In collaboration with Austrian parachute jumper Peter Salzmann, who thought of a way to prolong his stay in the air, the German luxury automaker BMW has developed a flying suit equipped with an electric motor.
According to the Motor Trend website, the Austrian adventurer who used to jump and enjoy the beautiful landscapes between clouds and above the ground, is no longer satisfied with the few minutes the parachute gives him in space. So he started thinking about developing a flying jacket that would allow him to stay longer above, the German New Agency reported.
Salzmann worked with BMW's i division to create a set of impellers for his winged suit. The theory was that if the impellers create enough thrust, they would allow him to prolong his jumps. Think of Salzmann as sort of a human kite.
It took three years for the electrified winged suit to go from concept to completion. During that time, the suit was tested in a number of wind tunnels specifically designed to work out the aerodynamics of specialist flight gear such as winged suits.
The pack itself is made from carbon fiber and aluminum, which allow the whole thing to tip the scales at just 26 pounds. Each impeller spins at about 25,000 rpm and has an output of 15 kW (about 20 hp). The suit's power is generated by a 50-volt ion-lithium battery.
With the winged suit finished, Salzmann had to see if it worked. High in the mountains in his home country Austria, he put on the winged suit, took off in a helicopter, and then dived toward the ground from 10,000 feet altitude. On his way down, Salzmann fired the suit up and was able to fly high above the Three Brothers mountain range.
