See How the Hacksmith Created a Jetpack From The Mandalorian
View an almost true-to-life version of the jetpack from 'The Mandalorian' that can shoot actual flames.
The Hacksmith is a YouTube channel that's dedicated to turning movie props and gadgets into devices people in the real world can use. As a continuation of their 'Hacklorian' series, the team wanted to recreate the jetpack used in the popular TV show The Mandalorian.
Generating Those Flames
Jetpacks are normally illustrated as being these sleek, yet powerful modes of transportation to take to the skies. However, we haven't yet figured out how to cram all of that propulsion technology into a space that small yet, so for now, giving the appearance of jets will have to suffice. Building off of a previous project, the Mandalorian Flamethrower Gauntlet, the team wanted the pack to hold the fuel for both the gauntlet and the thrusters. When a solenoid within the jetpack activates, fuel flows towards the two nozzles and ignites at the end, producing an extremely visible orange flame.
Other Components
To control the solenoid, an Arduino Mega was chosen due to its large amount of GPIO pins. Additionally, the team wanted a way to maneuver the two thrusters with a gimbal mechanism. Therefore, they went with a pair of servo mounts that are able to rotate about the X and Y axes, thus producing a circular motion. A PCB was designed and built to act as a shield that gets placed on top of the Mega's pin sockets.
Designing and Fabricating the Pack
The main body consists of a large sheet of stainless steel that is slightly bent to give it more volume. The speed controller for the fans is mounted in the middle, with two batteries just above it. The whole thing is attached to the wearer by slotting in a couple of screws and wingnuts that secure it against the harness.
The cover for the pack was cut from a giant sheet of stainless steel using a CNC plasma cutter and then welded to the main body after it was formed into the correct shapes through precise bends.
After the shell was done being assembled, it got placed into a sand blasting chamber to give it a worn look, and then it was polished for a nice shine. Once the electronics were fitted, it was time to test the project out.
Flying (Well, Sort of)
As seen in the video, their version of the Mandalorian's jetpack is quite close to the one found in the show. Its ability to attach and detach to/from the harness makes it a more usable prop. The jetpack was also designed with the future in mind, as it will hold the components for the next piece of the costume: the grappling gun.