Jet Packs in Pathaan: Is it possible in real life?

The science behind the jetpacks in Pathaan. 

Pathaan 2023 was a blockbuster action movie starring the one and only Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, and John Abraham. A huge part of the movie was supported by VFX effects. The jet pack scene in which both the protagonist and antagonist were seen flying is one such scene. While we all dreamed of being able to fly someday, it is still very much just a dream. Or is it?  

SCIENCE! CAMERA! ACTION! 

Jet packs are very cool in theory, however there are still many challenges one must overcome before they become reality.  

In the film, the jet packs seem to be wing shaped and also come with a loaded arsenal. The issue with this is weight. Jet packs require a lot of fuel in order to be able to support the weight of the user. However, the more fuel you add the heavier it gets, needing even more fuel to support it. This creates a paradox. This is why most jet packs would only be able to fly for a few minutes at a time. This would be an even more prominent issue with the jet packs seen in the movie as they come with weapons which would add even more weight.  

Another issue is temperature. Jet packs work in the same way as rockets: by combining fuel- which is commonly hydrogen- with an oxidizing agent. The chemical reaction between the fuel and the oxidizing agent is highly exothermic, meaning it releases a lot of heat. The friction of the jetpack itself against air also adds to this heat. Because of this the pilot would need a lot of heat protection gear which was not visible in the movie. In turn, the altitude at which one flies would create a lack of oxygen and cold temperature for the pilot. 

An obvious issue would be all sorts of dirt, gravel and insects flying into your eyes and mouth. For this purpose, one would need safety goggles, a helmet etc. however the stars aren’t seen wearing any sort of gear in the movie.  

Real Life Examples: 

The closest example of a real-life jet pack to that depicted in the movie is the one created by Yves Rossy. He sometimes goes by “The Jetman”, for his continued contribution to the aviation industry. He has presented many versions of of jet packs over the years. The latest one consists of carbon fiber wings and 4 small jet engines. It is roughly 2 meters long and weighs about 55 Kilograms (121 pounds) when fully loaded with fuel. Each engine produces approximately 50 pounds of thrust. While this Jetpack shares similarities with the Jetpacks from “Pathaan” it is still a lot more practical. You also need a parachute to land when using this Jetpack whereas in the movie the characters simply land on their feet.  

The most recent advancement in jetpacks was made by Gravity Industries.  

Gravity Industries founder Richard Browning has been working on creating the perfect Jetpack for years. This year they launched “The Gravity Jet Suit”. It consists of 5 turbines; the engine alone weighs 144 Kg (317.5 pounds). To achieve flight with this jet suit, the pilot must be under 85 kg (187 pounds). Even then this jet suit can currently only achieve a maximum flight time of 8 minutes. The Royal Navy of the UK are currently in the testing stage of using this jet suit officially.  

Even though there are plenty of modern-day Jetpack models, they can only provide limited performance. We are still far from achieving “the perfect Jetpack”….. the kind that can live up to our childhood fantasies. 

Movies often push the boundaries of what’s possible when it comes to powered human flight. This is also seen in the Iron Man Franchise. The movie “Pathaan” is thrilling and a great watch…. but don’t expect to see Shah Rukh Khan flying outside your window any time soon.   

“We have lingered long enough on the shores of the cosmic ocean. We are ready at last to set sail for the stars.” – Aerospace Engineer Burt Rutan