[gradschool]

I don't know how scientifically reliable this article is, but it gives me an idea. Could tsunami avoidance be an ideal use case for a jet pack? It doesn't need a lot of altitude or more than a few minutes of flight time, just easy rapid deployment without an airstrip. Some startup should be all over this. A combined package with an alarm triggered by an ultrasonic sensor would make a great sales pitch to well heeled customers living in that region. It might even lead to beneficial government policy changes by raising awareness of the danger when everybody who's not rich enough to afford one whinges about it on facebook.

[cguess]

I'm not sure if this is satire? No, a jetpack is not an alternative for a tsunami. You'd have to: 1.) already be outside with it fueled and being worn. Tsunamis come quick if you're close enough to get seriously injured. If you're not then you just have time to get further inland.

2.) someone have a child-version (but what about infants?). Not sure about you but putting my nephews into a jet pack seems like a poor idea, they're fidgety in car seats.

3.) It's a jet pack, and you're flying. How is that possibly safe without regular maintenance and training for what would be a once in 1000 year event?

[tablespoon]

I agree, because I really want to see some true-believer startup enthusiast going about their normal day with 100lbs of jetpack on their back, insisting it will be the next big thing.