'Jet Man’ takes flight in high-tech army jetpack flight suit

2 November 2021, 11:14 | Updated: 2 November 2021, 11:20

Jet suit inventor takes flight at Farnborough Airport

Army bosses have been given a demonstration of a jetpack flight suit showing what soldiers of the future could look like.

Richard Browning, aka Jet Man, performed a display for the Army People Conference at Farnborough International Airport's conference centre today.

He showed off the futuristic human jet suit to a crowd of Army personnel.

Mr Browning, founder and chief test pilot of Gravity Industries, took off and landed on a jeep and a truck before flying on to a balcony in the middle of onlookers.

The jet suit, created by Gravity Industries - founded in March 2017 - can fly at more than 80mph and an altitude of 12,000ft.

An Army spokesman said the display was a demonstration showing potential capability for the future of the armed forces.

The spokesman said: "Innovation and technological advance, two of the main drivers at the Army's People Conference 21 being held at Farnborough International Conference Centre, were remarkably demonstrated as the conference opened with a capability display flight by Richard Browning wearing a gravity-defying jet suit."

Earlier this year, Royal Marines from 42 and 47 Commando worked with Gravity Industries aboard HMS Tamar to test the jet suit for marine boarding operations.

The equipment, flown by Gravity Industries personnel, was used in exercises in Plymouth Sound to help the Navy "understand whether the company's jet suit could be of use on military operations in the future".