Move over, James Bond and Iron Man, here comes my jetpack …
Until now, the idea of flying your own jetpack has been largely fantasy. But 2016 could be the year when it takes off commerciallyWho hasn't wished at one time or another for a jetpack? Ever since James Bond used one in Thunderball in 1965, they have been a talisman of the hi-tech future. In every decade since, jetpacks have threatened to lift off. The world watched during the opening ceremony of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, when a pilot used a jetpack to zip from one side of the stadium to the other.
But limited flight durations and the sheer danger has stalled progress. Now times are changing - and not just because Iron Man is the latest cinematic character to wear one. Several companies are racing to bring a practical jetpack to the market. "The technology is improving all the time, engines are getting smaller and becoming more powerful," says Yves Rossy, aka Jet Man, who has spent 20 years developing a personal jetpack.
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