Franky Zapata, the boundary-pushing inventor, banned from flying his creations in his home country of France amid regulatory concerns, has revealed his newest creation:
Banned French Inventor Debuts New Hoverboard Deep in the Heart of Texas
Ez Fly, a hoverboard that utilizes jet thrusters to provide the lift to the craft and pilot. It's claimed that the vehicle can achieve an astonishing speed of 80 mph (130 km/h), and while this number may be lower than top speed commanded by Zapata's previous offering, the Flyboard Air, it appears that this newer model surprisingly no longer requires its pilots to strap themselves onto the craft.
How's it Work Anyway?
The Ez Fly is operated by a single person who stands on the small base of the board and places their hands on a set of grips protruding upward from the base. Control in the air is achieved via the pilot's shifting of his or her weight, much like the operation of a Segway scooter. It's worth noting that this craft is hardly Marty McFly's hoverboard. It certainly more closely resembles a militarized-version of your grandmother's walker. And with some small jet engines attached for good measure.
A Demonstration In Texas
The pilots who performed the demonstration over a lake in the state of Texas seemed well at-ease while operating the hovercraft, though this may just suggest prior practice working with the Ez Fly rather than being evidence of its purported ease of use. The helmets and pilot attire still suggest extreme-sport more than morning-commute, though there is no doubt countless motorcyclists who would disagree.
It's Fast, It's Easy to Use, What's the Problem?
The Ez Fly is reportedly still only in the prototyping phase of development, with the price of individual units running as high as 250,000 USD. Perhaps unsurprisingly, those jet engines are real gas hogs: they consumed about a gallon per minute of operation. In a world grappling with the idea of going green, the current thrust mechanism may just keep this market relatively niche rather than evolve into a full-blown Jetson revolution.
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