A paramedic equipped with a jetpack has set a new record in Romania, reaching a mock casualty at the summit of a mountain in two minutes, a trek that would normally take two hours by foot.
The demonstration saw the jetpack developer Gravity Industries' founder and CEO Richard Browning collaborating with Romania's Department for Emergency Situations, to fly the 500m elevation to a mock casualty.
The technology has been in development since 2017 and the latest 3D-printed version has seven miniature jet engines, two on each arm and three in the backpack, developing 1,500 horsepower and capable of reaching speeds in excess of 136km/h at more than 12,000 feet.
For safety reasons, however, they usually hug the terrain at much lower speeds.
The company has worked closely with civilian and military customers in various countries to demonstrate the jetpack's ability to move specialist personnel over any terrain, night or day, in most weather conditions.
The sight of an Iron Man-style Jet Suit flying paramedic may soon become a reality in the UK, with an announcement about a plan to conduct live rescues in England's Lake District, expected soon, the company said.
