Underwater jetpack ‘feels superhuman,’ says designer of his US$30K gadget

The gadget's battery can last for 90 minutes but underwater trips are restricted to just one breath. (Courtesy CudaJet via CNN Newsource)

It is the high-octane toy for those who have everything: an underwater jetpack that allows you to zip beneath the surface of the ocean – for as long as you can hold your breath.

Described by its makers as an “innovation for those who demand the extraordinary,” the CudaJet is aimed at adrenaline junkies with deep pockets.

Priced at a shade below US$30,000, the device enables users to experience “weightless flight” at a speed of up to 3 metres/9.8 feet per second, according to the company behind the jetpack.

The design comprises the compact jetpack worn on a harness and a hand-held controller. Units are made to order with a lead time of about three months.

The pack has a 90-minute battery life but is not tethered to an oxygen tank or vessel. This means users can be in the water for the duration, but can only dive below the surface for one breath at a time.

Since the jetpack went on sale in early 2023, almost 100 units have been sold, including to the owners of some of the world’s largest superyachts, according to the CudaJet’s makers.

“The feedback has been incredible,” said Archie O’Brien, the 28-year-old British entrepreneur who designed the device.

“The underwater jetpack gives you one of the closest sensations to human flight,” he told CNN. “The weightless experience feels superhuman as you fly around a three-dimensional world!”

O’Brien had the idea while on vacation from his product design degree at Britain’s Loughborough University.

“I was free-diving in Koh Tao in Thailand in 2017,” he said. “I was learning about free-diving and thought this could be an area where I could design something to move through the water faster.”

O’Brien looked into propulsion systems and developed an early version, which was “duct-taped to my back.” Encouraged by the initial results, he finetuned the product, eventually spending some 30,000 hours on design and development.

As with any extreme activity, there are risks. CudaJet users must know how to equalize their ears and hold their breath underwater, as well as being mindful of things like battery life and the correct temperature for storing the pack when not in use.

O’Brien admits there is other technology out there that enables people to move quickly through water but maintains that nothing quite compares to his piece of kit.

“For example, you could get a jet ski engine,” he said. “That would produce a load of thrust but you’re never going to fit it on your back.

“Then there have been smaller hand-held things but they’re so slow it’s pointless.”

Dom Robinson, a diver who runs a YouTube channel called Deep Wreck Diver, recently reviewed a product similar to the CudaJet for his 13,000 subscribers. The Hong Kong-based developers of the XiaoTun underwater jetpack are currently seeking investment on Kickstarter to make it commercially available.

Robinson filmed a friend and fellow diver using the gadget. “Though the jetpack is quite a bit of fun, I don’t really see it being used for much else,” he told CNN.

“The Cuda one incorporates a buoyancy aid, which seems sensible, although I’d imagine that poses some challenges, not least (because) the ‘jets’ only work in water. That means you have to get it underwater, so some sort of duck-dive is required, and it then takes a few seconds to kick in.”

He added: “Most people aren’t especially brilliant at holding their breath, so achieving the results you see in the promo video, and on my review (of the XiaoTun), will be challenging for them!”