Thanks to this jet suit, paramedics searching for injured hikers may soon become real-life flying superheroes. An air ambulance service in the United Kingdom is now working with a jet suit maker to bring jetpack technology to rescuers who work in an especially hilly region of the European country.
In September, the emergency-response group and the manufacturer took a jet suit for a test flight. The result? A trip that normally would have taken a medic 25 minutes took just 90 seconds! The Iron Man-like suit is powered by five mini engines: two that attach to each of the wearer’s hands and one built into a backpack.
With rescue workers able to reach injured hikers that much more quickly, they’ll be able to save more lives, says Andy Mawson of the ambulance service. He adds that jet suit technology will be a real game changer for paramedics working in remote areas.
“We could see the need,” Mawson says. “What we didn’t know for sure is how this would work in practice. Well, we’ve seen it now, and it is . . . awesome.”