Aero-X, sure to be popular at Burning Man in the near future. (via Aerofex)
Get your lightsabers ready, this is the moment you’ve been waiting for. Aerofex just announced that its long-awaited hovercraft is nearly ready to hit market. They are available on preorder now for $80,000, plus a $5,000 refundable deposit and all the lint in your pocket.
Aerofex is a California-based company that released video of its functional hovercraft protoype in 2012, and then it went off the radar. Well, it’s back, and the tech company announced that the hovering bike will be sent out to backers by 2017, ready for flight.
Aero-X Prototype (via Aerofex)
The bike is called the Aero-X and it powered by two ducted rotors with two carbon fiber blades, which achieve flight in a manner very similar to that of a helicopter. The bike can seat up to two people with a combined weight of 310lbs or less (so if you’re a big boy, you may have to take your missions solo).
Just how high can you fly? The craft can hover up to 10 feet above the ground, meaning flyers won’t have to get a pilots license (which is required to fly 12 ft above the ground and higher), but they will need to get a snazzy Jedi robe (so all the sand people can watch in envy, of course). The hoverbike can’t quite travel at the speed of light, but it does get up to 45 mph. It runs for an hour and 15 mins per tank of gas, which is just enough to leave you stranded in the dessert of Tatooine. But don’t worry, Aerofex has plans to improve the current prototype by 2017.
The company is currently working on the idea of incorporating four wheels for easy transport and a shape change to fight wind resistance. The current prototype gives users flight control through handlebars that are connected to a computer that initiatives a wind control feature when necessary.
The on-board computer also works to ensure the driver isn’t flying too fast or too high. The craft can fly over any environment, including water (which could make for a stellar photography session) and has vertical takeoff and landing capabilities.
Aerofex plans to spend the next two years improving its design and will conduct flight tests by 2016. If all goes well, it will mass manufacture and ship the hovercrafts the following year. If you’re ready to order your Aero-X, you can do so through AeroFex. Let the games begin!
The vehicle only requires "Off highway training" to pilot. Looking forward to these...
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