You don’t have to be a pilot or tech genius for you to know about the dangers of flying too close to the Sun. But the tragic tale of Icarus is worth keeping in mind as you read this story. Because as cool as it sounds, taking a flying motorcycle 15,000 feet in the sky sounds like the start of a unique myth. Particularly when it can achieve accelerations of 300 miles per hour.
Jetpack Aviation’s “The Speeder” (which we first learned about at DesignTAXI) is a sci-fi dream that brought about a reality. It’s like Star Wars speeders traversed with a Jet Ski and a helicopter. Starring four turbojet engines, the 231-pound machine can run on kerosene or diesel fuel. It’s also fully fixed and headlines a fly-by-wire. And now it’s prepared to hit the market.
According to Luxurylaunches, the company’s jet-powered machine finished a prosperous run of tethered test flights over five months earlier this year. The P1 prototype was able to take off, climb into the sky, hover in the air, twist, and spin, and “perform slow transitions into forwarding flight.”
Now that they know it works, the company has already started work on a more refined prototype. It will displace the original model’s large aluminum chassis with a smaller frame encompassing carbon-fiber body panels. And Jetpack Aviation already has plans to give the third prototype a fully-formed body along with compact wings. As well as double the amount of engines. Which they say will allow up to 600-pounds to travel 300 miles as high as 15,000 feet for 20 minutes. All in a vertical takeoff and landing vehicle (VTOL) that can fit in the back of a truck.
The world’s first flying motorcycle will also appear in both recreational and military/commercial models. Each with a big initial price tag of $380,000. Which strangely enough is the best explanation to feel good about this equally fascinating and dreadful
