He’s gained a reputation as the ‘real-life Iron Man’, thanks to his futuristic jet suit.
Now British engineer, Richard Browning, is on a mission to bring jet packs to the military.
His futuristic jet suit uses five gas turbines to reach heights of up to 20 feet (six metres) at impressive speeds of up to 85 mph.
He’s struck a deal with two western allies to equip militaries with the gizmo, allowing armed commandos to soar over warzones and land on enemy ships.
Troops will be able to board hostile ships in the style of James Bond, without having to descend on ropes from a helicopter or climb on a ladder from another vessel.
‘We do something that looks like it should be in a Marvel film and it does look spectacular, but actually it’s now a serious international business,’ Browning told the Times.
‘We are in the process of signing several deals with two western allies, in particular for marine mobility, enabling special forces to rapidly secure maritime targets.’
Marvel fans who fancy taking to the skies can try the jet suit at Goodwood Estate in West Sussex or in California – although the experience costs a whopping £6,600 ($8,200).
Developed by inventor Richard Browning from Gravity Industries, the suit uses five gas turbines that produce over 1,000 brake horsepower to gain flight
Richard Browning, a Royal Marines reservist for six years and Cardiff University graduate, wanted to augment the human body with enough technology to be able to fly
Mr Browning’s invention is often compared to the suits worn by Tony Stark/Iron Man in the Marvel comics and films (pictured)
Already, British Royal Navy marines used the jet packs to jump from boat to boat in the English Channel to prepare for future boarding operations.
Astonishing video shows marines taking off from a rig fixed on to a small boat behind HMS Tamar and flying on to its deck.
Mr Browning founded Gravity Industries in March 2017 with the mission of augmenting the human body with enough technology to be able to fly.
Less than a decade later, Gravity Industries has flown the jet suit at more than 300 events in 50 different countries, including Vietnam at the end of last year.
Mr Browning said: ‘The Jet Suit produces up to 144kg of thrust; the thrust to weight ratio works out to be greater than any known Jet Fighter we are aware of.’
The futuristic contraption is fitted with five downward-facing turbine engines that produce hot exhaust gases, the company explains.
As the burning gases expand and blast out through the nozzle down towards the ground, the pilot is thrust upwards.
Because most of the engines are positioned at the end of the user’s hands, it’s simply a case of moving the arms to be able to fly in the desired direction.
This is not the first time that the Mr Browning’s invention has taken to the air for the pleasure of the British Armed Forces. Pictured: Mr Browning above Farnborough International Airport
It can reach impressive speeds of up to 85 mph and heights of up to 20 feet (6 metres), with a total flight time of up to 10 minutes. Pictured, Mr Browning in flight above the Farnborough International airport in November 2021
In Thunderball (1965), James Bond (Sean Connery) used a Bell Textron Rocket Belt to escape the scene after killing French antagonist Jacques Bouvar
It takes off vertically, much like the suit in the James Bond film Thunderball, while a display screen inside the helmet gives updates on fuel consumption.
Aside from its military applications and allowing members of the public to fly, the suit has potential for mountain rescue charities and emergency response scenarios.
Eventually, in dangerous situations such as wildfire or remote mountainsides, professional staff wearing the pack could potentially perform life-threatening rescues.
In 2022, a paramedic wearing the suit flew up a hill in winds of over 30 miles per hour and heavy rain as part of a successful proof of concept.
‘The medic response stuff we don’t see as a profit centre,’ Browning – a Royal Marines reservist for six years and Cardiff University graduate – told the Times.
‘But it is still incredibly important to us and we have plans to launch a separate charity to scale this life-saving capability.’
Gravity Industries, which employs 25 people, recently raised $10 million in funding after being valued at $72 million (£58 million) – up from $36 million (£29 million) two years ago.
The company was recognized by Guinness World Record for the fastest flight in a body-controlled jet suit in November 2019 at 85 mph (135 kmph).
Aside from its military applications and allowing members of the public to fly, the suit has potential for mountain rescue charities and emergency response scenarios. Pictured in Lake District
Richard Browning CEO of Gravity Industries and the Chief Test Pilot, wears a Jet Suit and flies with second Test Pilot during a demonstration flight on May 22, 2019 in Belgrade, Serbia
At the time, Browning powered the contraption 1,640ft along the length of Brighton Pier in challenging weather conditions with sparks in his wake.
More recently, Browning flew the device at Army People Conference in Farnborough to demonstrate its potential for application by British soldiers.
The adventurer took off and landed both on the hood of a nearby jeep and the cabin roof of a truck before flying to a balcony filled with army onlookers.
And as part of a promo with Domino’s in summer 2023, pizzas were flown in to the Glastonbury Festival site.
An early version of the flight pack was dubbed Daedalus after the father of Icarus – the pair in Greek mythology who flew with wings made from feathers and wax – although the name is no longer used on the company’s website.
According to the legendary tale, Icarus died when he flew too close to the sun and the wax holding the feathers together melted.
