It's never a good idea to set up too high expectations by comparing yourself to or challenging others who have done similar work, but the strategy seems to have paid off for Gravity Industries.
Last month, Gravity Industries announced a partnership with local authorities in Dubai, which would see the launch of the world's first jet suit race. Comparisons to Formula One events were made, which might have seemed like Gravity was setting itself up for failure. One simply doesn't compare oneself to F1 and claim superiority, to paraphrase a popular meme.
As it turns out, there was no reason for concern – not that Gravity has much in common with F1 or any company involved in it. The world's first jet suit race took place in the Dubai marina on February 28 as scheduled, and the event went off without a hitch. More than that, based on the first reports coming in from the city-state, it was a roaring success.
Available below is a video of a segment of the race that saw the pilots weaving through obstacles. Eight pilots took place in the race, but only seven made it to the finish line: an Emirati pilot lost control of his jet suit and crashed into the water. No injuries were reported during the entire race, not even in the case of the pilot who crashed.
Of these seven, three stepped on the podium to receive recognition for their skills in terms of maneuverability, speed, and accuracy. UK-born Issa Kalfon, who is an elite gymnast, actor, model, and trained stuntman, took home the golden jet turbine trophy.
Photo: Government of Dubai
Richard Browning, the founder of Gravity Industries and the inventor of the jet suit, also took part in the race. He also spoke to the media and pointed out that his jet suit was the closest thing humanity has to achieving individual flight. Humanity also has Marvel movies like Iron Man, but that type of flying is only possible with special effects. He's not wrong, obviously, but it also makes for very unsubtle self-promotion.
The event, dubbed the Dubai Jet Suit Race or the Gravity Race Series, is believed to be the first in an annual tradition. It would make sense for that to happen, considering there is no market for the jet suit in the private sector. In the past, Gravity hoped the U.S. Navy would embrace it. They also showcased it to emergency responders and other organizations, but adoption has been slow.
That said, the jet suit is an impressive achievement. Powered by a single jet turbine developing 1,050 hp, it uses four other turbines for steering, with the pilot using his arms for that. This makes flying in the jet suit a physically demanding activity, made even more so by the weight of the thing (27 kg/60 lbs) and the maximum speed of 80 mph (128 kph).
Flying in a jet suit is also very dangerous, which is why Dubai organizers held the race over the water.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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