Residents Astonished When Man in Jetsuit Cruises Through Arch in Bridge

Was that... Iron Man?

Blast Off

Residents in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan, were shocked to see a man in a jetsuit blast over the city's Grand River, and even dive through an arch of a nearby bridge earlier this week.

As it turns out, the man with the jetpack was none other than Alex Wilson, who has been testing the unusual gear for the UK-based company Gravity. In fact, according to local news, Wilson has already donned the suit at more than 200 events.

"It’s genuinely so intuitive and so natural to fly that anyone can do it," he told local reporters. "This isn’t another aircraft, it’s really you flying."

Iron Man

Gravity's suits, which the company likes to refer to as "1,000 horsepower jet suits," make use of jet turbines attached to the wearer's arms and back.

The company is confident enough to allow inexperienced thrill-seekers to test out the jetpack at a training facility just outside of London, UK.

Gravity is also trying to bring the technology to the military and first responders, who could one day use them to traverse difficult terrain and provide emergency assistance.

There's a decent chance we'll be seeing more of these suits in the near future. With the interest from famous investor Tim Draper, who invested early in both Tesla and SpaceX, Gravity has strong financial backing.

Given how effortlessly Wilson was able to zip over the Grand River this week, it may only be a matter of time until they become a staple in the arsenal of first responders and military units alike.

READ MORE: Flying man seen along the Grand River part of jet-suit demonstration [WoodTV]

More on jetpacks: Watch a Guy Take Off With an Electric Backpack Helicopter