Stars Wars Hover Bike Now Reality

[csv8]

Aerofex hover-bike more than a flight of fancy

From: News Limited Network
August 21, 2012 7:54AM



Hover bike more than a flight of fancy

The hover bike has been re-designed and could be coming to a street near you


IT may not be the speeder bike from Star Wars. But this hover-bike will get your pulse racing.

No, it's not some top-secret US Area 51 project in conjunction with Darth Vader.

No, that's not a storm trooper racing 4m above the Mojave Desert in pursuit of dastardly rebels.

But it is exciting.

Speeder bike

The speeder bike as seen in Star Wars: The Return of the Jedi.

A California-based engineering firm has created a proof-of-concept hover-bike that is as finely tuned to the balance and movements of its rider as its traditional two-wheeled cousins.
Hover-bike

Two ducted fans take the place of wheels. And the styling has nothing on the superbikes on our roads.

But this nimble craft puts true meaning to the phrase of "all-terrain vehicle".

It has already had manned flights of up to 15ft at 50km/h, weaving through trees, buildings and under bridges. And these Mojave Desert test flights have been dominated by caution - not exploring the true limits of its capabilities.

The hover-bike concept is not new.


It was tested - and abandoned - in the 1960s.
Hover-bike

The proof-of-concept manned hover-bike undergoing tests in California's Mojave Desert. Picture: Aerofex

The apparently insurmountable problem was stability and control.

The craft would rollover and crash all too frequently.

But new, intuitive controls promise to make the craft so easy to fly that anybody can take the seat without pilot training.

The trick as applied by Aerofex is to mimic the movements and balance of riding a motorcycle or pushbike.

Two control bars have been put at knee level. As the rider leans one way or the other, the hover-bike responds - producing a natural sense of balance feedback.
Hover-bike

The proof-of-concept manned hover-bike undergoing tests in California's Mojave Desert. Picture: Aerofex

"Since balancing movements are instinctive and constant, it plays out quite effortlessly," Mark De Roche, an aerospace engineer and founder of Aerofex, told InnovationNewsDaily.

A second, more advanced, test craft is due to be ready to fly in October.

But don't expect to be able to dodge toll roads, traffic snarls and then park on the office roof any time soon.

The company sees the craft as a test bed for future unmanned drones.

Aerofex sees them being used for battlefield medical evacuation, search and rescue and general work-horse roles.

The unmanned drone version is due to be ready by the end of next year.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/t...-1226454621438

[flappist]

Would be an interesting legal situation. In that it flies and does not touch the ground it is not goverened by the traffic act which means in Australia its speed limit outside controlled airspace when ridden using reference to the outside world rather than instruments is 463 km/h.

[Moby Vic]

What happens in the event of a power failure?

[poppa smurf]

George Jetson makes one step closer to becoming reality!

love to see the ferals trying to do a burnout with one of those!

[galaxy xr8]

This part caught my attention....

The apparently insurmountable problem was stability and control.

The craft would rollover and crash all too frequently.


Sound's all to familar with driver's of today anyway.

[mik]

just think, no more pothole damaged tyres/bent rims.

[blueoval]

this will be truly epic if it becomes reality

[Jim Goose]

Originally Posted by flappist

Would be an interesting legal situation. In that it flies and does not touch the ground it is not goverened by the traffic act which means in Australia its speed limit outside controlled airspace when ridden using reference to the outside world rather than instruments is 463 km/h.

Ah yes but because it flys at the very least youll need an ultralight licence?... and then you would be banned from flying it over populated areas anyways.
I recall that hovercraft captians require a pilots licence as well as a boat licence (there was a story a few yrs ago about a hovercraft operator in Cairns where is mentioned this).

So if its not a bike, but a powered flying machine, it would be limited to being flowin outside controlled airspace (no radio or transponder)... but the tricky bit is... below 500ft?? Not sure on that one... would one need low level approval in an ultralight?

The idea however sounds um fun....

[csv8]

Imagine one in the Finke Desert Rally or the Dakar !!

[poppa smurf]

yeah! I can imagine that alright.....me dumped on my backside with the racer speeding off into the never never!

[DJR-351]

Originally Posted by Jim Goose

I recall that hovercraft captians require a pilots licence as well as a boat licence (there was a story a few yrs ago about a hovercraft operator in Cairns where is mentioned this).....

You don't need a pilots licence for a hovercraft, it's a simple endorsement on your boat/masters licence/ticket.

What you are thinking of is Wing-in-ground-effect craft (WIGE) specifically the one built by Flightship Ground Effect Pty LTD using NQEA's facilities in Cairns.....these aircraft do not meet the required legal criteria to be referred to as airplanes and the operators of such aircraft need not possess a pilot's license to fly them.......a drinking buddy of mine worked on the project while i was working in Cairns for Sea swift.......unfortunately the venture was a failure and the company folded in 2005.....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYFEF...layer_embedded

[flappist]

Originally Posted by csv8

Imagine one in the Finke Desert Rally or the Dakar !!

Or in the dune sea on Tatooine....

[mik]

or wizzing over the parked cars on the western ring road at peak hour !

[Jim Goose]

Originally Posted by DJR-351

You don't need a pilots licence for a hovercraft, it's a simple endorsement on your boat/masters licence/ticket.

What you are thinking of is Wing-in-ground-effect craft (WIGE) specifically the one built by Flightship Ground Effect Pty LTD using NQEA's facilities in Cairns.....these aircraft do not meet the required legal criteria to be referred to as airplanes and the operators of such aircraft need not possess a pilot's license to fly them.......a drinking buddy of mine worked on the project while i was working in Cairns for Sea swift.......unfortunately the venture was a failure and the company folded in 2005.....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYFEF...layer_embedded

Oh yea thats right, sorry.. Didnt it have a bingle??

[jackson105]

I hope they do a hoverboard like back to the future

[Streets]

Can't wait for this. I've already bought my high-visibility vest in preparation.

[Mickxr8]

I know I`ve posted this before but It`s nice to live in `dreamland` sometimes lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHo6c7w2TWY

[NickyN]

Actually, it's quite interesting. And pretty fast too. I wonder what happens when it rains. Or if there's different models for 2 or more riders?

[DJR-351]

Or you could throw a couple-a-bucks Chris Malloy's way and help an Aussie achive the same thing.....

http://www.hover-bike.com/

Here he acknowledges the Aerofex hover-bike.....

http://www.hover-bike.com/blog/