How Close Are Humans To Actually Having Jetpacks?

Given all of that, how close are humans to actually having jetpacks? Well, you can have one right now, though it will cost you about as much as a small house will and have near no practical use. If you have a few hundred dollars spare, here are your options. Glenn Martin’s jetpack is available starting at $100,000 and can travel at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour, launch its user up to 800 feet in the air, and clock about 30 minutes of flight time before the fuel level gets low. Jetpack Aviation also has a couple of models on offer but hasn’t listed any prices.

Expense aside, jetpacks are pretty impractical, and that’s something that is unlikely to change. If your destination is more than 25 miles away, you’ll probably be arriving by parachute. Then there’s the general public to consider. People don’t behave themselves, especially when there’s fun to be had. If you give someone a fast car, a motorcycle, or a speedboat, they’re probably going to push it to the limits and get some adrenaline flowing. Things are bad enough with vehicles at sea level; if jetpacks become popular, folks will be waking up to a live-action Elton John hit crashing head first into their garden shed.

If jetpacks aren’t the future, short-distance travel may still be airborne. Air Taxi projects are receiving billions of dollars in investments from the likes of Boeing, American Airlines, and United Airlines. If you’re somewhat well off and trying to beat the rush hour traffic in a few years’ time, you’ll probably be hopping on board a small, self-flying, plane instead of strapping on a rocket belt.