NASA Announces Designs for Personal Flying Suit

[Dain Arns]

"They' promised us, (You know Popular Science) when we were kids, everyone in the future would have jet packs. :173go1:
I'd settle for one of these. Electric powered by the looks of it. :jump:

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b162/Leorstef/blogSpan.jpg (http://s19.photobucket.com/albums/b162/Leorstef/?action=view&current=blogSpan.jpg)

Story here:
http://intransit.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/21/nasa-announces-designs-for-personal-flying-suit/

YouTube Concept Animation:


rhpPhvWvLgk

[BladeRun]

Wonder what the insurance for one of those will be!

[Willy]

I think I'll stick with my horse. That thing looks a bit dangerous.

[FengZ]

haha, can you imagine the military using this? While they are landing these m$llion dollar machines, some dood w/ a $100 AK just blasts them apart...

pretty cool design though...but like Willy said, looks super dangerous....and enough people do drinking and driving...imagine drinking + personal flying suit...

-feng

[Snuffy]

Looks like it would be hard on the neck after a while. :wiggle:

[Whitehawk]

Like Feng said, can you imagine the problems that thing would cause? Imagine a 747 on short finals and some clown decides to cross the active.. At best it's an expensive go-around, at worst.... I just don't see how personal flying vehicles for the mass public would EVER work :isadizzy:

[Dain Arns]

I'm actually sorry I even bothered to post this news here.... :isadizzy:

[Chacha]

Hey Dain!

I was wondering, when I was a kid, I thought in ten years we will have flying cars!

That was many many many years ago!

That flying suit achievement might be the answer to the- when are we going to have a flying car?

NASA can definitely improve that, and eventually our first flying car/suite of the near future!

I was thinking if they could come up with a design like that, one of these days wecan actually have a flying suite! Remember when the first cars came about? The first train? The first plane? Everyone (almost) have a negative feedback on it...... But hey who knows, this could be a great start!

[Lionheart]

Dain, it was cool. I had posted the same article days ago on FaceBook. No worries man. There are always going to be negative comments.

Immagine, if we just came upon the airplane. (flying tons of people, 300 people in a single jet? accross the atlantic? what if they run out of fuel? What if they hit geese? What if they drink and fly? What if there is a bomb on board?



Fear seeks to retard growth in society. If we respect fear, we disrespect 'possibilities'.


I think the suit is a cool direction and possibility. The video shows the engine nacelles as being electric, so its probably a while off yet. But still, could you imagine a vehicle with some nice backup systems, flight computers, etc, all in a single package? What if you could take that to an appointment 100 miles away, get there in 20 min's, and it charges back via sunlight while you are in your meeting? Zero fuel costs, no emmisions, etc...

That would be one awesome concept.

Dont lose hope or faith.


Bill

[Human Drone]

I'm with the positives on this one. With the commute I have, flying peacefully over the folks below who can't figure out the rudiments of driving would be a blessing beyond compare. Yeah, it'll be tough to make it safe enough, controllable enough, priced well and insurable - and could you imagine what a morning commute would look like with 10,000 of these things criss-crossing a city? In Pittsburgh, the Fort Pitt Bridge is used by 115,000 or more vehicles a day, and Pittsburgh isn't a very big city. So traffic control would have to be top priority if these were to come into affordable, widescale use. But there are definite advantages, like less wear & tear on roads & bridges. I think it's a worthwhile, if difficult pursuit.

Still, where there is a will there is a way, and I'd sure love to have one of these beauties! Just, like someone said above, give me a chin rest please!

Best,

Tom

[Pauke! Pauke!]

I think the point is that it is low noise and electric. There could be a police and surveillance application if it was very quiet. Electric power might make it a bit Greener and possible solar panel charging also.

[cheezyflier]

it would seem to me that the trick would be a graduated license for it, with regular re-checks, and places to take off from that are specific to these devices along with specific routes and altitudes. if it was something that was not for everyone the way a car is, i think it would be do able. especially if they were all electric

[LonelyplanetXO]

Looks great! :engel016: I want one... but just me - I don't want you guys clogging up the airways :) .. Also to my mind it looks as though it needs rotating nacelles a-la V22.
Hehe, very cool.

LPXO