Jetpack Technology is Improving, But Nowhere As Good As These Sightings Suggest

Updated 09.04.1705ET (Includes additional info): The recent reports by two airline pilots in LAX airspace of a man flying a jetpack at 3000 feet are not technically feasible, at this point, says Jetpack Aviation's David Mayman... an experienced jetpack pilot and innovator in this technology.

For the record, David is stuck in Australia (verifiably), in quarantine, so this is not an attempt to evade responsibility, as he was thousands of miles away and all his jetpacks and pilots are otherwise accounted for... and our recent discussions with David, both today and over the course of nearly two years suggest him to be a straight shooter.

"The technology is just not there yet," he noted. "We can get about a solid 7 minutes duration out of the jetpacks we're flying now and while we hope for better in the future, there is no technology I know of that will get a turbine jetpack (of the type he flies) to 3000 feet and back, under power -- much less have the ability to loiter in the airspace long enough to be spotted by two separate aircraft. Also; if it was a turbine powered machine it would have had to take off from downtown LA (under final approach to rwy 25) and surely someone would have heard it and there would be videos all over social media. You can't launch and retrieve a jetpack quietly!"

So... what was it?

The possibilities are somewhat simple... an inflatable mannequin filled with helium, maybe, or even a drone configured to look like a jetpack and pilot. A number of RC models have already made flying fabrications of Snoopy and his doghouse, a witch flying a broomstick, and other variations (and yes, they are cool), and a few drones have been fitted with quad power system surrounding planforms mimicking everything from a dead cat to Superman. It's not as glamorous as a real live jetpack flaunting the regs in the middle of some of the world's busiest airspace, but it seems far more probable. For now.

In the meantime, Mayman and his troops are busy at work developing the next-generation of jetpacks as well as something that looks like a flying motorcycle (and that is still very much under development) with amazing potential for rescue and military operations of the future.

He's as wistful as we are about the ability to pull off a stunt like this (the legalities notwithstanding) but hopeful that the technology will someday become reality... "I'd love to say we could do something like this, but we simply can't... but someday... just wait for us."

FMI: https://jetpackaviation.com/