If hovercrafts and hoverboards don’t float your boat, how about a hoverbike? A company based in California called Aerofex is now taking pre-orders for the Aero-X hoverbike, which certainly looks like it walked off a Star Wars set. Don’t expect to get delivery the week after placing an order because even though you have to pony up $85,000, the hoverbike won’t be delivered until 2017 at the very least.
The company claims that Aero-X is capable of carrying up to 310 lbs at speeds of up to 45 miles per hour at an altitude of 12 feet or 3.7 meters. Capable of vertical takeoff and landing the fuel tank in this hoverbike can provide 85 minutes of operation. The commercial version will have a carbon-fiber-composite chassis which on its own weighs 785 lbs.
A gasoline powered three cylinder engine will provide the power, allowing the Aero-X to carry up to two people as long as they weigh under 310 lbs at speeds of up to 45 mph. Since open rotor craft are usually pretty hard to control a lot of skill is required to pilot them. Apparently that won’t be the case with this hoverbike. Aerofex says that it has developed clever technology that makes it easier to control the hoverbike and that patents have also been filed for the technology.
Since the maximum altitude will stay below 12 feet the FAA would classify it as something like an “aerial ATV.” This means that whosoever drops $85,000 on the Aero-X won’t have to shell out for a pilot license. You may not be able to go grocery shopping in the hoverbike but it will certainly make for a cool albeit very expensive toy.
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