SlashGear

Martin’s latest Jetpack demo video may not show the pilot reaching such lofty altitudes as Jetpack International managed, but their machine is a whole lot more impressive to look at.  It’ll keep you aloft longer, too: flight-time for the Martin Jetpack is apparently around 30 minutes at 60mph.

Video demo after the cut

It’ll happily take you up to 8,000 feet, according to Martin, though chief design engineer Ray – who is piloting the Jetpack in this video – doesn’t seem keen on going much above a meter.  If you find yourself among the pigeons and suddenly low on fuel, Martin helpfully provide a ballistic parachute that fires out of the top of the Jetpack and lets you drift, nervously, back down to earth.

Delivery of the first ten units is expected to take place this year, with each costing a cool $100,000.  The Martin Jetpack runs on plain old automotive fuel, and has straightforward joystick controls; it apparently doesn’t even require a pilot’s license.  Now that’s scary.

[via OhGizmo!]