HOVERBIKE!!: 'Speeder-Bike' Style Hovercraft Can (Allegedly) Do 170MPH, Fly To 10,000-Ft
Hoverbikes: they're right up there with hoverboards for things I need yet don't exist despite being promised we'd have this sort of technology by the year 2000. You're lettin' me down, science! Thankfully, Australian Chris Malloy has taking matters (AND HIS LIFE) into his own hands, building a dual-fanned hoverbike allegedly capable of doing 170MPH and flying over 10,000-feet vertically. I'm going to the moooooooooooon!
Chris Malloy's prototype hoverbike has so far not done anything but hover while tied to the ground, but that is in no way stopping its designer from making all kinds of wildly optimistic projections about its performance and availability.
Since it's classified as an ultralight, you won't technically need a pilot's license, although a parachute will likely be a good idea. And for better or worse, the hoverbike is shaping up to be affordable to the point where people who really shouldn't be riding around on one of these will probably be able to: a production run of 100 a year will peg them at $40,000 each, and if 1,000 are ordered, that cost could drop to something comparable to a performance motorcycle.
Dammit, I knew it sounded too good to be true. It hasn't even done anything but hover yet? Call me when it's actually gone somewhere. You can't go bragging about what a hoverbike can do until it's done it. As far as we know this thing's only capable of flying into trees and exploding.
Hit the jump for a whole bunch more eye candy. No videos yet though.
Official Site
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Australian guy builds himself a hoverbike. A hoverbike! [dvice]
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