The stuff of movies and science-fiction, soldiers assaulting defended positions from above. Rather than parachuting into such areas, they fly with their guns blazing using jetpacks. With jetpack technologies getting mature, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is willing to fund the development of jetpacks for military applications.

According to Interesting Engineering, DARPA is calling for submissions of jetpacks and other personal flying platform technologies and research concepts via its Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Opportunity (SBO). Reading the document DARPAS describes what it wants:

This platform system or system of systems could incorporate entirely new designs, or modifications to existing systems. These platforms could serve a variety of military missions, enabling cost effective mission utility and agility in areas such as personnel logistics, urban augmented combat, CSAR, Maritime interdiction and SOF Infil/Exfil.

Systems may be air deployed to allow for Infil to hostile territory, or ground deployed to allow for greater off-road mobility without the use of existing Vertical Takeoff & Landing aircraft such as helicopters and CV-22. The platforms may be one-time use or reusable with minimal repacking/re-deployment actions such that they properly supportthe envisioned use cases.

Unlike the ongoing AFWERX Agility Prime program, TTO is interested in proposals for systems which are man portable/storable in 1 (or a few) man portable containers/mobility bags. 1,2 When deployed, the systems allow mobility for a range of at least 5 km for a single operator, likely at low to medium altitudes. Systems should be designed such that assembly and deployment can occur in less than 10 minutes using only simple tools or no tools at all.
The platforms must not require assistance from external equipment or other unique environmental factors (e.g. wind, elevation, etc.) for launch/recovery. Some examples of technologies of interest include jetpacks, powered gliders, powered wingsuits, and powered parafoils which could leverage emerging electric propulsion technologies, hydrogen fuel cells or conventional heavy fuel propulsion systems.

Of particular interest are systems which display low signature qualities inherent to their design, such as low auditory signature and low IR signature.

When deployed, the platform will be designed with simplified operations in mind, so that someone unfamiliar with the platform could be educated in its safe and effective use with relatively little training. It is anticipated that computer assisted control functions and intuitive interfaces will enable an effective operational system in addition to an overall system design that permits fast, equipment-free set-up.

So far, the flying contraptions that we know are those made by Franky Zapata with his Flyboard Air and James Bruton of Gravity Industries. Franky Zapata made an impact on the military application of his Flyboard during the Bastille Day Celebations in 2019, when he flew in front dignitaries with a rifle. James Bruton had a gun turret mounted with an airsoft gun. But their flying platforms still do not meet the requirements of the DARPA though Zapata was able to cross the English Channel with his Flyboard Air which is more of a hoverboard. Bruton’s contraption does not allow the soldier to control a weapon with this own hands as the arms are needed for steering.

You can watch both videos showing their flying platforms below:

DARPA will pay up to US$1.5 million for the development costs for the technology and the challenge really is to make it more compact and can be quickly deployed without any assistance. Apart from military applications, jetpacks can be used by first responders for rescue, medical assistance, and law enforcement. No need to wait for a chopper or any vehicle to help them arrive at the scene, they can just zoom with their jetpacks.