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All Giz Wants: A Jetpack That Costs $200
Posted by Haroon Malik at 1:00 PM on December 26, 2007
We don't ask for much here at Gizmodo, but what we really, really want is a jetpack that costs $200. Sure, we have brought you the deal with jetpacks before, but we want something that lasts longer than two minutes, (so do our girlfriends.) Also, we would not mind a Jetsons type transportation mode that costs less than $200,000; to be exact, a $200 price point would be ideal. So, what would we do with our stratosphere explorers?
The first assignment for jet packing team Giz would be CES 2008. Picture the scene; the whole squad lands right into the main hall, everyone gasps in amazement, people flock from all over, reporters would leave Steve's keynote to come and see us, we'd blog the bejeezus out of CES and then we'd power up our astro packs and fly right back to Giz HQ. We would probably have a race along the way, which, naturally, we would live blog for your pleasure. It would be awesome. Hey, it would beat my flight into CES—the 12-hour wait at Minneapolis airport I have to sit through is going to be a killer. If anyone is around, come and say hello. If anyone has a jetpack that will fly me from London to Las Vegas, thus negating the 12-hour wait, drop me a line.
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
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discounteggroll
Posted 10:00 PM 25/12/07
whoops, wrong post
discounteggroll
discounteggroll
Posted 10:00 PM 25/12/07
biali's unite!
*insert power ranger transition here*
discounteggroll
ryan
Posted 9:57 PM 25/12/07
$200? remember, this is something that you use to fling your body though the air and fly to get from point A to point B. I dunno about everyone else, but if I were in the market for a jetpack, I wouldn't exactly be sparing any expense with it.
ryan
discounteggroll
Posted 9:55 PM 25/12/07
@Roflcopter_Down: kudos; im 27 minutes too late =(
discounteggroll
discounteggroll
Posted 9:52 PM 25/12/07
@strobefx:
c'mon bro, its just like the current printer/ink situation. Exxon/Mobil, I'm looking your way...
discounteggroll
Roflcopter_Down
Posted 9:27 PM 25/12/07
The jetpack would be a like a polaroid camera (remember those?). The camera would be almost free but the film would kill you.
Roflcopter_Down
strobefx
Posted 9:09 PM 25/12/07
Why 200$? The fuel would cost more than that for any decent journey.
The most realistic price point you would be looking at would be around a motorcycle expense, maybe 5 or 7 thousand dollars.
strobefx
drbuzz0
Posted 10:46 PM 25/12/07
If you want a REAL jetpack, like one that is going to last more than a minute or less you have to go with microturbine based systems. They have had them in the past but they have only been so-so for capacity and flight time.
I suggest you check out this site: [depletedcranium.com]
It has lots of info on jetpacks and what the possibilities are. I suggest that if the newest technology is used, such as the Williams FJ-22, then having a high performance jetpack that gives you a half hour to 45 minutes of flight time and is compact enough to walk around with after landing is ENTIRELY POSSIBLE, but it would take some more development.
Seriously, the page has a lot of info. 20K-30K might actually be reasonable if someone would be willing to invest the money to do the initial development and prototyping of the unit.
drbuzz0
CribbageLeft
Posted 10:24 PM 25/12/07
$200? you can't even get a decent bicycle for $200!
I'd pay $20K-$30K if it worked properly (lasted at least 1/2 an hour) and I could fill it up with gas or kerosene.
I'm willing to sign up and put a deposit TONIGHT!
I'm serious, TONIGHT!
CribbageLeft
StarChaser Tyger
Posted 12:04 AM 26/12/07
@jrghoull: Any system that depends on people not being asshats is doomed to failure. Having coffee drinking, cellphone shouting, newspaper reading dimwits on the road is bad enough, but when they can drop out of the sky onto someone else...
StarChaser Tyger
OneFingerSalute
Posted 11:56 PM 25/12/07
Pardon the pun, however I believe your expectations are a bit... lofty...
OneFingerSalute
jrghoull
Posted 11:41 PM 25/12/07
jetpacks would reinvent cities. there was a commercial from a few years back where everyone was going from floor to floor by going to the center of the building (which was an open area for jetpacks to fly around in) locking into their rocket belts, and shooting up (or down). and i dont see why if jetpack fuel issue was ever figured out, why this wouldnt happen (other than the safety issue and the number of deaths that such an invention would lead to).
jrghoull
Azteck 5000
Posted 1:08 AM 26/12/07
200 bucks yeah right and I want twin blonde's to do me for 20 bucks. Guess what Gizmodo we are both screwed on that dream.
Azteck 5000
banmojo
Posted 2:16 AM 26/12/07
I wish I were a little bit taller, I wish I were a baller, I wish I had a cat, in a hat, that'd be phat....
banmojo
hu_hu_cool
Posted 7:44 AM 26/12/07
Would you really trust a jet pack for 200 bucks? It would be made in Taiwan, would be a knock off called the JeTPac and would be made entirely of plastic.
hu_hu_cool
cmarsh
Posted 8:05 AM 26/12/07
You'll shot your eye out, kid.
cmarsh
frigg
Posted 8:45 AM 26/12/07
Maybe Negraponte could make this his next gig, announce a massive $200 OJPC initiative that ultimately ships for $400, but no one buys it because a $500 Jetpack that doesn't look like a toy is made by a real company that got the idea from him, and everyone buys that one instead.
frigg
strider_mt2k
Posted 8:25 AM 26/12/07
I can't put my arms down!
strider_mt2k
dcartist
Posted 11:05 AM 26/12/07
I'll pass on the jetpack travel.
In L.A., people would be taking potshots at "jetpack man" constantly. No way do you make it to work.
Seriously, if you were in a gang, initiating a new member or you were just bored, and wanting target practice, some dude in a business suit flying with a jetpack every day by the same route would be the greatest target EVER!
"50 points for the fat guy in the grey Armani..."
dcartist
m4ximusprim3
Posted 12:43 PM 26/12/07
@dcartist: And can you imagine how happy those of us in socal would be to make our commute without sitting in gridlock? I work 8 miles from my house (as the crow files) and it takes me almost 30 minutes in the car to get there.
I would gladly pay 10k for a quality gas/electric jetpack just for commuting.
m4ximusprim3
dcartist
Posted 11:58 AM 26/12/07
And can you imagine jetpacking 5000 miles from London to Las Vegas?
(top speed of the $150K -$250K [www.popularmechanics.com] jetpack is 60-70 mph)
Even if you could do 100 mph, it would be like the absolute worst motorcycle ride ever, bone chilling 100mph while exposed to the elements, no matter how many layers you wear under that leather jacket...
And even at an unprecedented 100 mph, it would still take 50 hours, and you have to concentrate the whole time in order to not kill yourself on a seagull or a pigeon :(
dcartist
JohnInMableton
Posted 11:31 AM 26/12/07
Yeehaw! People around Atlanta can't handle 2 dimensional travel yet. Can't wait till Billy Boy and the gang gets them jet pacs going with a full load of pabst under their belts, whoo eee!
JohnInMableton
huygir
Posted 11:24 AM 26/12/07
Liars... the first thing you would do is fly over a nude beach. You know, I know it - you're not fooling anyone.
huygir
dcartist
Posted 2:20 PM 26/12/07
I agree totally that it would be great to commute without dealing with 3 million other people trying to do the same thing.
If you make a $200 jetpack... everybody and their 13 year old kid will have one. At which point you'll have 3 million people in the skies instead of the highways. Guess what happens when you have a fenderbender at 200 feet... ;P
dcartist
Jetlev1
Posted 1:33 PM 27/12/07
I would agree with DCARTIST. Malfunctions, running out of fuel, and collisions will be inevitable. No company can commercialize a product that drops a few people from the sky every other day and survive. Jetpack commuting is a dream and most likely will remain that way.
Recreational jetpack flying at a safe height above water is a different matter, and it is closer to reality than you can imagine.
How would you like a jetpack that you can learn to fly in a few minutes that runs on regular gas, zip over tropical waters at 30-40 mph at up to 30 feet for up to 4 hours, and KNOWING you'll always live to post your cool jetpack videos on Youtube? Then check out and subscribe to this blog: [jetlevnews.blogspot.com]
Jetlev1