British Inventor and Entrepreneur Makes his Own Iron Man-Style Jetpack

You can file this under ‘too good to be true’ since since it is April 1st after all, but British entrepreneur and inventor Richard Browning claims to have created a working Iron Man-style jetpack that can fly, or at least hover close to the ground. The effort seems too costly and elaborate to be a hoax; at the very least if it is an April Fools prank, it could be one of the best ones ever pulled. Browning has caught the attention of Red Bull who has helped pay for some of the costs of developing the technology. Browning claims he has spent £40,000 to make the device and the partnership with Red Bull and other partners is essential for the project moving forward. A project such as this Iron Man-style jetpack is something that is not too far out for Red Bull, who has sponsored daredevils before who have set a record on a jet-powered hoverboard.

Each motor on the jet pack is capable of producing 22kg of force and there are six in total strapped to Browning, who tests the device himself. Two are located in each arm and two are strapped on this back, right above and behind the thighs. He also wears a protective suit and helmet as he tests it on open air.  The jet pack is actually powered by kerosene but Browning downplays the danger associated with his efforts, stating that riding a mountain bike is actually more dangerous in his opinion.

In addition to the jet pack, Browning has strapped on a Sony-powered HUD display helmet so he can monitor the fuel levels of his motors. He believes that the device is safe enough to use that he is even building a miniature, drone-powered version for his children. For now, he has launched the start-up Gravity.co officially in March and plans to expand as he looks for engineers, athletes, marketers and investors who are willing to work with him in this endeavor.