[quote]
Videos released by California-based tech research company Aerofex appear to show successful test flights of a prototype hover bike that gains lift from two large ducted rotors, similar in principle to Chris Malloy's Hoverbike prototype we've previously covered. Aeroflex claims its hover bike allows the pilot intuitive control over pitch, roll and yaw without need of artificial intelligence, flight software or electronics of any kind.
According to a report in InnovationNewsDaily on Monday, Aerofex has resurrected 1960s research technology which had been abandoned due to stability problems. The company has apparently rectified the issue with the addition of knee-level "control bars" on either side of the vehicle that make the vehicle more responsive to the pilot's movements.
"It essentially captures the translations between the two in three axis (pitch, roll and yaw), and activates the aerodynamic controls required to counter the movement—which lines the vehicle back up with the pilot," Aerofex founder Mark De Roche told InnovationNewsDaily. "Since [the pilot's] balancing movements are instinctive and constant, it plays out quite effortlessly to him."
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.
In recent days and weeks Aerofex has released a number of videos on its Youtube channel and "flightlog" Tumblr page. A video uploaded to the latter back in March appears to show the prototype losing control during a test flight on February 13 2010. "It would take 16 months, two inventions, and 41 field tests before we were back in the air," the caption reads. "The result of that effort on control would be dramatic. Our take-away: Fail sooner and never again test on Friday the 13th." My calendar indicates that Friday 13, 2010 was a Saturday. Subsequent videos appear to show more successful tests.
According to InnovationNewsDaily, Aerofex has no immediate plans to commercially launch a manned hover bike but instead sees the technology as a test platform for new unmanned drones. Outlets including Fox and Yahoo! News have since picked up InnovationNewsDaily's story, and there appears to be no suggestion from any quarter at this stage that the authenticity of the videos is in question. Here's a sample video. You be the judge.
[/quote]
[video=youtube;akA-B64RACU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akA-B64RACU[/video]
[video=youtube;6F6bCPRfNbU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6F6bCPRfNbU[/video]
Sources:
[url]http://www.gizmag.com/aerofex-hover-bike/23798/[/url]
[url]http://www.innovationnewsdaily.com/1527-hover-vehicle-star-wars.html[/url]
Imagine that driving- erm, flying past you
"allow me to replace your skin with pebbles"
Looks awesome, but I doubt it'll ever been seen on the market any time soon especially given the dangers.
My god.
We actually might be able to get hover-boards by 2015 if technology keeps going at this pace.
I want this.
I can just imagine taking that out to the park and a dog running underneath it ;__;
[QUOTE=jaykray;37420064]I can just imagine taking that out to the park and a dog running underneath it ;__;[/QUOTE]
You've clearly never used a vacuum cleaner near a dog, they get scared shitless.
Road kill is going to be sooooo much more interesting
[QUOTE=jamzzster;37420088]Road kill is going to be sooooo much more interesting[/QUOTE]
think of this less as a vehicle and more as a blender
I wonder if it can produce enough thrust to go across water?
It's probably loud as fuck and would be a pain to use anywhere.
Yeah let's take a helicopter and put the rotors underneath.
Health and Safety would have a field day with this one.
I hope there's some kind of grate over the blades or else a head-over-handlebars type accident will have a tragic end.
I worry about those birds that like to fly REALLY close to cars. I hope there's something covering the intake for those fans.
[QUOTE=jaykray;37420064]I can just imagine taking that out to the park and a dog running underneath it ;__;[/QUOTE]
The immense force would pin it to the ground, and avoid the blades. The most it would do would be cut off its tail- which is better than current roadkill.
[QUOTE=usaokay;37419956]20-40 years later, this will be available small as a motorcycle
can't wait[/QUOTE]
You make me think of those velocycles from FF13. Like this thingy here.
[img]http://images.wikia.com/finalfantasy/images/a/a5/Aquila_Velocycle.jpg[/img]
[QUOTE=OvB;37420243]I hope there's some kind of grate over the blades or else a head-over-handlebars type accident will have a tragic end.[/QUOTE]
solution - glue rider's feet in place
[QUOTE=OvB;37420120]I wonder if it can produce enough thrust to go across water?[/QUOTE]
According to my limited knowledge of aerodynamics, there's no difference in thrust requirement for hovering over water. Although the amount of spray created by the rotor wash would be inconvienient, to say the least.
[QUOTE=OvB;37420120]I wonder if it can produce enough thrust to go across water?[/QUOTE]
I'm thinking this thing only works with enough surface tension underneath it.
[QUOTE=OvB;37420120]I wonder if it can produce enough thrust to go across water?[/QUOTE]
All you need is enough POWAH!!!
[video=youtube;fROq-ZxtvnU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fROq-ZxtvnU[/video]
I've been particularly watched this one's progress: [URL="http://www.hover-bike.com/"]Yet another hover-bike[/URL]
More awesome design, though I think it was cancelled. Shame.
You're fucked when you start sucking up debris in the fan. i.e. trashbags, bits of tire rubber.
[QUOTE=CabooseRvB;37421364]You're fucked when you start sucking up debris in the fan. i.e. trashbags, bits of tire rubber.[/QUOTE]
i'm pretty sure the air blows outward
I think he means if the debris happens to be in the air above the fan, which could happen during encounters with nasty weather.
[QUOTE=Forumaster;37420079]You've clearly never used a vacuum cleaner near a dog, they get scared shitless.[/QUOTE]
You've clearly never been chased by a dog whilst you're on your bike.
[QUOTE=DireAvenger;37421427]I think he means if the debris happens to be in the air above the fan, which could happen during encounters with nasty weather.[/QUOTE]
Or the whole fact that air pushing down in some areas will push everything on the ground upward. I guess you might of had to do general labor once in your life to know these things, my bad.
[QUOTE=cani;37421643]Or the whole fact that air pushing down in some areas will push everything on the ground upward. I guess you might of had to do general labor once in your life to know these things, my bad.[/QUOTE]
It'll push things down and away before anything else. Have you never seen a hovercraft?
[QUOTE=OvB;37420120]I wonder if it can produce enough thrust to go across water?[/QUOTE]
Is there any difference? I mean helicopters can hover over water right?
[QUOTE=Swebonny;37421962]Is there any difference? I mean helicopters can hover over water right?[/QUOTE]
Well helicopters and little RC multicopters can hover over water so I don't see why not. However, it seems to skim over the ground at times on the skids, so I think if you wanted it to go over water you would have to turn up the thrust to avoid hitting the water and getting swamped. It would also blow mist everywhere.
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.
