Future Transport
Underwater Jet Packs and Sea Scooters: What Exists
Quick answer
Yes, but the only backpack-style underwater jetpack we found on sale is the CudaJet, a 14 kg pack that pushes a breath-hold diver at up to 3 m/s for £25,000 excluding VAT. Handheld sea scooters cost far less and list similar speeds: Sublue's Vapor is $2,999 at 10 km/h, and Seabob's F9 starts at €10,638. None of them supplies air.
On this page
- Is there a real underwater jetpack?
- How much does an underwater jetpack cost?
- How fast does it go, and for how long?
- What can't an underwater jetpack do?
- What is a sea scooter, and how is it different?
- Which sea scooters can you buy today?
- Is a jetpack faster than a sea scooter?
- Is the underwater jetpack real or a viral trick?
- Which one fits which kind of diver?
- FAQ
- Sources
Search for an "underwater jetpack" and two kinds of machine show up: a backpack that pushes you through the water, and a handheld scooter that tows you along. Both are real and both are for sale. This guide separates them, with prices, speeds, run times and depth ratings from the makers' own pages, read on October 25, 2026.
It is the underwater cousin of the jet suit, with one big difference: nothing here lets you breathe.
Is there a real underwater jetpack?
Yes, and it is the CudaJet, built by a small British company founded by Archie O'Brien. It is a backpack with two water jets, worn on a padded harness, according to New Atlas. You hold a hand controller that sets the power, and you steer by moving your body. CudaJet's safety page puts it bluntly: the jetpack "can only provide thrust."
CNN reported that O'Brien had the idea in 2017 while free-diving in Thailand, and that the company has sold almost 100 units since early 2023, some of them to owners of large superyachts. CudaJet says each pack is built to order, with limited annual production, and that 2026 is its fourth year of deliveries.
The controller is wired to the pack, so it can't drift away. If you let go of it, CudaJet says, the motor cuts out and you float to the surface, because the harness is buoyant.
How much does an underwater jetpack cost?
CudaJet's own page lists £25,000 excluding VAT. There is no checkout: the button reads "Enquire to Order." The price covers the jetpack, controller, one harness in your size, a fast charger, a hard case, a charge key, the manual and a two-year warranty.
Earlier reports show how far the price has moved. New Atlas gave £14,000 for the 2023 version and £22,500 for the 2025 refresh. CNN, in August 2025, said just under $30,000 with about three months' wait.
How fast does it go, and for how long?
CudaJet lists a top speed of 3 meters per second, which works out to about 10.8 km/h or 6.7 mph. Typical run time is 90 minutes, and a full charge takes 75 minutes. New Atlas reported that the 2023 model managed 40 minutes per charge, so the battery is the part that changed most.
Depth has two numbers. The pack is rated to 40 m, but it leaves the factory with a safety depth limit of 3 m. When you reach the limit, CudaJet says, you float back up. Owners can change the limit in the settings.
All of these figures come from the company. The sources we read include no independent speed or battery test.
What can't an underwater jetpack do?
It can't give you air. CudaJet's safety page says its products "do NOT supply air" and are for assisted free diving only: "You must hold your breath and resurface before needing air." You also need to be able to equalise the pressure in your ears, and the company warns that long hair must be tied back or covered, because hair can be pulled into the intake.
It can't fly you out of the water, either. Diver Dom Robinson told CNN: "Though the jetpack is quite a bit of fun, I don't really see it being used for much else." He noted that the jets work only underwater, so you have to duck-dive first, and that thrust takes a few seconds to build. His other point: "Most people aren't especially brilliant at holding their breath," which limits how much of the promo footage a first-time user will match.
That makes it a short-dive toy for confident breath-hold swimmers, with a price to match.
What is a sea scooter, and how is it different?
A sea scooter is a motor you hold. A propeller or pump-jet pulls you through the water while your hands stay on the handles, so your arms steer and your legs rest. Sublue describes its Vapor as a pump-jet scooter with guarded propellers and slightly positive buoyancy in seawater, so it floats up if you let go.
Seabob, the German brand from CAYAGO, sells larger electric water sleds. Its F9 has a normal mode, a more sensitive dive mode and a sport mode for use on the surface, and the press release for the SE63 describes an optional board that lets the rider lie prone for more speed on the surface.
Which sea scooters can you buy today?
The table lists the models whose makers published specs on their own sites, with the CudaJet at the bottom for comparison. Seabob's F9 page lists no top speed or depth rating, so those cells say "Not listed."
| Model | Price | Top speed | Run time | Max depth | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sublue Mix (2026) | $449 (list $499) | 1.6 m/s (5.8 km/h) | 45 min | 40 m | 3.5 kg |
| Sublue Vapor | $2,999 | 10 km/h | Up to 60 min (18 min in third gear) | 40 m | 8.6 kg |
| Sublue Vapor Pro | $4,099 | 12 km/h | Up to 60 min per battery, two included | 40 m | 8.7 kg |
| Seabob F9 | From €10,638 | Not listed | 40 min (60 with larger battery option) | Not listed | 22.9 kg |
| Seabob SE63 (Lamborghini) | Not listed | Up to 35 km/h on the surface, with optional board | 60 min on average | 25 m | 35 kg |
| CudaJet backpack | £25,000 excl. VAT | 3 m/s (10.8 km/h) | 90 min typical | 40 m (3 m factory limit) | 14 kg |
Prices and specs as listed on each maker's own page on Oct. 25, 2026. Run times are the makers' claims.
Sublue's run times depend on how hard you push: the Vapor's 60 minutes is the typical figure, and the maker lists 45 minutes in first gear and 18 minutes in third. The Seabob SE63 is newer. Its press release said production would start in the second quarter of 2026, with sales through selected distributors from summer 2026, and no price is published.
Is a jetpack faster than a sea scooter?
On paper, no. The CudaJet's 3 m/s is about 10.8 km/h. Sublue lists 10 km/h for the Vapor and 12 km/h for the Vapor Pro, at a fraction of the price. O'Brien told CNN that handheld alternatives are too slow to be worthwhile, but the makers' own numbers put the top speeds close together.
What changes is how you move. With a scooter, you hold the motor. With the backpack, you hold only a throttle, and your arms, legs and body are free to steer, which is the point of the design. Whether that is worth the extra cost is a personal call.
One caution on Seabob's numbers: the "TP" figure on its pages, 60 for the F9 and 162 for the SE63, is "thrust performance." Seabob says it is calculated from thrust, weight and electrical power, so it can't be compared with the newtons Sublue lists.
Is the underwater jetpack real or a viral trick?
Real. The company has a store page with a price, specs, a safety page and a manual, and CNN and New Atlas have both covered it. That passes the checks in our guide to spotting a fake gadget video.
What can mislead is the footage. A clip of someone gliding along for minutes with no breath-hold and no surface in sight is worth a second look, because every product here needs you to come up for air. If you want machines that move through the air instead, see our guides to floating hoverboards and air taxis, or browse all Future Transport articles.
Which one fits which kind of diver?
If you want to cover a reef faster than you can swim, the entry models start at $449 and weigh 3.5 kg. If you want a bigger motor and a screen, the Vapor and Vapor Pro run to $4,099. Seabob's F9 starts above €10,000 and weighs 22.9 kg. And the CudaJet is for a confident breath-hold diver who wants the backpack feel and has £25,000 to spend.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a real underwater jetpack?
Yes. The CudaJet is a backpack with two water jets, built to order in England and sold directly by the company. It is the only backpack-style model we found on sale.
How much does an underwater jetpack cost?
CudaJet lists £25,000 excluding VAT, and you order by enquiry. New Atlas reported £14,000 in 2023 and £22,500 in 2025, and CNN reported just under $30,000 in August 2025.
How fast does an underwater jetpack go?
CudaJet lists 3 meters per second, about 10.8 km/h. That is the company's figure, and the sources we read include no independent test.
Can you breathe underwater with a jetpack or sea scooter?
No. CudaJet says its products do not supply air and are for breath-hold diving only: you must hold your breath and resurface before needing air.
What is the cheapest sea scooter from these makers?
The Sublue Mix (2026) is listed at $449, down from a list price of $499, with a top speed of 1.6 m/s, a 45-minute run time and a 40 m depth rating. Other brands may cost less, but we read only the makers in this guide.
How long does the battery last?
CudaJet lists 90 minutes typical, with a 75-minute charge. Sublue lists up to 60 minutes for the Vapor, falling to 18 minutes in third gear, and Seabob lists 40 minutes for the F9.
How deep can an underwater jetpack or sea scooter go?
CudaJet and Sublue list 40 m, and the Seabob SE63 lists 25 m. The CudaJet leaves the factory with a 3 m safety depth limit that owners can change.
Sources
- CudaJet: Underwater Jetpack (price, specifications), read Oct. 25, 2026
- CudaJet: Safety by Design, read Oct. 25, 2026
- CNN (via KESQ): Underwater jetpack feels superhuman, says designer of his $30K gadget (Aug. 6, 2025)
- New Atlas: CudaJet underwater jetpack (May 19, 2025)
- Seabob: F9 Series, read Oct. 25, 2026
- Seabob: F9 configurator (prices), read Oct. 25, 2026
- Seabob: SE63 for Automobili Lamborghini, read Oct. 25, 2026
- CAYAGO: SE63 press release (boot Düsseldorf 2026)
- Sublue: Vapor, read Oct. 25, 2026
- Sublue: Vapor Pro, read Oct. 25, 2026
- Sublue: Mix 2026, read Oct. 25, 2026
Founder and editor, Novaverum
I write Novaverum to separate the technology you can really buy from the demos, concepts and viral fakes, starting from what the companies, regulators and engineers publish. Every article lists its sources at the end.
