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Over the next four weeks, BBC News will be offering a snapshot of the day in the life of a city - looking at how technology is transforming our urban landscapes, now and in the future.
Their first snapshot? What it will be like to commute by jetpack.
We start as urban dwellers around the world begin the day - with the morning commute. In the future, that may mean hailing a jetpack.
"Jetpacks will be part of future cities," Peter Coker, vice-president of innovation at KuangChi Science, Martin Aircraft Company's major Chinese shareholder.
"I see it as being the Uber of the sky."
Martin Aircraft Company, based in New Zealand, already has a working prototype that can fly at 2,800ft (850m) at 45km/h (27mph) for 28 minutes.
And Mr Coker says commuters will be able to hail an unmanned jetpack via a smartphone app.
Futurism is always fun. How would you prefer to get to work, by jetpack, Hyperloop, or VR?
(Score: 2) by looorg on Thursday January 12 2017, @08:14AM
If you thought other people where shitty drivers just imagine them one jetpacks ... in an urban environment. People smashing into houses, power lines, other people on jetpacks, jetpacks running out of power and people plummeting to the ground ...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 12 2017, @08:25AM
Autonomous jetpacks! No experience necessary!
(Score: 2) by Thexalon on Thursday January 12 2017, @12:20PM
One thing's for sure: there are a lot of circumstances in which flying a jetpack could really become a pain in the keister.
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Thursday January 12 2017, @12:24PM
For example: jetpack envy.
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by Thexalon on Thursday January 12 2017, @12:47PM
I was thinking much more like a "pants-on-fire" moment. Strapping a rocket to your back does not seem like a very smart idea to me.
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 12 2017, @02:32PM
You're wearing in wrong.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 12 2017, @01:52PM
Sounds like a spectator sport to me.
The Apple iJet. We removed the fuel gauge so you don't need to worry about running out of fuel and falling out of the sky.
(Score: 2) by dak664 on Thursday January 12 2017, @05:37PM
I'd worry more about snipers trying to stop the additional pollution to what's left of their environment.