We are one step closer to the hoverbikes on Return of the Jedi!

[tboo]

http://www.geekologie.com/2011/06/omg-speederbike-style-hoverbike-can-alle.php

That thing is kind of bad-ass.

 

[SKORPI0]

It can only hover (while tied to the ground) not go forward. Long way off, but it would be cool to have. :hmm:

 

[Ken g6]

There's gotta be some way to vector the thrust. Either slowing the front propeller, tilting one of the propellers, or just leaning forward somehow.

If it works, this could be better than a Star Wars hoverbike - flying much, much higher - until you fall off!

 

[ElFenix]

how do you control yaw and roll?

 

[deadlyapp]

If there were accelerometers in the right places you could probably set them to automatically control the plane that the blade spins in, controlling the bike movement to keep it level.

Cool idea.

 

[bunnyfubbles]

There's gotta be some way to vector the thrust. Either slowing the front propeller, tilting one of the propellers, or just leaning forward somehow.

If it works, this could be better than a Star Wars hoverbike - flying much, much higher - until you fall off!

I'd still take anti-gravity over propellers any day

 

[Freshgeardude]

170MPH and flying over 10,000-feet vertically

yea 10k feet is not happening.

 

[brainhulk]

There's gotta be some way to vector the thrust. Either slowing the front propeller, tilting one of the propellers, or just leaning forward somehow.

If it works, this could be better than a Star Wars hoverbike - flying much, much higher - until you fall off!

Eat a lot of mexican food

 

[PlasmaBomb]

Eat a lot of mexican food

and bring a lighter...

Afterburners are cool.

 

[AeroEngy]

how do you control yaw and roll?

From the pictures ... you don't.

Roll control looks to be balance only which could become very problematic.

It looks like there are louvers that direct some of the thrust forward/aft to control acceleration. You could add some tangential ones that could be moved in tandem or independently in opposite directions to provide yaw control.

You might be able to make it flyable with some sensors, flight computer, and control logic … if you added something to stabilize the roll.

Edit :

It does look awesome though.

 

[Ninjahedge]

The only way I see this being able to perform is finding a way to take advantage of the gyroscopic effect of the blades themselves. Rolling the bile will produce a perpendicular force which may scoot the bike left or right (opposite the direction of lean?)

Some additional stabilization would DEFINITELY be needed here.

Forward thrust is just a thrid fan on the back of the pilots seat with some intake vents on either side... Braking might be the harder thing to manage.....