# A hoverboard breakthough **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 19, 2016, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hoverboard-breakthough/772485 "2016-11-19T22:45:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2016, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hoverboard-breakthough/772485/1 "2016-11-19T22:45:42Z")
This video of the jet-powered [Flyboard Air](http://www.flixxy.com/the-incredible-flyboard-air.htm) looks too amazing to be real, but apparently it is real. Here’s an article that describes it in some detail: [Yes, the jet-powered hoverboard is real, and yes, the creator has crashed it](http://www.theverge.com/2016/4/15/11439798/franky-zapata-racing-jet-powered-flying-hoverboard-interview) It consists of 4 small jet engines (each of 250 hp!) mounted vertically in a sort of “quadrotor” arrangement, plus two more smaller ones mounted horizontally to control “yaw”. Operator wears a backpack that is a jetfuel reservoir. There’s obviously some fairly serious control software. It showed up in April of this year. How did I miss it then? This thing would have to be quite expensive, and probably dangerous. I want one. ---
**Author:** ![Vicsage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e68b1a/32.png) [@Vicsage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vicsage)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2016, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hoverboard-breakthough/772485/2 "2016-11-20T00:48:30Z")
My friend, Norman Osborn, has already purchased one. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2016, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hoverboard-breakthough/772485/3 "2016-11-20T00:52:58Z")
Goodness, gracious! Great balls of fire! ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2016, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hoverboard-breakthough/772485/4 "2016-11-20T01:53:55Z")
I want I want I want I want I WANT ONE! ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2016, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hoverboard-breakthough/772485/5 "2016-11-20T03:35:02Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Goodness, gracious! Great balls of fire! > [@](#): > > Franky Zapata: Yes, the thing I have on my back is like a Camelbak but it’s full of kerosene. Jet A1. Yes, you can become one great ball of fire! ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2016, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hoverboard-breakthough/772485/6 "2016-11-20T03:50:53Z")
What happens of one of those flew directly above someone? ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2016, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hoverboard-breakthough/772485/7 "2016-11-20T03:59:05Z")
My God that is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen, I want to live like the Jetsons, damnit. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2016, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hoverboard-breakthough/772485/8 "2016-11-20T04:04:08Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I want I want I want I want I WANT ONE! It might melt the snow, though. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2016, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hoverboard-breakthough/772485/9 "2016-11-20T04:07:19Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > It might melt the snow, though. > [@Franky Zapata](#): > > We will fly the clouds. My goal is to ride the clouds. Do like snowboarding in the powder, but I want to do it in a cloud. That’s my dream, and I will do my best to realize that. YES! I want to ride the clouds! I’ve done the snow; gimme the clouds! ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2016, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hoverboard-breakthough/772485/10 "2016-11-20T05:41:59Z")
Looked suspiciously like Star Lord. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2016, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hoverboard-breakthough/772485/11 "2016-11-20T10:57:23Z")
Bah… it’s boring and pointless. We’ve already got the revolution in futuristic personal transportation that will [“be to the car what the car was to the horse and buggy.”](http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2013/11/bitcoin-is-the-segway-of-currency/281625/) Who needs more than that? Y’all just being greedy! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2016, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hoverboard-breakthough/772485/12 "2016-11-20T14:11:35Z")
It’s all fun and games until someone flies into a helicopter. I can see a few very cool applications for this, and an infinite variety of stupid. Should be interesting. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2016, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hoverboard-breakthough/772485/13 "2016-11-20T15:38:08Z")
while I’ve no doubt this thing works, some of the claims don’t pass the sniff test, and The Verge is far too credulous over “new and shiny” stuff. turbojets of that size don’t make “250 horsepower.” at that size you’re looking at about 50-60 lbs of thrust max. > **[P220-RXi Turbine Engine, 48.5 lbs Thrust, by JetCat](https://www.chiefaircraft.com/jc-p220-rxi.html)** > > P220-RXi Turbine Engine, 48.5 lbs Thrust, by JetCat ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2016, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hoverboard-breakthough/772485/14 "2016-11-20T16:54:02Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > turbojets of that size don’t make “250 horsepower.” Agreed - that claim has to be wrong. But the engine in your link claims max thrust of nearly 50 lbs, so 4 of those might be enough to do the job. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2016, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hoverboard-breakthough/772485/15 "2016-11-20T17:36:07Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > It’s all fun and games until someone flies into a helicopter. > > I can see a few very cool applications for this, and an infinite variety of stupid. Should be interesting. “Hello, Allstate? You’re not going to believe this, but…” A nephew has a very nice quad copter drone. He uses it, for fun, but also his job as a geologist for an oil company. And a Friend that is a draftsman for a company that takes care of irrigation ditches and such. They can park near, and check out problems without having to hike all day. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2016, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hoverboard-breakthough/772485/16 "2016-11-20T17:36:19Z")
Nothing too amazing to it. You could strap a rocket engine to anything. The limitation isn’t the rocket, the limitation is the amount of fuel you can carry. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2016, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hoverboard-breakthough/772485/17 "2016-11-20T18:09:16Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Nothing too amazing to it. You could strap a rocket engine to anything. The limitation isn’t the rocket, the limitation is the amount of fuel you can carry. The amazing thing is the balance. Quad copter drones have it down. But they lift, not push. Saturn V not withstanding. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hoverboard-breakthough/772485/18 "2016-11-21T05:52:31Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > Agreed - that claim has to be wrong. Technically, it doesn’t _have_ to be wrong. Power is dependent on the exit velocity. 250 hp is 186 kW. 60 lbs is 267 newtons. Divide and you get 700 m/s. That’s mach 2, which is almost certainly higher than the real exit velocity, but it’s not unimaginable. The fuel consumption is almost certainly north of 250 hp worth, though. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hoverboard-breakthough/772485/19 "2016-11-21T06:40:16Z")
He looks pretty confident, however, he sure did keep those jet skis on a short leash. The linked article (in a quick scan) made it sound like he only hit the water once, so I’m surprised he was so concerned, unless the machine was acting up that morning. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2016, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hoverboard-breakthough/772485/20 "2016-11-21T22:17:11Z")
From what news I can gather on the Infobahn, a company called Implant Sciences bought the makers of Flyboard Air. Implant Sciences is a privately held defence contractor. They’ve declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy and (some of?) their other assets have been bought by another company called L-3. So it’s hard to say exactly what the status of the Flyboard is, but my spidey-sense is tingling… (well, OK, maybe it’s just gas…) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-hoverboard-breakthough/772485.md?page=2)