Ever since 1989, when Back to the Future Part II promised us hoverboards, the world’s waited with bated breath for the day when hovering skateboards would be released – that day has finally come, sort of.
The good people over at Arca Space Corporation, New Mexico, have developed the ‘Arcaboard’, an ‘electronic flying vehicle’ that can allegedly hover over any type of terrain, including water. They’re hoping to officially introduce the device on April 14 at Monaco’s Top Marques event.
The hoverboard’s made from composite materials, and weighs 180 lbs. Reportedly it can carry up to 243 lbs and flies a foot above the ground. To get flying, the design uses 36 high power electric ducted fans, which can reach a maximum thrust of 430 lbs, the Daily Mail reports.
The company’s website says:
By using 36 power fans we ensure that even in the case of multiple motor failures there are enough motors remaining to take over so you keep on riding.
The device’s creators are calling it the ‘first revolutionary breakthrough in motion since the bicycle, automobile, and airplane’, and say it will allow every person to fly whenever they want. Unfortunately there’s a catch…
First of all if you want one it’ll cost you a whopping $15,000 (£10,000), and it’s got a pretty short battery life – at maximum it’ll last about six minutes, so it may not be good for the morning commute.
Of course the company are selling replacement battery packs so that users can swap in a freshly-charged pack instead of waiting 35 minutes for a recharge.
Despite the drawbacks we’re excited that this long promised bit of tech’s finally here, although the six minute thing might mean outrunning Biff is a bit tricky…
More of a concept than a journalist, Tom Percival was forged in the bowels of Salford University from which he emerged grasping a Masters in journalism.
Since then his rise has been described by himself as ‘meteoric’ rising to the esteemed rank of Social Editor at UNILAD as well as working at the BBC, Manchester Evening News, and ITV.
He credits his success to three core techniques, name repetition, personality mirroring, and never breaking off a handshake.