Hi all,
These 'jets' are hand controlled and very sensitive.
A normal person can learn to 'fly' with them within a day. What you see on the demos, would take about a week of very intensive training.
They are very noisy and (at the moment), very weight limited - for given backpack size fuel as seen.
Most if not all demos are over water (safety), and have overlaying music.
The heat IR signature would be massive and it's not really that quick and maneuverable.
If any Special Forces/SAR want to have them in stock for future use, then a regular training schedule would have to an ongoing thing - Think about the $$$ for Gravity!!?
If - IF - a shoulder mounted weapon, directed by a helmet eye pupil could be used and triggered by an additional switch in the jet hand module, then it might be a real option to get an operative onboard a sailing vessel safely, with backup on some sort of RHIB soon to arrive!
IMO, until an operator can defend oneself, then the risk to the flyer is enormous.
SAR has issues whereby having a trained 'Jet Man', ready to go who can get there (by car or choppered/flown in), and then 'fly' to the injured person. One would have to cost $ and the time factor of a normal SAR team getting there before 'Jet Man' arrives to do his thing...
If Mr SAR Jet Man is carrying a bag of medical aid, is this Jet Man medically qualified to help?
Gravity has never released any weight-distance-time limits to this
AFAIK. Yet the promos have been going for years.
Looks great and futuristic, and I'm sure there's going to an 'ideal' situation whereby it would be a great tool for the military and SAR.
But when? Considering the units that would have to be sold and the constant on going training...
However, IMO for military: If they could get a waist cradle with say 4-6 jets controlled by the head [Think Falcon 9 steerable Titanium fins]
Lean the head back and one would go backwards etc), and one's eye could still be looking a target - and the operator could control a weapon freely, then you really do have a Jet Man flying weapon..
Patent Pending - You heard it here first, from me, ok!