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Flying Bicycle Is Real, Takes First Flight

Posted by Soulskill on from the yes,-you-were-definitely-the-first-one-to-think-of-an-ET-joke dept.

colinneagle writes "Bringing us one step closer to the hover-boards and flying cars that mid-20th century pop culture had predicted we would have by the year 2000, three Czech companies have come together to develop a functional flying bicycle. Designed by Technodat, Evektor, and Duratec, the flying bicycle weighs a little more than 187 lbs and limits its takeoff weight to about 350 lbs, according to a report from Polish bicycle news site Biketrendy. The report claims the bicycle, which is still just a prototype, is capable of staying in the air for about six minutes, although the companies working on the project hope to extend that to 50 minutes and top speeds of about 30 miles per hour. Currently, the fans propelling the bicycle are powered by a 50Ah battery."

6 of 123 comments (clear)

  1. Not bicycle powered? by TsuruchiBrian · · Score: 5, Funny

    If it's not powered by pedaling, then what's the point of the bicycle part? You just bolt a bicycle to the inside of the cockpit of a 747 and then say it's a flying bicycle. Not only that you probably don't even have to do much testing to be sure it will work.

    1. Re:Not bicycle powered? by b4upoo · · Score: 4, Funny

      You are spot on. It is a quad copter and it could be a bicycle or a rowboat in the center. It is interesting that a 50ah battery can power it for five minutes.
                        It will be a lot more interesting when one of these things sets down of pedestrians and becomes a multi station guillotine.

  2. Re:Noisy isn't it. by Spy+Handler · · Score: 5, Funny

    Maybe they could attach Dyson bladeless fans on it.

    No Buffeting!

  3. ETless by Rixel · · Score: 4, Funny

    Look Ma, no alien!

    --
    Never play chicken with a passive aggressive.
  4. Re:Noisy isn't it. by xevioso · · Score: 4, Funny

    Speaking as an anorexic child-size styrofoam dummy, I can say that that actually doesn't look like much fun. We prefer to remain completely immobile, staring off into space. But I would image you humans would get a kick out of riding such a thing.

  5. Re:That's what Area 51 does by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 5, Funny

    eliminating the distinctive "whap-whap-whap" blade sounds.

    No mom, it was a helicopter!

    --
    systemd is Roko's Basilisk.