Hover Bike

- L
- Leon Fisk
  
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posted
8 years ago

Wed, Jun 24, 2015 1:55 PM

Saw this on Reuters the other day. They say it is really inexpensive and may be compared to a Sikorsky, Bell... but probably still more than I have. Still, would be fun to take for a spin if they get to building the full size model:

=== U.S. Defense Department to develop UK hoverbike by Jim Drury

The dream of a manned, truly functional hoverbike is a step closer to reality after British and American engineers announced a deal with the U.S. Department of Defense to develop and build the vehicle in the States...

Full article:

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Video:

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- J
- Jon Elson
  
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posted
8 years ago

Wed, Jun 24, 2015 5:28 PM

This appears to be mostly a quadcopter scaled up big enough to lift one person. I think probably a good tinkerer could build one himself. One problem, of course, is if you have a motor fail, you;d need some way to safely get back on the ground. That's not a problem that is likely to be easily solved. Possibly it could be set up with enough reserve capacity of the motors that it could still fly on 3, or at least coast to the ground while maintaining the right side up.

Jon

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- Lloyd E. Sponenburgh
  
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posted
8 years ago

Wed, Jun 24, 2015 5:46 PM

Jon Elson fired this volley in news:xIqdnedoO90 snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:

'Already solved' is the operative, Jon. Ultralight flyers have had a deployable 'recovery parachute' system in place for a couple or three decades.

It employs a ballistic tube-launch of the 'chute past any rotating obstructions on the aircraft.

Lloyd