Hoverbike Drone Paves The Way For Our Hoverboard Future

We're still waiting for a real hoverboard to surface, but in the meantime, Malloy Aeronautics' hoverbike is a solid substitution. The device, which has successfully been funded on Kickstarter in the form of a drone, is the prototype for an eventual manned hoverbike that will whisk riders into the air.

The hoverbike funded through the Kickstarter campaign is only a third of the size of what will be the final product, functioning as an unmanned drone rather than a "flying motorcycle" you can hop on. The funding is being used to further research on the device, and get a manned version up and going.

The hoverbike is said to be a cross of sorts between a helicopter and a motorcycle, being cheaper than the former and more fun than the latter. The prototype has a quadcopter design, and a manned version is "in the final construction stages."

Once finished, the manned prototype will undergo test flights, paving the way for a final protytpe that will be given to aviation certification authorities. Funds from the Kickstarter campaign are going towards all of this, and giving backers a smaller drone version for their skyward adventures.

SOURCE: Business Insider