~~~
smallhands
Thank you,but i am happy a primate.but you have to consider faster heart beats
,very short life span etc

~~~
Faint
Not all birds are short lived... Over 60 and still producing offspring:

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisdom_%28albatross%29](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisdom_%28albatross%29)

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rbanffy
[√] jetpack

[ ] flying car

[ ] Pan-Am space shuttle

[ ] Space station with artificial gravity

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mrfusion
Why does it use 1 gallon per minute?

~~~
outworlder
To counteract 9.8m/s^2 of downwards acceleration?

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omg_copasetic
About damn time...I want 4 of them now!

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a3voices
I wish I could have someone with a remote control fly me to work every day
with one of these.

~~~
cgcardona
or software which could automate the flight path similar to a drone.

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dvere
Meet George Jetson...

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dctoedt
Uh oh -- this might be a game changer for well-funded suicide bombers.

~~~
PhasmaFelis
Private planes have existed for a long, long time and can carry a lot more
explosives than this can.

Also, where are these "well-funded suicide bombers" I keep hearing about? The
ones in the news all seem to be running on household chemicals, jacked-up
cookware, and chutzpah.

~~~
ZanyProgrammer
Provided by the Feds in numerous cases too!

