Aerofex hoverbike flies through desert at 30mph
Aerospace engineers from Californian firm Aerofex have built and tested a fully functional hoverbike capable of reaching heights of up to 15ft and speeds of 30mph.
The bike, which can be seen below travelling through a dry lake bed in the Mojave desert, uses two ducted fans rather than wheels. It relies on a mechanical system with two control bars located at the rider's knee level, which allow the vehicle to respond to the pilots leaning movements and natural sense of balance.
The control of the bike is handled mechanically with no electronics or software required. The company says this should make it more robust, cheaper to purchase and operate, and safer. Indeed, Aerofex claims the bike is so simple to operate that no training is required to use it.