Indian Army to get jetpack suits for efficient surveillance along borders; trials held in Agra

IANS

New Delhi, March 4

In a bid to strengthen the surveillance capabilities along the border areas, including borders with China, the Indian Army would be soon equipped with ‘jetpack suits’.

The testing and demonstration of the jetpack suits made by British company ‘Gravity Industries’ were held recently at the Army Airborne Training School (AATS) in Agra.

Richard Browning, the founder of Gravity Industries, gave a demo of the jetpack system to the Indian Army.

The Indian Aerospace Defence News (IADN) shared a video on Twitter showing the Gravity Industries founder flying over a water body, road and fields in Agra.

The jetpack suit has three jet engines — one on the back and the other two on each hand, which helps the person to navigate in the air.

The Army had issued a request for the purchase of 44 jetpack suits through the fast-track procedure.

According to officials, the AATS imparts training in the aerial distribution of materials in various fields. Research and testing related to para-dropping are also carried out at the AATS.

A jetpack suit is a device that propels the wearer through the air. The device uses gas or liquid as fuel.

The testing of the jetpack suit in the country comes at a time when the Army is focusing on strengthening its overall surveillance mechanism along the nearly 3,500-km Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. Especially after the dispute with Chinese troops on the eastern Ladakh border.

The jetpack suit is worn like a backpack and can carry a person weighing not more than 80 kg. It has a maximum speed of 50 km per hour.