Can You Buy a Real Jetpack? What JetPack Aviation Sold

A real jetpack is the oldest promise in "future transport," and one company did sell a few of them: JetPack Aviation, the California firm whose founder flew around the Statue of Liberty in 2015. This guide covers what it sold, for how much, who bought one and whether you can still order one today.

The facts come from the company's own Jetpacks and FAQs pages, press coverage between 2015 and 2024, the website of the team's current company and the FAA rulebook, each listed with its date at the end. One caution: jetpackaviation.com now has an expired security certificate, a banner pointing to MaymanAerospace.com, and a 2020 copyright line in the footer. We read its pages on October 28, 2026, so treat them as the company's last stated position, not a live price list.

Is the JetPack Aviation jetpack real?

Yes. JetPack Aviation was founded by Australian inventor David Mayman with Hollywood engineer Nelson Tyler, who had earlier worked on the Bell Rocket Belt, according to Wikipedia. On November 3, 2015, Mayman flew the first model, the JB-9, over the Hudson River and around the Statue of Liberty, Time reported. The pack burns kerosene and, according to Time, can keep a pilot in the air for around 10 minutes.

The company's site says it no longer produces the JB-9, and that the JB-10 is the same design with more fuel, more thrust and better computer controls. All the packs are worn on the back, and New Atlas noted that flying one takes a fireproof suit, a helmet and a water bucket ready for the landing.

What did JetPack Aviation sell, and for how much?

Three models matter. The JB-10 was the first one offered to buyers. The JB-11 is the stronger version, meant for first responders and the military, according to VOA. The JB-12 is the military version that was actually sold, and the company classified its specifications.

The company's page adds that endurance depends on pilot weight and density altitude, and its FAQ footer says all performance specifications are "preliminary and will not be confirmed until the completion of all flight test programs." The numbers have moved: VOA reported 10 minutes and 100 km/h for the JB-10 in 2016, while the page now says 8 minutes and over 120 mph. At 120 mph and 10 minutes, TWZ estimated about 20 miles in total, so this is a short sprint, not a commute.

Who actually bought one?

The best-documented sale is military. In September 2021 JetPack Aviation announced its first two orders: two JB-12 packs for an undisclosed military customer in Southeast Asia, about $800,000 together, with delivery expected within about six months. TWZ reported that the customer's intended use was not disclosed. Mayman said the order showed "our development program is meeting military needs," according to AVweb.

Private buyers exist too, but they are few. Robb Report wrote in April 2024 that Mayman "had built 16 of them and sold five to private owners." We found no names or prices for those five.

The company also said early on that it wanted "well-qualified buyers," InsideHook reported in 2016, and TWZ added that it had said it could teach basic piloting "in as little as 10 days." Those are the company's claims, not an independent training standard.

Can you still buy a JetPack Aviation jetpack today?

The company itself says no. Its FAQ answers "Can I buy a JetPack?" with "Sorry. Our JetPacks are not for sale." It gives the same kind of reply to trying one ("We do not offer this service"), booking a flight for an event, and buying plans for the aircraft. The JB-10 and JB-11 pages show only "price upon request."

That FAQ carries a 2020 copyright line, which is before the 2021 JB-12 sale and the private sales Robb Report counts. It reads as the company's stance toward the open market, with real deals handled privately, which is what "price upon request" implies.

The company has also stepped back. The same Robb Report story says the pivot to drones forced Mayman to shelve the jetpack: "We're not focusing on it at the moment," he said. A photo caption in the piece states that Mayman Aerospace "will discontinue" it. The old site now carries a banner, "Visit our new, updated website at www.MaymanAerospace.com."

Mayman Aerospace is the company now behind the Speeder and its successor. Its site, read on October 28, 2026, describes autonomous jet-powered VTOL aircraft for defense and dual-use missions and does not mention jetpacks. None of the 11 items in its newsroom, dated July 2022 to March 2025, mentions one either. It has a contact page, and we can't say whether it takes jetpack enquiries.

What happened to the Speeder flying motorbike?

The Speeder was JetPack Aviation's other big project: a flying motorbike with jet engines. In July 2021, New Atlas reported that the first prototype, an aluminium test platform, had finished flight tests with no pilot aboard, and that the price estimate stood at $380,000 and was "creeping upward." Pre-orders were open at the time.

That plan changed. Robb Report said in April 2024 that the Speeder had been renamed the Razor and that a rideable version would not arrive before 2028, at an expected $250,000 to $300,000. New Atlas described the Razor in May 2024 as the Speeder without the pilot, a family of autonomous military drones. The current site lists the P100, a pilotless VTOL with a 400-plus-knot sprint speed and a 100 lb payload, as the company's main product.

How is a jetpack different from a jet suit?

A JetPack Aviation pack carries every engine on the back, three small turbines on each side of the JB-12, according to New Atlas, with a flight computer managing them, AVweb reported. Gravity's jet suit puts small engines on the arms too, and the pilot steers by moving the body. Our jet suit guide has the details, including the one thing you can actually book, and our jet suit vs jetpack vs Flyboard Air comparison puts the three machines side by side.

Is it legal to fly a jetpack?

In the U.S., the FAA's Part 103 covers "ultralight vehicles." To qualify, a powered vehicle must weigh less than 254 pounds empty, carry no more than 5 gallons of fuel and be unable to go faster than 55 knots at full power in level flight. Qualifying vehicles don't need airworthiness certification, but flying is allowed only between sunrise and sunset, never over a congested area, and in Class A, B, C or D airspace only with air traffic control permission.

The speed limit is the catch. Fifty-five knots is about 63 mph, and the JB-10 and JB-11 are listed at over 120 mph. JetPack Aviation says it solved that with two versions of each pack. The Ultralight version is speed-limited to 55 knots (about 65 mph, in the company's words) and 5 gallons of fuel, and the company says it can be flown under American FAA rules without a pilot's licence. The Experimental version has no speed or fuel limit, and the pilot needs at least a sport or recreational licence, plus training signed off by the company. The FAQ names the Light Sport Aircraft certificate and says every pilot must complete the company's training program.

Those are the company's statements, not an FAA ruling, so anyone planning a flight should ask the FAA first.

What can you buy or try instead?

The closest thing you can book is a Gravity jet suit flight. On October 28, 2026, Gravity's flight experiences page listed the Rookie at £799 or $1,950, the Academy at £1,595 or $3,500 and the Maverick at £6,600 or $8,500 per person, excluding VAT where it applies. Beginners fly on a tether, as our guide explains.

The photo at the top of this page shows another machine that tried to reach customers: the Martin Jetpack, a New Zealand design that lifts the pilot with ducted fans rather than jets. Wikipedia reports a hoped-for price of $250,000 and no confirmed sales or deliveries. RNZ reported in October 2021 that seven prototypes were up for sale after the company's liquidation earlier that year.

If water is fine with you, a backpack-style underwater version is on sale, covered in our guide to the underwater jetpack and sea scooters. For other machines that move people through the air, see the hoverboard, air taxi and flying car guides, or browse all Future Transport articles.

Is the jetpack real or a viral trick?

Real, but narrow. The company existed, its founder flew in public in 2015, and several news outlets reported the 2021 sale with a price. That passes the checks in our guide to spotting a fake gadget video.

What can mislead is a shop or ad offering a "real jetpack" for a few thousand dollars with delivery dates. Everything above puts the real ones at $250,000 and up, sold to qualified buyers, and the maker has since stepped back from selling them.

So, can you buy a real jetpack?

A few people did. Five private owners and one military customer are on record, at $250,000 to $400,000 a pack. Today the maker says its jetpacks are not for sale and has turned to drones, and the realistic way to feel one is a jet suit session, which you can book.

Frequently asked questions

Can you buy a real jetpack?

A few people have, but not on the open market. JetPack Aviation sold two JB-12s at $400,000 each in 2021, and Robb Report said it had sold five to private owners by April 2024. The company's own FAQ now says its jetpacks are not for sale.

How much does a JetPack Aviation jetpack cost?

VOA reported the JB-10 at $250,000 in December 2016, and New Atlas reported $400,000 for each JB-12 in September 2021. The company's Jetpacks page now says "price upon request" for the JB-10 and JB-11.

Does JetPack Aviation still sell jetpacks?

Its FAQ says "Our JetPacks are not for sale." Robb Report said in April 2024 that Mayman was not focusing on the jetpack because of drone contracts, and Mayman Aerospace's current site does not mention jetpacks.

How long can a jetpack fly?

The company lists 8 minutes for the JB-10 and 10 minutes for the JB-11, and AVweb reported about 8 minutes for the JB-12. The company says it depends on pilot weight and density altitude.

Do you need a license to fly a jetpack in the U.S.?

The company says its Ultralight version, limited to 55 knots and 5 gallons of fuel, can be flown without a pilot's licence under FAA rules. Its Experimental version needs at least a sport or recreational licence plus the company's training. Check with the FAA before flying.

Is the Martin Jetpack the same as JetPack Aviation's?

No. The Martin Jetpack was a separate New Zealand design that lifted the pilot with ducted fans. Wikipedia reports no confirmed sales, and RNZ reported seven prototypes for sale after its 2021 liquidation.

What can I try instead of buying one?

Gravity Industries sells jet suit flight experiences from £799 or $1,950 for the Rookie session, as listed on its site on October 28, 2026. Beginners fly on a tethered rig.

Sources

• Time: The world's only jetpack circles the Statue of Liberty (Nov. 11, 2015)
• New Atlas: JetPack Aviation makes first jetpack sales to unnamed military (Sept. 7, 2021)
• AVweb: Company exporting military jetpacks (Sept. 12, 2021)
• TWZ: Jetpacks will soon be headed to a military in Southeast Asia (Sept. 7, 2021)
• VOA Learning English: U.S. company debuts what it calls the world's first true jetpack (Dec. 19, 2016)
• InsideHook: You can now buy a personal jetpack (Nov. 11, 2016)
• New Atlas: Jetpack Aviation's flying motorcycle prototype aces first tests (July 19, 2021)
• Robb Report, via Yahoo Tech: The world's first flying motorcycle could hit the skies by the end of the decade (Apr. 4, 2024)
• New Atlas: Mayman Aerospace flying motorcycle becomes a military VTOL jet drone (May 9, 2024)
• Mayman Aerospace (home page and newsroom), read Oct. 28, 2026
• Wikipedia: Jetpack Aviation, read Oct. 28, 2026
• Wikipedia: Martin Jetpack, read Oct. 28, 2026
• RNZ: Seven prototype Martin Jetpacks up for sale after company's liquidation (Oct. 22, 2021)
• eCFR: 14 CFR Part 103, Ultralight vehicles, read Oct. 28, 2026
• Gravity Industries: Flight Experiences (prices), read Oct. 28, 2026