Daredevil soars 1.8km into Dubai skies with Iron Man-style jetpack
- Vince Reffet’s carbon fibre wings are powered by four mini jet engines. The equipment is capable of reaching speeds of 400km/h
- ‘One of the next objectives is to land back on the ground after a flight at altitude, without needing to open a parachute,’ Reffet said
Daredevil Vince Reffet has soared into the skies above Dubai in the latest “Jetman” stunt, taking off from the ground and climbing to 1,800 metres in a feat reminiscent of Marvel’s Iron Man and hailed as a world first.
Reffet and his collaborators, known as “Jetmen”, have literally scaled new heights with the help of jetpacks and carbon-fire wings, staging a series of aerial displays that send them tearing through the skies at breakneck speed.
In an awe-inspiring flight captured on viral video, the Frenchman on Friday hovered five metres above the crystal waters of Dubai’s coast before shooting off into the air and skimming the city’s skyline.
“We accomplished another world first in 100 per cent autonomous human flight with @jetmandubai, who took off from the ground before soaring to a high-altitude flight of up to 1,800m!” tweeted Expo 2020 Dubai, the mammoth trade fair that will open in October.
The Jetmen had previously launched themselves into the air by jumping down from high platforms.