Video purports to show successful hover bike test flights

If that is real that is awesome and I want one!

Yeah, it's cool, but I'd hate to have one park next to me kicking up all those stones. Or worse yet, hate to own one and get it FOD'ed out with debris sucked into the fans.

First of all, the video does not look real to me.

And second, adding a skirt will dramatically increase fuel efficiency and stability. And then you have a proven ol' hovercraft. Nothing new. Really.

Even if it is real, this tech makes such a mess, and would require everyone around to wear a duster and face mask to deal with it.

Yeah....intuitive flight controls.....that's why it needs 41 flight tests before getting back in the air.

I really would like to ride, own and test one, but from watching the test pilot struggle. I'll pass.

What's wrong with adding a simple gyroscope or two for stability?

Made for hover only. Do not exeed 10cm of altitude. Use only in wide open spaces. Do not, ever, use the Hoverbike in traffic. Have medical personnel ready at all times while using the Hoverbike. Do not operate the Hoverbike near to persons or property. Have... etcetera.

Having four ducted fans above the body of the vehicle would make it more stable (cant the fans' rotational axes inward a few degrees for more stablity). Power it with a turbocharged aluminum block Chev V8 (inexpensive powerplant). Control direction and yaw with vanes in the ducts, if the vehicle is otherwise stable there would be no need to control pitch or roll. You could get all kinds of complicated if you like, but this could be done really simple; simple is cheaper and more reliable.

I personally would prefer four fans for balance.

re; VoiceofReason

I agree gyroscopic stabilization is the way to go. You need two wheels otherwise you just fall 90 degrees away from the direction of the "push".

So it kicks up a little gravel and grit. still have to load chase scene music from Johhny Quest and ride one of these

Expect to see a chase scene with these in the next Bond film.

I didn't see any 'co-ordinated turns ' !

Uhhh,... you guys ever see any early film of initial test flights of planes? Talk about messy.

I suspect dust and debris are a problem for routine operation in inhabited surroundings. But looks cool in the sun-baked desert floor. Watch out ATVs, here come Aerofex ! Reminded me of Star Wars racers....

I've seen a hover craft tooling around on an ordinary dirt lot... as opposed to the hardened, baked surface of a dry lake bed like this... and you would not believe the torrent of dust that is kicked up. You'd want a full-on face covering respirator to play on this thing... and a large area free of obstacles and traffic, because your vision will be very obscured.

More fan tech, bleh. We need more R&D in to real MagLev Tech for use without rails.

Why would you build and develop this thing to 'prove' drone technology, when you developed it to respond to a rider to achieve its stability? Are they building this new drone to have knees to push the knee bars?

How can they call this a bike?? There don't seem to be any pedals or anyone pedaling.

Rob

The A.V. Roe Company tested the somewhat similar "Avrocar" in 1960 - 1961 at Malton, Ontario, Canada. Successful liftoff testing was carried out on the taxiway beside the (then closed) assembly hanger of the "Avro Arrow" CF-105 interceptor. The stability problems mentioned in the article contributed to ihe project's cancellation at that time.

http://www.transchool.lee.army.mil/museum/transportation%20museum/avrocar.htm

http://www.avroarrow.org/avrocar/avrocar.html

Miles per gallon might make this a lousy idea although for industrial uses it could make a lot of sense if built as a mass lifter. Rather than fly in a huge quad copter bringing in a heavy lifter on a truck and having it carry loads over soft or difficult terrain makes a lot of sense. Also fuel consumption would be less of a factor as one would have a delivery goal rather close at hand.

Okay, now let me see you take it up a hill, or a flight of stairs.

only solution is the personal helicopter,or twin rotor which has been made.

Very Good!!

If anything this device will appear in a variety of movies. Hollywood will love to get their hands on this Hover Bike. He has developed a new movie prop if anything.

All the trash talk about this prototype. Nice work Aeroflex!

"InnovationNewsDaily reports that although the hover bike is capable of greater altitudes and speeds, test flights to date have been limited to 30 mph (48 km/h) and 15 feet (4.6 meters) for safety reasons."

According to the article as quoted above, this is intended for freeflight - NOT just hovering. I must therefore note that many of the comments criticizing potential problems with FOD,debris,

et cetera, are irrelevant & ignorant.

As far as FOD, even at 15 feet FOD is not an issue since the air is going AWAY from the machine. Anyway, just takeoff from clean concrete and then fly high&far away ... no problem!

Yet, as Jason Boone observed, why go to all the trouble to build an intuitive platform for a UAV program? There are plenty of hovering UAV's and I don't think anybody would consider intuitive flight to be an advantage for any of them.... Even a remote operator would not seem to benefit from such a concept.

Please clarify.

@Griffin You stole my thunder! :) Glad to see someone else read the whole article.

It's a fraud. If it wasn't, we would have been treated to more than just glimpses as it passed through shot, and sound as well. I think I saw a sasquatch in the background at one point...