BMW Boxer Engine Hoverbike

[Hank025]

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

Whaaaa?!  

I wonder what the EPA estimate would be for this bad boy. Hahah

oh here it is "   0.5L/min / 30L/hr   "

[zooom]

yeah, but as a commuter...you could just bypass all the lights and cruise to your destination in the most direct fashion....

[Goat_Herder]

I don't know about this...  All I can see is 2 big rotors in the front and rear.  There isn't any control (electronics or mechanical) for tilting front/rear and side to side.  Sure, it has enough power to get off the round.  But I bet you once the straps are off, the Hoverbike would lose control and become the FlopjackBike.  Also, FAA will never clear this thing to take flight in any air space.

Nice proof of concept but he doesn't have enough technology to get it safely in flight.

[KnightofNi]

looking closer it looks like there are louvers under the propellers that coould direct the airflow forwards or backwards.

it's like the controls for a paraglider or swampboat.

turning would be done the same as on a normal bike. just lean. the thought of leaning too much scares the crap out of me, but it might work.

i would sign up to give it a flight for sure. just make sure my health insurance is paid up.

[duccarlos]

I don't know about this...  All I can see is 2 big rotors in the front and rear.  There isn't any control (electronics or mechanical) for tilting front/rear and side to side.  Sure, it has enough power to get off the round.  But I bet you once the straps are off, the Hoverbike would lose control and become the FlopjackBike.  Also, FAA will never clear this thing to take flight in any air space.

Nice proof of concept but he doesn't have enough technology to get it safely in flight.

+1

There are reasons why we don't see hover bikes and cars on the road today. Technology is not there yet. I see this ending in a firey ball of death.

[zooom]

  I see this ending in a firey ball of death.

ahhhh....but it'd be a helluva ride!!!

[MendoDave]

I don't know about this...  All I can see is 2 big rotors in the front and rear.  There isn't any control (electronics or mechanical) for tilting front/rear and side to side.  Sure, it has enough power to get off the round.  But I bet you once the straps are off, the Hoverbike would lose control and become the FlopjackBike.  Also, FAA will never clear this thing to take flight in any air space.

Nice proof of concept but he doesn't have enough technology to get it safely in flight.

Yea looks dangerous to me too.

[Punx Clever]

Also, FAA will never clear this thing to take flight in any air space.

Ultralight. Legal to fly without a pilots licence.

[Heath]

I WANT MY HOVERBOARD DAMNIT AND I WANT IT NOW!!!!

[Ddan]

Another article with some description of the controls

http://www.gizmag.com/hoverbike/18813/

[Hank025]

According to his website he has all directional controls worked out in the handle bars. I would definitely give it a test drive.

This is definitely going to sound lame, but do airplanes have gears (i guess when changing gears you could fall from the sky...)? Or is the motor expected to power the propellers with a direct connection? I am just wondering how hard this guy is pushing the Boxer engine, and can it do it for the period of time he expects.

How do you control the Hoverbike?

    To lift off into a hover, one needs to increase the thrust via a throttle grip with the right hand - exactly the same as the throttle on a motorbike
    To fly forward a combination involving an increase in thrust and the deflection of air from the front control vanes (twisting the left handle grip) will tilt the total thrust vector forward resulting in an acceleration forwards (twist back to go backwards)
    To to make the bike roll (turn) left and right, all one needs to do is push the handle bars down on the side you wish to turn (handle bars work just like a bicycle, but with an extra axis so that they rotate up and down a little) - you could lean in the appropriate direction just like a motorbike, but this is proving to be not as sensitive as one would expect or like.
    Yaw (nose left or right) is via control vanes front and rear and actuated by turning the handle bars - just like a bike

[Rob Hilding]

According to his website he has all directional controls worked out in the handle bars. I would definitely give it a test drive.

This is definitely going to sound lame, but do airplanes have gears (i guess when changing gears you could fall from the sky...)? Or is the motor expected to power the propellers with a direct connection? I am just wondering how hard this guy is pushing the Boxer engine, and can it do it for the period of time he expects.

We all know BMW boxer engines run forever - so no problem there

[lethe]

I'd have to power this with either a radial engine or a turbine, out of principal 

[Speedbag]

Yep. ^

It's extremely cool and all, but it violates my rule of remaining planted on the ground.

[erkishhorde]

Yeah, saw this post on another forum. My concern is stopping ability and the fact that if you are stopping hard, you are potentially pointing a VERY large weed whacker at whatever is in front of you.