The remarkable Flyboard Air is simultaneously one of the greatest and most terrifying inventions we’ve ever seen. Along with the flying car, the idea of a personal jetpack is something that inventors have been dreaming of for decades. It brings the 1960s dream of personal jetpacks to life in a package that’s somewhere between a Segway, hoverboard and, well, a jet.

Most previous creations have come in the form of lethal-looking backpacks with rockets that have proved difficult or impossible to control. The Flyboard Air is different – there’s nothing to hold onto for starters, and you stand on it rather than strapping into it. The Flyboard Air is billed as “the safest, easiest, lightest, most maneuverable personal aviation system ever created.” Most importantly, though, it just looks like a ridiculous amount of fun.

Flyboard Air Packs Four Turbines, 1,000bhp and the Potential to Crack 200kph.

Zapata has turned to turbines to give thrust to the Flyboard Air, highlighting a power to weight ratio that’s 10 times better than other power sources, and offering some 1000bhp. You can install a lot more power into a confined space,  and it’s also more efficient at turning chemical energy into thrust.
Flyboard Air is capable of autonomous flight to up to 10,000 feet, which is more than 9 times the height of the Eiffel Tower. Users can hover above ground for around 10 minutes at a maximum speed of 150 km/h (93.2 mph) with the possibility to go around 200kph.
Flyboard Air

Flyboard Air is Easy and Safe to Use

You do get a handheld lever to control the Flyboard Air, offering thrust and elevation controls, and the ability to twist to turn, but the rest of it comes down to balance – like a Segway. It’s easy to get to grips with, and it has been designed to work without any training.

If the idea of balancing on a turbine-powered hoverboard sounds intimidating, you’ll be happy to know that Zapata has implemented a whole heap of electronics to keep you airborne and upright. In fact, Zapata
 use the same kind of electronics like you use on a drone to stabilize.
Flyboard Air

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