Drone manufacturer A.L.I. Technologies Inc. held a presentation on a racetrack near Mount Fuji in Japan dedicated to its most innovative product so far – an aerial bike that can travel on the road and high above it.
The test pilot took off and spent several
minutes airborne to confirm the viability of the idea. The company revealed
quite a few details about the project during the presentation. Apparently, the
hoverbike is called “Turismo Limited Edition” and is 3.7 meters long. It is also around 2.4 meters wide and just 1.5 meters tall. It weighs in at roughly 300 kilograms and has a single
seat for a driver weighing 100 kg at most. When fully charged and
fueled, its gas engine and dual electric motors can keep it airborne for up to
40 minutes. The speed maxes out at 100 km/h.
Japanese legislation prevents hoverbikes
from becoming street-legal, and we expect the same to be the case in most other
countries as well. A.L.I. Technologies doesn’t seem troubled by this. however,
as it primarily plans to market the vehicle to emergency response services,
including rescue teams operating in hard-to-reach areas where aerial mobility
could be crucial for success.
