https://gizmodo.com/french-inventor-tou ... 1836363914
European leaders including French President Emmanuel Macron were treated to a demonstration of the Flyboard Air, a sort of gas turbine-powered jetpack/hoverboard/flying platform originally invented by jetski champ Franky Zapata, during Bastille Day festivities in Paris on Sunday.
Zapata carried what certainly appeared to be an unloaded rifle (or a replica of such) as he flew over French military forces parading down the Avenue des Champs-Élysées with the flags of the European Intervention Initiative, a strategic coordination pact between 10 countries.
A September 2018 look at Zapata’s work with the U.S. military in the Drive noted his variant, which is a flying platform, had solved some of those issues by introducing seven computer-controlled jet turbines that send flight data to a tablet-sized display as well as “built-in redundancies and automatic compensation if one of the jet engines fails.” Zapata advertises a custom-tooled version called the Fly-EZ as ideal for military purposes ranging from naval personnel transfers and routine ground patrols to actual combat insertions and “denied area penetration.” According to the Drive, the craft can carry up to 280 pounds, fly at 80 miles per hour for up to 12 minutes, and attain altitudes of 9,000 feet, though not necessarily at the maximum load. (France24 cited different specifications for the one used in the demonstration at a maximum speed of 118 miles per hour for 10 minutes )
It seems that some of the kinks related to jet packs have been worked out with this board but obvious problems remain, such as limited range, cost, and noise. It's clear that these won't be special ops equipment given how loud they are but I think they have great potential for use in rapid response situations, scouting, and navigation over short areas of difficult or dangerous terrain. Of course, some of the tasks that could be accomplished with these boards could be better relegated to drones, so as drone technology advances individual net propulsion may end up as a technological dead end. I think they're cool, if nothing else, and look forward to advancements in jet boards, particularly on the civilian side as I would love to ride one.
What say you, NSG? Do you think this technology has a future in combat and civilian roles? Or do you think it's retro sci-fi wish fulfillment with no applicability to the real world? Would you ride a jet board or jet pack?
