AssetID: 54998171
Headline: RAW VIDEO: First test footage revealed of Star Wars-style 'Airbike'
Caption: American company Volonaut has released the first test footage of what it calls the world’s first “flying superbike” – a personal aircraft powered by jet engines that resembles a motorbike in the sky. The Airbike can currently reach speeds of up to 102 kilometres per hour, although current prototypes are only able to remain airborne for around 10 minutes at a time. Instead of using helicopter-style propellers, the Airbike relies on multiple small jet engines. Volonaut says this design gives riders a smoother flight and greater control. The Airbike is founder Tomasz Patan’s latest attempt to make personal aviation more accessible. His previous project, the propeller-driven Jetson One, offered a more conventional aerial vehicle. With the Airbike, however, he set out to create something that handles more like a motorbike than an aircraft. The latest test video shows the prototype carrying a pilot across open ground and over a small river. It has a maximum payload of 95 kilograms and is designed for one person. Other footage pays tribute to one of its inspirations - the Star Wars films and the scenes in Return of the Jedi when Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia are chased by Stormtroopers on similar ‘speeder’ vehicles. The Airbike is equipped with a fly-by-wire control system, replacing traditional levers and cables with electronic signals linked to a flight computer. Patan claims that flying the craft is easy thanks to onboard sensors that automatically handle stabilisation. The machine is classed as “ultralight” under US aviation rules, meaning it does not require a pilot’s licence to operate. It can be flown recreationally in areas away from dense populations, with Volonaut promising training for new owners. It can run on several types of fuel – including kerosene, jet fuel and diesel – and weighs only 30 kilograms, making it light enough to transport by hand. Volonaut says it plans to produce the Airbike in limited numbers, with pre-orders opening this month. Looking ahead, the company hopes to extend the vehicle’s flight time and eventually increase its top speed to around 200 kilometres per hour.
Keywords: airbike,video,feature,bike,volonaut
PersonInImage: Test footage of the Volonaut AirBike.