Adam Savage had made 3D printed titanium iron man armor. He proved it is bullet proof up to 45 caliber bullets and bombproof against a stick of C4 from about 1-meter distance.
It is also able to fly using the Gravity Industries flight system.
The titanium suit costs about $325,000. Adding the flight suit increases the costs by about $450,000.
The flying suits can reach speeds of 80 mph. The suit has a power of 1050 bhp and is technically capable of reaching 12,000 ft altitudes, although it’s normally flown much lower for safety purposes. In order to keep the technology safe, Gravity also limits the majority of flying to over grass or water.
With two micro jet engines on each arm and one on the back, their construction is not dissimilar to those found on aircraft. The triangle created by the position of the engines allows for movement to be easily controlled. It relies on a pilot’s ability to balance and requires some practice to get familiarized.
The MK 2 suit uses fuel (Jet A1 or Diesel, both non-volatile and far less dangerous than gasoline) and has a dry weight of 60 pounds. The flight time is currently 5 to 10 minutes. They are actively working on improving this number and delivering a quieter, cheaper electric version.
Gravity is test flying with ram air leg wing and small scale upper body fabric wing system.
SOURCES- Discover TV, Adam Savage, Tested, Gravity Industries
Written by Brian Wang, Nextbigfuture.com
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
Known for identifying cutting edge technologies, he is currently a Co-Founder of a startup and fundraiser for high potential early-stage companies. He is the Head of Research for Allocations for deep technology investments and an Angel Investor at Space Angels.
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Blast and fragments from artillery cause 50-70% of battlefield casualties. Anything we do to all to alleviate these will have an outsized effect in protecting our troops. This goal is far easier than armor to stop ball ammunition (military bullets), which is designed for penetration.
Hydrostatic shock will come as an awesome surprise to the wearer testing the armor’s capability to ward off puncture.