Arrive to work in style with the Iron Man jet suit, now on sale at Selfridges in London. Back in 2017, All3DP reported that British startup, Gravity Industries, was developing an “Iron Man” suit boasting 1,000 horsepower and components 3D printed in metal.
Now, the suit is on sale, helping everyone achieve their superhero fantasies. That is, if you have £340,000 (or $445,492) to spare. It may mean many of us have to live off canned soup for a long time, but surely it’s worth it to impress your co-workers and maybe save a few cats from trees.
The 3D printed suit weighs 27kg and is is controlled by body movement. Attached to the arms and the back are five kerosene-fueled micro gas turbines.
Richard Browning is the British entrepreneur who runs Gravity Industries and developed the suit. He explains such a project came about by saying: “It started out as an exploration alongside a day job. We realized we were headed in a direction that had already been thought about — the Iron Man character. Part of what people find fun is I’m not a formally trained engineer, but I’ve always loved taking things apart and creating things.”
Gravity Industries is run from a former US military site in Salisbury, UK. Browning explains that he’s on a “mission to re-imagine the future of manned flight” and this world-first suit certainly brings him a little closer to that goal.
However, to initially get his idea off the ground, Browning received an on-the-spot $650,000 investment from Silicon Valley entrepreneurs. They then watched the Iron Man wannabe lift off last year.
The suit also set a Guinness World Record last year as it flew 32mph over a lake. However, in theory this suit could go as fast as 180mph. But, it’s not the most environmentally friendly option for getting about as it uses four liters of fuel per minute.
Only nine buyers with Tony Stark-levels of personal wealth can claim a custom-made 3D printed suit and flight training from Selfridges. One such buyer is Tom Cruise who will receive training next month.
You can expect to see the suit on the silver screen in the not too distant future, as Browning explains he’s already speaking with stunt coordinators about the suits use. In addition, he is also working on a “really exciting” collaboration with the military.
Bosse Myhr, menswear and technology director at Selfridges, said: “The Jet Suit is the equivalent to the launch of the very first aeroplane. We are on the cusp of an era where aeronautical technology can finally be in the hands of the consumer and we are proud to be the first to offer this.”
Those unable to splash the cash on their own Jet Suit can check out a virtual reality version in London, which uses content captured from a flight to immerse you in the experience of flying. Check out the Selfridges website to find out more.
Source: Evening Standard
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