Flying bike set to take off in 2017

The California-based company has announced that it will be launching its Aero-X hoverbike in 2017 at an estimated price of $85,000. The company is already accepting refundable deposits of $5,000 on its website.

The company, Aerofex, has been attempting to resolve various control and stability challenges by testing its hoverbike for some time now.

With carbon fibre rotors replacing wheels, the Aero-X will be able to take-off and land vertically without the need for a runway or forward speed, the company said. The bike is also reported to be as easy to ride as a motorcycle, as pilots will be able to use the handlebar grips, situated at knee level, to control the bike.

Drivers will only need about a weekend of training to be able to fly the bike easily, the company claims. According to company officials, with a pre-fuel weight of about 356kg, the hoverbike can carry loads of up to 140kg over any any type of surface.

The bike will run for 75 minutes on a full fuel tank. The concept dates to the 1960s, but stability issues stopped it from becoming a reality. Aerofex addressed these with a system that allows the bike to respond to the rider's leaning movements and natural balance.