Winder Wonder #27: Stalker Drones & Jetpacks

Welcome to Winder Wonder #27. Our exquisite watchwinders may combine the best of the past with the best of today's design, but this week we're taking a look at three creations which could be big news in the future. Meet the drone that follows you around, check out a solar powered cycle path & watch the Jetman fly his jetpack through the skies above Dubai...

 

Meet Lily: The Drone That Follows You Around

No matter how creepy the implications might be, the feats of technology behind this incredible drone project are enough to make you feel like you're actually living in the future. This is Lily, a drone you can use to video yourself on the go. A little like a selfie stick on steroids, this insane creation allows for 20 minutes of flight time and a huge array of filming and shooting options, from side shots to 360 panoramas. Oh, and Lily is totally waterproof too. When you're ready to call it a wrap, this mind-bendingly cool contraption hovers effortlessly back to your open hand.

• Can you see a useful application for Lily or is this a scary technological development for the selfie generation? Have your say below.

It's Official, Jetpacks Are Real

The decades of dreaming and fantasising are finally over. Jetpacks are here. They're real, and they work. This incredible video, uploaded to Youtube this week, shows Jetman Yves Rossy and his protege Jetman Vince Reffet as they fly through the skies over Dubai. It may look like something made with CGI and a green screen, but this, my friends is pure, Buzz Lightyear reality. To infinity, and beyond!

 

Solar Cycle Lane Powers One House for One Year

Dutch scientists are busy toasting the success of a 70m stretch of solar cycle path which has exceeded expectations by generating enough power for one home for an entire year since October. Harnessing solar power, this clever stretch of road could be an exciting technology for the future, but for now the tech is just too expensive to turn into more metres of cycle lane. The creators believe that their invention will become commercially viable over the next 5 years. Do you think that solar powered cycle paths are a good green solution for the future? Would you dare to fly the Jetman's jetpack? Have your say below.