25 Jan
Updating your super spy fantasies

Last Friday we showed you the Martin Jetpack, which is basically something every male has ever wanted since watching Thunderball and wishing you were Sean Connery (for more reasons than just the jetpack, of course). But that was some primitive technology compared to what we have now, and there’s no reason why we can’t update our super spy fantasies too. On that note, NASA has unveiled its Puffin concept — an electric, non-emission 13-foot tall tiltrotor vehicle weighing in under 400 pounds.

With a tiltrotor system similar to the V-22 Osprey, the Puffin takes off like a helicopter but flies like a plane, cruises at 140 mph and can hit nearly 300 mph with its boost. Its lithium phosphate batteries are good for about 50 miles, and it can climb up to 30,000 feet. Not a great distance, but still more fun than rollerblading. Keep in mind this is all theoretical, however, as the first miniature versions of the Puffin won’t be tested till March.

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