Dubai Just Bought a Bunch of Jetpacks to Fight Skyscraper Fires

On a visit to Dubai, after hitting a beach on the giant palm tree-shaped island or carving some powder in the shopping-mall ski slope, you’ll probably want to see the Burj Khalifa. From the courtyard at the base of the world’s tallest building, you have to crane your neck so far back you might fall into the pool of dancing fountains. And if you’re prone to anxious thoughts, you might wonder: How would I get down if I’m stuck up there during a fire?

Fear not, because Dubai has an answer for you, and it’s jetpacks. The shiny emirate’s Directorate of Civil Defense purchased 20 jetpacks last week from New Zealand-based Martin Aircraft Company. For one city, at least, this vision of the future will soon become the emergency response vehicle of today.