It's a bird...It's a plane...No it's an inventor flying around the Statue of Liberty on a JB-9 Jetpack!
In a James Bondesque move (remember Thunderball where our favorite 007 deploys a jetpack to escape from Spectres' evil agents?), JetPack Aviation's CEO David Mayman literally took a spin around the New York Harbor wearing the company's JB-9 Jetpack.
On Nov. 3, 2015, Mayman took the JB-9 for its maiden journey around New York. Mayman flew around with the rocket-powered backpack strapped to him as the Statue of Liberty watched silently in the background.
The journey has been recorded and will be shown in a documentary entitled Own The Sky, which will release in 2016. The contraption is the brainchild of Nelson Tyler and Mayman, who have been working secretly on the project for the past decade.
Per JetPack Aviation, its JB-9 is capable of ascending over 10,000 feet i.e. 3,048 meters. The jetpack is also capable of speeds over 100 mph and can continue to fly for 10 minutes continuously before it has to be refueled.
Touted as the "world's only true jetpack," the JB-9 is quite lightweight and will fit into the trunk of a car. The jetpack is approved by United States' Federation Aviation Administration and Coast Guard for flight.
"It would be wonderful if one day this opens the door to a vast new industry of affordable personal air transportation with applications for search and rescue, law enforcement, disaster relief and recreation," noted Tyler in a statement.
However, the JB-9 may be pipped to the finish line by the Martin Aviation which is poised to release its Martin Jetpack in 2016. The jetpack will be priced at $150,000 and will be capable of 30 minutes of flight at 46 mph. This jetpack, however, is bigger than the JB-9.
The pricing and release window for the JB-9 have not been disclosed by JetPack Aviation. If priced right, the craze for jetpacks that can endow ordinary people with flying capabilities could well, catch on.
Check out Mayman flying around New York on the JB-9 in the video below.
