Thaindian News

London, Jan 28 (ANI): Now, James Bond fans can ‘fly’ just like Sean Connery on a JetLev-Flyer - only if they have 175,000 dollars to spare.

The jetpack, which is propelled by water and allows the rider to take off and soar nearly 10 m above water at a speed of up to 35kmph, is the brainchild of Canadian Raymond Li, reports New Scientist.

His Jetlev’s road to completion has spanned nearly a decade and followed a dream that most engineers thought was impossible.

When Li decided to invent a jetpack propelled by water instead of rocket fuel, most of his friends thought he had gone crazy.

“Almost everyone thought I was crazy. It was hard to get quotations for prototype fabrication, raising capital, finding development partners and suitable venues to do the testing,” said Lee.

Li’s Jetlev-Flyer propels the rider with twin streams of high-pressure water created in a floating engine-and-hose pack that floats on the surface of a body of water. In this manner, Li was able to achieve a thrust-to-weight ratio three times greater than the most powerful fighter jets.

The rider can thrust himself or herself into the air by shooting water out of two nozzles, as the hose transports water to the jetpack at low pressure.

“It’s the same reaction force a fire-fighter experiences when he points a water jet at a fire,” said Li.

And the ride is smooth - so smooth that some riders have compared it to riding on a magic carpet.

The hydro jetpack is supposed to hit the market later this year at around 175,000 dollars, with resorts and high-end recreational agencies as primary targets.

Li, however, foresees it being used practically as well in search and rescue, marine structure inspection and repair, lifesaving, fire fighting and even peacekeeping. (ANI)