The world’s first jet suit race took place on Wednesday in Dubai, creating a scene that looked more like something out of Marvel’s Iron Man than reality.
The competition featured eight racers each wearing a jet suit. The suit uses engines located on the back as well as on each arm, which are used to control the flight path.
The competition took place over water, with the skyscrapers of Dubai Marina looming in the distance. Organizers said they picked the water site to allow for higher speeds and for safety as the pilots skimmed a short distance above the water.
The event was organized by the Dubai Sports Council and Gravity Industries, which makes the suit.
Issa Kalfon, the deputy head of flight training at Gravity and a former professional gymnast, won the competition.
Each racer had to maneuver through 12 traffic points along a 700-metre long race course at Dubai’s harbour.
The races on Wednesday saw pilots wear 1,500-horsepower jet suits, more powerful than most luxury sports cars and using the same kind of fuel used by Dubai-based long-haul carrier Emirates’ Airbus A380s and Boeing 777 aircraft.
The jet suit currently can reach speeds of 128 kilometres per hour, Gravity says.
— with files from The Associated Press