--- title: "Hey Elon Musk, Hire This Guy in China Who Built His Own Amazing Jetpack Suit" description: "A man from China called Liu Dongsheng has built a working jetpack suit over two years, for just over $100,000 total, according to state news." date: "2020-10-29" modified: "2020-10-29" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/elon-musk-hire-jetpack-guy" categories: - "Elon Musk" - "Future Society" - "The Industrialists" tags: - "china" - "jetpack" - "jetpacks" - "the digest" --- # Hey Elon Musk, Hire This Guy in China Who Built His Own Amazing Jetpack Suit ![A man from China called Liu Dongsheng has built a working jetpack suit over two years, for just over $100,000 total, according to state news.]() *\Image: Xinhua\* ## A Modest Proposal A man from China named Liu Dongsheng has built a working jetpack suit — and he pulled it off in about two years, for just $100,000. That gives us an idea. Elon Musk, how about you hire this guy? You could let him spin up the Tesla Jetpack Division. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHTB8Ptb2Cc ## The Specs The jetpack, shown off in a [video posted by state-owned *China News Service*](), is [reminiscent]() of the one built by UK-based Gravity Industries, with what appear to be a pair of jets affixed to the ends of each arms and a fuel tank strapped to the back. According to *China News Service*, the jetpack can fly to an altitude of 200 meters and cover five to ten kilometers — but for safety reasons, Liu isn't planning to go higher than three meters for safety reasons. Unsurprisingly, the inventor was reportedly inspired by "Iron Man." ## Iron Man Suit Liu faces stiff competition in the jetpack market. Gravity Industries, founded in 2017 by ["real-life Iron Man"]() Richard Browning, has developed a strikingly similar suit and has set several speed records over the last few years — though it's almost certainly spent more than $100,000 in the process. California-based Jetpack Aviation has also pioneered a jetpack suit, claiming to be "the first company to design and manufacture a true jetpack for personal flight," [according to a statement]() by CEO David Mayman. **READ MORE:** [Chinese man creates his own jetpack]() \[*ECNS*\] **More on jetpacks:** *[Paramedics Test Jetpack For Daring Mountain Rescues]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()