One of life’s biggest disappointments for me is that one of my childhood dreams of flying a hoverboard (thanks Back to the Future part II!) has not become a reality. And while I was expecting us to have mastered the technology by now, it is comforting to know that we are at least making some progress with the technology.
So much so that over this past weekend a French inventor, Franky Zapata was successfully able to cross the English Channel on his own jet-powered hoverboard able the Flyboard Air a board powered by four turbojet engines that allow a rider to fly through the air untethered, using a computer to keep it stabilized. Zapata departed from Sangatte, France and arrived in Dover, England 22 minutes later, reaching speeds of up to 170 kilometres per hour during the near 36-kilometre trip. This was the second attempt after failing to cross the English Channel in late July.
It’s an important milestone for the development of hover-craft style devices as it shows that the technology has the potential for both short-distance and long-distance transportation, though according to The Guardian, this trip wasn’t a continuous one as Zapata only carried a 10-minute supply of fuel on his back and had to make a stop half-way to refuel and continue.
Zapata Is proving to be one of the foremost inventors in this field ever since he invented the FlyBoard back in 2011. The first FlyBoard was a water-powered device which led to the later creation of the Air which he used on this journey. Since then the inventor has broken many records in this space and continues to look for ways of commercialising this technology, which has so far shown the greatest investment from the defence industry.
While military investment is inevitable, all I want is to see this technology minimised to the size of skateboard so I can finally live my dream of riding (and subsequently falling off) a hoverboard.
Last Updated: August 5, 2019
Original Heretic
August 5, 2019 at 20:12
So basically the technology is there, but the fuel is the limiting factor.
Whoever finally discovers a tiny, high output energy source (that is also safe to use), is really gonna coin it.
Admiral Chief Umbra
August 6, 2019 at 08:44
Mini fusion reactor, if we can finally just get it working
Original Heretic
August 6, 2019 at 10:22
Let’s first get fusion working.
Admiral Chief Umbra
August 6, 2019 at 13:13
HairyEwok
August 6, 2019 at 09:53
If only we could make battery electric power into combustion and the combustion back to electric, you would have a loop of power that could run long enough while flying, you know self charging but also working as engine power.
HvR
August 6, 2019 at 10:49
Well combustion be definition can never be achieved through electric power alone since it means burning a propellent.
Combustion to electric is easy; pretty much found in all power generators (heat->steam->turn generator), energy recovery systems (use kinetic energy to turn generator) and thermoelectric generators (through thermopiles)
Problem is every time you convert energy from one form to another you lose a lot of it and
you will never be able to make it lossless.
And it is really not necessary since for small application like these you do not need turbojet since electric ducted fans will produce more than enough force although probably not at that speed.
Biggest problem with electric is the the energy density of the best batteries are still 1000 times lower than commercial jet fuel and with the other side effect of with batteries your weight remains constant but with burning propellent you lose the weight of the expended fuel making your flight more efficient thus giving longer range.
The last problem has a solution, you can do what Rocket Lab does with the Electron rocket and just drop batteries as they run out of juice but probably not the best solution for mass transport.
Kromas
August 6, 2019 at 07:39
I saw the French army wanted to incorporate this with soldiers using rifles. I thought to myself “The French army has certainly never experienced combat in their life as shooting a gun from a device like that would kill you cause you will fall off due to recoil”
HairyEwok
August 6, 2019 at 09:54
I can see hover tanks having this at least, with every shot the tank gives a burst of combustion power opposite of the shot is pushed out to mitigate the recoil.
HairyEwok
August 6, 2019 at 09:54
I can see hover tanks having this at least, with every shot the tank gives a burst of combustion power opposite of the shot is pushed out to mitigate the recoil.
HvR
August 6, 2019 at 11:01
Now I want to watch Sgt Bilko again
https://i.makeagif.com/media/3-16-2015/kemt9Z.gif
HairyEwok
August 6, 2019 at 12:20
Exactly the tank I had in mind XD
HvR
August 6, 2019 at 11:01
Now I want to watch Sgt Bilko again
https://i.makeagif.com/media/3-16-2015/kemt9Z.gif
HvR
August 6, 2019 at 11:01
Modern rifle recoil isn’t that bad and should easily be countered by modern control system.
Just a stupid idea since carrying around heavy turbojet flight platform for 10 minutes of flight is not practical.
Also having your soldiers in the open air with plenty of heads up to the enemy due to the very loud engines will turn any engagement into an easy skeet shooting competition.
HvR
August 6, 2019 at 11:01
Modern rifle recoil isn’t that bad and should easily be countered by modern control system.
Just a stupid idea since carrying around heavy turbojet flight platform for 10 minutes of flight is not practical.
Also having your soldiers in the open air with plenty of heads up to the enemy due to the very loud engines will turn any engagement into an easy skeet shooting competition.
Gr8_Balls_o_Fire
August 6, 2019 at 11:11
You guys see hoverboard. I see the beginnings of an Ironman Suit.
Gr8_Balls_o_Fire
August 6, 2019 at 11:11
You guys see hoverboard. I see the beginnings of an Ironman Suit.
HvR
August 6, 2019 at 11:12
Never heard about Richard Browning and gravity industries I see
And you can actually buy one of these suits