Flying jet suits on display at Special Forces convention in Tampa

I actually missed this and I was downtown the day before getting some paperwork. This week was special forces week at th convention center, and this British company stole the show with their jet suit demonstration. Wish I would have been out there Tuesday.

TAMPA, Fla. - Those in downtown Tampa on Tuesday may have seen what appeared to be the superhero "Iron Man" flying around the Tampa Convention Center.

It wasn't the famous hero, but a person flying a real life jet suit created by Gravity Industries.

Pilots can fly as high as 12,000 feet and reach speeds in excess of 80 miles an hour. Average flight time is three and a half to five minutes. Still, that's plenty of time for most missions they could be used for.

Browning describes everything from medical rescues to military applications.
On the battlefields of today and tomorrow soldiers flying like superheroes isn't just a movie fantasy any longer. The suits can cost around $500,000.

Gravity Industries also offers civilian training flights as well for about $3,500 per person.

I may just take it for a spin some day. Looks very similar in concept to the early stark models from iron man, no?? Video at link (click image to view webpage)

a reply to: worldstarcountry

Pilots can fly as high as 12,000 feet and reach speeds in excess of 80 miles an hour. Average flight time is three and a half to five minutes.

They can reach 12,000 feet in 3.5 to 5 minutes? Even with my subpar math skills that sounds a bit off.

Totally impractical NO MATTER what they say.

a reply to: nugget1

Maybe the calculations include terminal velocity on your return flight?

What is that yellow/blue flag on one of the machines, is that Ukraine flag?

originally posted by: Mandroid7
a reply to: nugget1

Maybe the calculations include terminal velocity on your return flight?

I have no idea what you just said, so asked my friend Google. He/she/them said:
"Terminal velocity is the maximum speed an object can achieve as it falls through a fluid, such as air. It occurs when the sum of the drag force and buoyancy is equal to the downward force of gravity acting on the object.2 It is the highest velocity during the object's fall.1 A typical terminal velocity for a parachutist who delays opening the chute is about 150 miles per hour. Raindrops fall at a much lower terminal velocity, and a mist of tiny oil droplets settles at an exceedingly small terminal velocity."

I'm even more confused now! In order to fall from 12,000 feet they had to get up there first at 80 MPH in 5 minutes or less. Something seems way off to me....

So they can travel a bit over 5.5 miles. 1600m in a land mile ... 8800 m .... roughly 26400 feet in 5 minutes.

Heaps of wriggle room, shape/silhouette and movement would probably give them away.

Not sure how the breathing would go up there but seems like plenty of time for a durry and a happy snap.

a reply to: nugget1

If these are the ones designed by the British guy-when he was testing them he had to do lots of extra arm training to get enough strengh to properly aim the jets.
Theres a whole lot of force in them(obviously)which makes it really tough on the arms-and you can't run out of arm energy mid flight..

Maybe they have somehow improved the design since then,but having wobbly rubber feeling arms after a flight is probably not great for spec ops.

Bet its fun though.

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originally posted by: neo96
Totally impractical NO MATTER what they say.

Absolutely right.

I've actually been working during the last few years with SOF customers (who shall not be named) to help define the requirements for an aerial platform capable of inserting and extracting single operators. There is a need/desire for such a platform, BUT:

1) It needs to be able to transport a lot more equipment than just a personal firearm.
2) It needs to have much more endurance/range than 3.5 to 5.0 minutes.
3) It needs to be much more stealthy than 4 screaming turbojets.

I was thinking more we can deploy these to county and state fairs around the country once it's all bugged out and make money renting them out for five minutes time slots. Folks would pull out their credit cards without hesitation for the novety and fun of it.

Could be a great money maker in ten to fifteen years in the entertainment and hospitality industry.

Some Royal Marines have been trained on them apparently its a fast and easier way of getting a man on board a ship.

a reply to: nugget1


Off or not.
Very useful ...

youtu.be...

originally posted by: Cymru
a reply to: nugget1


Off or not.
Very useful ...

youtu.be...

Thank you! That was really interesting, though I think I'll stick to staying 'grounded'.

totally cool but I imagine it would be like doing a plank the whole time.

I'm going to get a loan and buy a few of these in 2030 for tourists to fly over the ruins of Disneyworld after they leave Florida. Maybe they will only be like 300k by then and I can get three for under a million.

a reply to: neo96

It is Good for Ship To Ship Transfers of Possible Wounded Sailors for EVAC , but Yeah , the Tech has to Evolve more Diverse Capabilities .

originally posted by: 1947boomer

originally posted by: neo96
Totally impractical NO MATTER what they say.

Absolutely right.

I've actually been working during the last few years with SOF customers (who shall not be named) to help define the requirements for an aerial platform capable of inserting and extracting single operators. There is a need/desire for such a platform, BUT:

1) It needs to be able to transport a lot more equipment than just a personal firearm.
2) It needs to have much more endurance/range than 3.5 to 5.0 minutes.
3) It needs to be much more stealthy than 4 screaming turbojets.

It doesn't seem to be exactly stealthy, does it?