The Future?
The JetPack Aviation (JPA) Speeder has surfaced in the news before. It seemed like a pipedream, an odd idea that would never get off the ground, pun intended. However, it hasn’t gone away and in fact, has taken the next steps towards being a real thing you could own and fly around on.
According to TechCrunch, the company successfully raised $2 million in funding for its first prototype of the Speeder. This will be a fully-functional prototype. The company is planning three different versions. There is a military and commercial-spec version, and then there are two recreational versions.
The Ultralight version will be a recreation version and it won’t require a pilot’s license. However, you can’t just jump on one of these things. JPA will have to provide training to you and the speed for this version is capped at 60 mph. The model will only be able to carry five gallons of fuel, so its use is limited.
The Experimental version, on the other hand, is a recreational one that will require a pilot’s license. It won’t be limited in the way that the Ultralight one is. Again JPA will provide training to the people who purchase one.
Actually being able to buy one of these is still a ways off. The company still has to build a fully functional prototype. With that said, the CEO and founder David Mayman has built a FAA certified jet pack before, so it seems they have the right man at the helm.