Volonaut Airbike

[ZeroEm]

company Volonaut has just unveiled its new Airbike, and it looks like it flew straight out of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. This futuristic machine—more film prop than motorcycle—can hit speeds of up to 124 mph
Star Wars Speeder Bikes Are Now Real – and They Can Fly Over 120 MPH

Volonaut.com

They are not selling these as yet. I am excited to see something other than ICE. I do believe we will get there someday.

 

[harrisonpatm]

I am excited to see something other than ICE. I do believe we will get there someday.

How much energy is used to lift that into the air, as well as propel it forward? I don't know, but if you compare that to a motorcycle of similar size, that does not have to hover in the air while it moves forward, I'd be willing to bet these aren't going to replace motorcycles anytime soon.

I went to their webpage where they brag about how it's made of 3d-printed components and carbon fiber. I'm someone who's comfortable incorporating 3d printing in some parts of my motorcycle, and I still think it sounds like it'll shatter if you look at it wrong.

I also am nervous enough being around the average driver that only has to navigate 2 dimensions of movement. We don't need to add a third.

 

[ZeroEm]

I think the Starting price is $120k bet it is only for 10-20min but they are not offering any details yet. No, not replacing motorcycles. Think of India with most people on motorcycles and they trade them in on a Airbike. It will mostly be a toy. Have you seen them water jets that shoot you up in the air with a stream of water. They have the shark that is like a jet ski that goes underwater for a bit. Toys all toys.

 

[The Toecutter]

We need a 3-5x increase in battery specific capacity for this to become practical transportation. Or make it an ICE hybrid.

 

[Chalo]

It looks like an excellent way to sift out people who deserve it.

 

[chuyskywalker]

It's a small jet engine, from what I read elsewhere.

This thing will never see the light of day in any practical sense other than as a stupidly expensive toy for wildly rich people with very little sense of self preservation and many, many acres of private land on which to operate this.

We can barely get people to stop putting car accidents in the top 5 ways we kill each other, and that only requires two axis of motion -- forget about adding a third.

 

[ZeroEm]

It's a small jet engine, from what I read elsewhere.

This thing will never see the light of day in any practical sense other than as a stupidly expensive toy for wildly rich people with very little sense of self preservation and many, many acres of private land on which to operate this.

We can barely get people to stop putting car accidents in the top 5 ways we kill each other, and that only requires two axis of motion -- forget about adding a third.

One of the links I posted will take you to the story and they had video where they had four to eight props like a drone, was under the impression they were electric.

 

[chuyskywalker]

That article is confusing as frock -- the new one, jet powered, is the airbike. The propeller one (an older model by the same inventor) is the "Jetson ONE".

(Even then, most of the same criticism applies -- an 8 prop drone big enough to lift a person is going to be ear splitting. In fact, here's a POV video of it. Still....I'd LOVE to fly one, looks fun as hell.)

This one is is the airbike:

 

[Hillhater]

Hmm ? ..i think i might prefer the Flyboard,.

especially if could be made like the Silver Surfer board

 

[Logic11]

I fully get what a thrill a flying motorbike must be but at this point: Fun stuff for millionaires with lots of private property.
But if you want fuel efficiency you simply aren't getting away from wings. (just yet!? )

This thing is solar powered, without a solar cell in sight!

Solar powered!?:
Sun heats ground, ground heats air, hot air rises in vertical wind, you circle in the vertical wind, called thermalling in a thermal.
It's way more efficient than solar panels IIRC.
Once you have height, its like everywhere is downhill for your chainless bicycle. and you do over 30 feet forward for every 1 foot of height.

The SunSeeker therefore has 'Double Solar' and the owner does international flights in it regularly, at a cost of bugger-all vs a car.

SUNSEEKER DUO - Solar Flight

The ideal solution is that Volonaut's VTOL ability in a Sunseeker type craft with a Carbon Fiber and Kevlar (as used in F1 safety cells) fuselage with a (whole plane) parachute!
That takes more space to land, but once landed; leave the wings and tail etc there and hit out down the road (short trips) in your Velomobile; the left over bit)