Photo: Screenshot from Twitter video by @frankyzapata
Franky Zapata, the French inventor known for his homemade jetpack, crashed during a demonstration flight in France on Saturday, May 28, 2022. Despite falling into a lake with his "flyboard" invention with his feet strapped in, he managed not only to survive the fall with unspecified injuries, but also to have a sense of humor about it on his Twitter the day after the incident.
Zapata is known for crossing the English Channel on his signature device back in 2019, when he completed the 22-mile journey in 22 minutes. It was on his second attempt, though, as there were complications with refueling.
Moreover, Franky Zapata is known as "the flying man" in French media, and he is famous in his country for participating in the Bastille Day on his jetpack by flying it above the military display. The feat was approved by the country's defense ministry, which wanted his company to develop a version that could be used for reconnaissance and even as an assault platform.
Before the military touches Zapata's "flyboard," the French inventor will have to recover from his injuries, find out what went wrong this time, and improve his work so that it will be safe to use. Who knows, maybe the technology will get better in the next decade or so, but do not get your hopes up too high. Pun not intended this time.
Jetpacks have been a dream of humans even before the first aircraft flew, but it seems that developing a solution that allows people to fly without strapping themselves inside an airplane or at least to a parachute is yet unattainable on a reliable level.
A bystander filmed Zapata's accident, and it is estimated that he had fallen from about 15 meters (ca. 49 feet). Thankfully, while his flying device appears to have lost power in a way, it did so during vertical flight over water, and not at its reported top speed of 87 mph (ca. 140 kph).
The French inventor managed to perform what appears to be a controlled emergency landing, and then the video was stopped. It did not look like he was going to make it, but he managed to crash a home built flying device with four microturbines and lived to tell the tale.
Also on his Twitter, the French inventor pledged to continue work on his device starting Monday, and we wish him all the best. It is impressive that he manages to make jokes about gravity winning in this context.
Moreover, Franky Zapata is known as "the flying man" in French media, and he is famous in his country for participating in the Bastille Day on his jetpack by flying it above the military display. The feat was approved by the country's defense ministry, which wanted his company to develop a version that could be used for reconnaissance and even as an assault platform.
Before the military touches Zapata's "flyboard," the French inventor will have to recover from his injuries, find out what went wrong this time, and improve his work so that it will be safe to use. Who knows, maybe the technology will get better in the next decade or so, but do not get your hopes up too high. Pun not intended this time.
Jetpacks have been a dream of humans even before the first aircraft flew, but it seems that developing a solution that allows people to fly without strapping themselves inside an airplane or at least to a parachute is yet unattainable on a reliable level.
A bystander filmed Zapata's accident, and it is estimated that he had fallen from about 15 meters (ca. 49 feet). Thankfully, while his flying device appears to have lost power in a way, it did so during vertical flight over water, and not at its reported top speed of 87 mph (ca. 140 kph).
The French inventor managed to perform what appears to be a controlled emergency landing, and then the video was stopped. It did not look like he was going to make it, but he managed to crash a home built flying device with four microturbines and lived to tell the tale.
Also on his Twitter, the French inventor pledged to continue work on his device starting Monday, and we wish him all the best. It is impressive that he manages to make jokes about gravity winning in this context.
Crash impressionnant de @frankyzapata aujourd’hui au meeting aérien de #biscarrosse Heureusement il est tombé dans l’eau et devrait s’en sortir je l’espère sans trop de soucis. #frankyzapata #biscarrosse #crash pic.twitter.com/SjWbGOp74W
— Alex (@Alex170346741) May 28, 2022
— Franky Zapata (@frankyzapata) May 29, 2022
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