Science fiction has given Tony Stark very specific advantages that we still cannot reproduce. In real life, anyone trying to fly like Iron Man must carry their own engines and fuel, but that hasn't stopped inventors like Richard Browning, who has just publicly presented his own flight system, aptly named Daedalus. The suit requires extraordinary physical preparation, and even then, the best way to protect the pilot's integrity is to rise barely a few meters…
The Jetpack Concept
The concept of the jetpack is not exactly new. Early theories about personal flight in that format date back to the 1910s, and throughout the 20th century dozens of projects (probably many more) were carried out in an attempt to find the exact design. The jetpack also received much attention from the military, since the idea of standard infantry gaining air supremacy over the enemy was very tempting. Now, the challenges are well identified. The lack of energy density in available fuels and the poor aerodynamic profile of the human body when flying top the list, but the work continues, and this time we encounter Daedalus.
Richard Browning's Daedalus
Ex-soldier, marathon runner, oil industry businessman and inventor, Richard Browning has spent a long time perfecting and optimizing his Daedalus suit. In its current configuration it uses six thrusters, two on each arm, and the last pair on the lower back. Flying with Daedalus is extremely complicated ("a bicycle in three dimensions", according to Browning himself), and requires impeccable physical condition. After all, the pilot's body is the "fuselage" for Daedalus.
The helmet has an integrated display that presents fuel levels via WiFi. Browning explains that in theory, Daedalus can fly at hundreds of kilometers per hour and reach considerable altitude, but initial tests are limited (for logical reasons) to a few meters above the ground. His next step is to organize different events, for which he already has none other than Red Bull as a partner. Perhaps most impressive is that "half a dozen people" approached Browning requesting their own Daedalus suit. The inventor estimates a price of 250 thousand dollars per unit.
