A human pilot successfully flew a jetpack for 20 seconds on Saturday at the "Future is Here" festival.
The pilot flew in front of a crowd inside the cavernous atrium of the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center at the festival, hosted by Smithsonian Magazine, according to NBC News.
Jet Pack International (Jet PI), the company that created the jetpack, said the futuristic flying device can fly for 26 seconds at most before it runs out of power. Apart from tests in the company's warehouse, Saturday's demonstration was the device's first indoor flight in the U.S., Discovery News reported.
Jet PI officials said the jetpack is fueled by nitrogen gas and hydrogen peroxide, which react when close to a sliver catalyst. This response produces jets of compressed steam that provide the thrust needed to fly. The pilot uses two handles: one to control the flight dynamics of the device, which include pitch, roll and yaw, and another to control the power.
The jetpack model has a total range of 1,320 feet, a maximum height of 196 feet and a top speed of 80 miles per hour. Pilots need 100 hours of training in order to successfully fly the device, CNET reported.
For seven years now, the jetpack has been making appearances around the world at gatherings similar to Saturday's festival. Jet PI has been planning for four years to release "Falcon", a consumer jetpack. The technology would have a much longer range, and would cost more than $200,000. However, the project has fallen behind schedule.
The jetpack tested on Saturday costs between $100,000 and $150,000, NBC News reported.
The device is not yet available in stores. Only the parts are available for sale.
An upcoming Smithsonian channel documentary will focus on the history of jetpacks, along with current and future developments, Discovery News reported.
The "Future is Here" festival is a two-day conference that features discussions about robotics, human evolution and life on other planets.
