The transportation sector will undergo some drastic changes over the coming decades. One of the many concepts to look forward to comes in the form of hoverbikes. Although this concept may look scary at first, it is quite an intriguing idea. In fact, several companies are developing prototypes of their hoverbikes, as the industry is firing on all cylinders as we speak.
3. JTARV
No one will be surprised to learn the concept of hoverbikes is of great interest to the United States Army. Thanks to a collaborating with Service Engineering Co, a working prototype was developed earlier this year. Under the JTARV – Joint Tactical Aerial Resupply Vehicle – name, this model has gotten quite a bit of media attention ever since it was unveiled to the public. The main purpose of this device is to carry supplies to soldiers on the field.
Deploying the JTARV will take some time, though. For the time being, the range is still quite limited, although engineers are hopeful they can extend it to 125 miles. Additionally, the payload needs to be increased up to a maximum of 800 pounds. It is quite a nifty device, although it appears as if it comes out of some people’s worst nightmare.
2. Scorpion 3
It has to be said, owning a hoverbike called “Scorpion 3” sounds a lot more appealing than a JTARV. That being said, it is still a bit early to tell how successful this particular project will be, even though the demo video below shows the team has made a lot of progress. A fully manned hoverbike seems to be mere months away, rather than years, by the look of things.
Moreover, the company developing the Scorpion 3 – called Hoversurf – has created a platform which can be used for different applications. It is possible we will see some hoverbike models designed for cargo transportation. Interestingly enough, this particular platform is used for the project that will bring flying drone taxis to Dubai over the coming years. Hoverbikes are quite interesting, yet they may only be the first generation of new flying devices.
1. Aero-X
When it comes to finding consumer-grade hoverbikes, there are very few companies offering such products right now. Aerofex is one of the companies that may crack this code first, as their Aero-X hoverbike is quite appealing. In fact, the company advertises this model as a vehicle to make low-altitude flying realistic and affordable. That is, assuming regulation will allow consumers to make use of these machines in the first place.
The Aero-X is advertised as a machine capable of achieving a speed of 45 miles per hour while hovering 10 feet off the ground. The company also claims anyone can learn to operate it safely after a weekend of thorough training. The hoverbike also comes with vehicle airbags as an optional feature, which is quite interesting. Moreover, it appears as if the Aero-X provides room for two people. For now, pricing and availability remain unknown, but rest assured such a hoverbike will not be cheap by any means.
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