A Royal Marine can be seen taking off from a high-speed inflatable boat in the suit.
New Delhi:
The British Royal Navy and Royal Marines have tested out a jet suit that will allow its officers to defy gravity and fly. The suit, which has been developed by the British Aeronautical Innovation firm Gravity Industries, can attain speeds of 80 miles per hour and climb up to 12,000 feet.
In a video released by the Gravity Industries, a Royal Marine can be seen taking off from a high-speed inflatable boat in the suit.
The officer is then seen flying above the waters and landing on the deck of the navy’s offshore patrol ship, HMS Tamar. The officer is wearing the suit that consists of a machine strapped onto him like a backpack.
The video showed the marine experiencing a comfortable take-off and landing. He could balance himself and manoeuvre as required while flying above the sea.
Sharing a video of the exercise, Admiral Tony Radakin, the highest-ranking British navy official, said, “As the Royal Navy embraces technology and innovation, HMS Tamar trials the latest game-changing kit with the Royal Marines.” The video has been widely shared, and has over 587,200 views so far.
As the @RoyalNavy embraces technology and innovation, @hms_tamar trials the latest game-changing kit with the @RoyalMarines. pic.twitter.com/rckeuom7yg
— First Sea Lord (@AdmTonyRadakin) May 1, 2021
Gravity Industries also shared a bunch of videos of the demonstration and testing on photo-sharing app Instagram. Take a look:
The jet suit, which can prove to be of exceptional use in distress situations in remote areas, received rave reviews from social media users.
Reacting to one of the videos, a user said, “This will help rescue people in hard to reach territories… well done.”
Another comment read: “This is what I’ve been waiting for since I was a kid…It’s here, we made it.”
Impressed by the technology, one user said, “Sometimes you just got to stare at these videos, amazed at how they’re actually a reality. Too awesome.”
However, many others also had a bunch of questions regarding the usability of the suit in a conflict zone. For instance, one user asked how the officer would be able to tackle an enemy if both his hands were strapped to the suit. “How do you shoot back if fired upon?” he asked.
Offering a suggestion, a user who goes by the name Tom Saunders, said, “The progress y’all are making is incredible! Keep up the great work, and maybe move the hand system to the feet with an exoskeletal support frame around the hips and legs to free up that soldier’s hands.”
Another user asked, “What do you do if you fall into the water? I don’t know how much the equipment weighs but would be able to shed it quickly so you don’t sink?”
But most people on the Internet were thrilled that there was a technology that enabled man to fly. Summing up the general feeling, a user by the name Tommy Simonetti said, “All the comments about how dangerous it is are failing to realize it’s only the first step to people flying. The first automobile scared a lot of people too.”