UK ambulance services are testing a rescue jet suit
The “Iron Man” jet suit we first saw back in 2017 might be less crazy than we first thought. Inventor Richard Browning and his company Gravity Industries have demonstrated that it may be a viable option to quickly get medical help to victims in remote areas. Working with the UK’s Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS), Browning flew to a simulated casualty on a remote mountainous site in just 90 seconds, a fraction of the time it would take to walk there.
The jet pack uses microjets powered by jet fuel or diesel that are mounted on the pilot’s arms and back, with a heads-up display showing key data like thrust and fuel remaining. Browning has said that the risk of fire is minimal because the fuel isn’t particularly explosive or flammable, and he stays relatively close to the ground in the event of mechanical failure.
Gravity’s model has a flight time of just 5-10 minutes, requires highly specialized training and demands enough fitness to support your own weight with your arms. It would also be limited to terrain that’s not too steep, because the pilot needs to hug the ground in order to survive a fall. The suits aren’t cheap either, as Browning sold one recently for £340,000 ($438,000).