Russian specialists from the Hoversurf company have developed a pre-production prototype of the Scorpion 1 flying motorcycle.
at $34 thousand and is already available for pre-order.
The idea of such a vehicle is not new - in 2014, Malloy Aeronautics presented to the public the concept of an experimental heavy-duty multi-rotor Hoverbike copter capable of lifting an adult into the air. And just a year later, under the patronage of the US Department of Defense, Malloy Aeronautics took part in the international Paris air show Le Bourget.
The Malloy flying motorcycle went through all the stages of design and development, but has not yet been put into production.
Despite the fact that the matter has not yet reached the large-scale sea trials and mass production of the “hoverbike” (and it is not yet known whether it will come) - the idea received many enthusiastic responses and was not slow to go “to the people”.
A couple of months ago, popular British vlogger and inventor Colin Furze posted a video of a flying motorcycle assembled by Colin in a small garage!
Unlike the prudent Americans from Malloy, who observed minimal safety precautions (the “motocopter” in the video was fastened with straps and took off on the spot), Colin fearlessly turned circles around the yard and in the open space, made spectacular turns in the air and also managed to fly at night with backlight and fireworks!
Colin Furze's flying motorcycle assembled in the garage:
It was obvious that global manufacturers and enthusiasts would quickly pick up the new development, and it was just as obvious that in Russia we would see a flying motorcycle among the last. The financial crisis, the inaccessibility of the necessary components and the complete rejection of such initiatives by the legislative base made dreams of soaring bikes unattainably distant.
Therefore, the news about the development of a flying motorcycle by a Russian company is as unexpected as if a supersonic transport system such as Hyperloop were carried out, say, in Uglich.
But the fact remains - while the Western world is carefully testing the first prototypes of flying "motocopters", in Russia they have designed and are preparing for release a serial unmanned vehicle Hoversurf Scorpion 1.
Video of flight tests of the Russian "hoverbike" Hoversurf Scorpion 1:
The flying moto market does not yet exist, so the Scorpion simply has no competitors, but despite this, according to the declared cost and technical characteristics, the device looks advantageous even against the background of numerous foreign prototypes.
The estimated maximum speed of the Russian "hoverbike" is about 100 kilometers per hour, and the cruising range on batteries is 20 minutes. A hybrid version of the hydrocarbon-fueled engine is under development to optimize the ratio of performance to takeoff weight and increase the duration of work on one refueling.
Working sketch of "Hoversurf". Photo from the official website of the company
Unlike foreign colleagues, Russian enthusiasts are stopped from flying at maximum speed not by fear for test pilots - there are, apparently, more than enough of them, but by the fact that the motorcycle still exists in a single copy.
We have made one motorcycle so far and we are afraid to damage it. When it's ten, we can already drive.
said the developer of the flying motorcycle Alexander Atamanov in an interview with Izvestia.
The creators of the Russian "copterbike", apparently, are quite boldly looking into the future of such devices - only the pilot's legs are protected from rotating propellers, and in some photographs the testers do not even have a helmet.
The layout of the propellers one above the other (which was found in the first prototypes of Malloy) and at the same time the absence of any protection, which even the “garage” British aviator did not disdain, raise doubts about the safety of the actual operation of the Scorpion. Misalignment or destruction of even one of the propellers can lead to a fall from a considerable height.
Russian "hoverbike" - a promising product or another futuristic design concept?
The seeming carelessness of what is happening is such only at first glance. The creators take safety issues seriously: the maximum flight height of the Scorpion 1 is limited to three meters above the surface, and flight controllers and software from the world's leading manufacturers are used as electronic filling.
Well, the equipment was neglected a couple of times for the sake of a spectacular shot - in other cases, a full set of motocross protection is used.
Hoverbike tests as part of the technology startup conference Startup Village 2016:
People tend to distrust such radical innovations - less than a century ago, ordinary people were just as afraid of passenger planes, believing that only madmen could travel by air over such distances. Today, air transportation is the safest and one of the most popular modes of transport.
We proposed the concept of a flying motorcycle rather to attract attention - in fact, from the point of view of market prospects, the market for heavy-duty drones promises more. Nevertheless, we are ready to manufacture a motorcycle if we receive an order, but we see that while people treat such products with a certain caution, they are obviously afraid.
Alexander Atamanov
A team of developers from Russia, Latvia, Ukraine, Israel and other countries takes part in the creation of the device, and all work takes place on the territory of the Russian Federation.
The declared cost of the innovative device is 34 thousand dollars (≈2 million rubles), which is an order of magnitude lower than experimental foreign samples. However, at the moment the pre-order cost is higher - $52,000, or about 3 million rubles at today's exchange rate, which is still cheaper than most foreign analogues.
So, for example, a slightly more power-armed Flike Tricopter, a development of Hungarian engineers from Bay Zoltan Nonprofit, presented last fall at the Middle East Extreme Sports Expo, is estimated at 200 thousand dollars. Like the Scorpio, the Tricopter can reach speeds of up to 100 km/h, but it can climb 30 meters, and the battery charge lasts for 40 minutes - the difference in the characteristics of the devices is not as impressive as in the price.
Hungarian flying motorcycle Flike Tricopter worth $200,000:
Unfortunately, despite all the advantages of domestic development, Scorpions may not appear in wide use very soon. The main obstacle to the flying motorcycle market is the legislative norms that strictly regulate the safety of small aircraft flights and the admission of pilots to control.
Such devices cannot be bought and legally used by a private person, just like a car or scooter, except to fly over their own plot of land.
It’s hard to talk about the prospects, but in any case, the quadrocopter circuit seems to me not the most reliable, since if one of the propellers breaks, an accident will occur with poorly predictable consequences. Better, in my opinion, will be the development of technologies for creating small aircraft capable of landing on runways 30-50 m long.
Alexander Grek, editor-in-chief of Popular Mechanics magazine
We are looking forward to news about this device - after all, flying cars and motorcycles may very soon become our everyday reality, and not beautiful pictures in sci-fi magazines.
Flying motorcycle of the future according to a 3D artist
TASS, a pilot on a flying motorcycle HoverBike S3 rose to a height of about a meter above the ground and flew about a kilometer. According to the developer of the flying motorcycle and director of the HoverSurf company, Alexander Atamanov, personal air transport is the only chance to solve the transport problem in megacities. It is only necessary to “open the air” for such compact and environmentally friendly aircraft as a hoverbike or an air taxi. True, we still have big problems with this from the point of view of legislation: any pilot must undergo state registration of an aircraft and obtain a license. There are zones over which the flight of any aircraft is prohibited even in the Moscow region, not to mention Moscow closed for flights.
The HoverBike S3 flying motorcycle is a development of Russian engineers and is a hybrid of a quadrocopter and a motorcycle powered by electric motors. The concept and the seat resemble an ordinary motorcycle, but instead of wheels there are four screws on special brackets, and on the dashboard, in addition to the usual switches, there are two control joysticks. The flight height is limited to five meters. The load capacity of the hoverbike is 150 kilograms with a dead weight of 100 kg, half of which is the battery. One charge will be enough for a flight of 30 minutes, and the time to fully charge the battery is four hours.
As on a jet ski, before the flight, the pilot puts a check on his hand in order to turn off the power system in case of an emergency. The HoverBike S3 does not have airbags. The maximum speed of a flying motorcycle is 70 km/h. It has three control methods: via radio from the remote control, manual control using joysticks, or by entering GPS coordinates. According to the developers, the hoverbike works at -20 °C, freely passes through any door and allows you to store it in the apartment. A standard parking space for a car is enough for takeoff and landing of a motorcycle.
HoverSurf is developing three types of aircraft: a cargo drone, a flying motorcycle, and a taxi drone. A cargo drone is an unmanned aerial vehicle whose task is to deliver various cargoes weighing up to 100 kilograms. The purpose of a flying motorcycle is sports, competitions, extreme sports, entertainment, and a flying taxi is personal transport and transportation of people. One way or another, Vnesheconombank is already ready to invest several million dollars in HoverSurf in order to complete the tests and bring the hoverbike to the market. Its cost will be from 50 to 80 thousand dollars, depending on the configuration.
Mankind has always sought to expand the boundaries of its capabilities. Thanks to the desire of man to swim under water like fish, scuba gear and submarines appeared, thanks to the desire to fly like birds, balloons and airplanes appeared. During the past XX century, a huge number of ideas have been generated to create various vehicles. Some of them have become a reality, some still remain only on the pages of fantastic works.
It was fantasy literature that gave the world such concepts as a flying motorcycle - a hoverbike (hoverbike), a jetpack - a jetpack (jetpack) and a flying board - a hoverboard (hoverboard). Despite numerous attempts, in the 20th century, none of the above vehicles left the prototype stage and was not implemented in any complete form.
Hoverbike from the movie The Island
In the 21st century, advances in electronics, sensors, compact and powerful electric motors have made it possible to return to the idea of creating personal aircraft.
hoverboard
The greatest success in creating a "flying board" was achieved by the French athlete and inventor Franky Zapata and his company Zapata Industries. In 2005, Zapata Industries introduced the Flyboard, a powerful pump that pumps water through a flexible pipe from a jet ski that is thrown down with force, allowing the pilot to fly at heights of up to 16 meters. The Flyboard flying platform is designed for entertainment and sports, but many solutions have been worked out on it, which later made it possible to create more advanced products.
Flyboard platform
The most breakthrough model of Zapata Industries was the Flyboard Air hoverboard. With its own weight of 25.1 kg, the Flyboard Air's carrying capacity was 102 kg, the maximum flight speed was 150-195 km/h, and the maximum ceiling was 1524 meters. Fuel tank capacity 23.3 liters, flight duration 10 min. In 2016, Flyboard Air set a record officially registered in the Guinness Book of Records, the flight range was 2 kilometers 252 meters, covered in 3 minutes 55 seconds.
Franky Zapata and his Flyboard Air
Flyboard Air world record
The Flyboard Air's propulsion system includes four jet engines powered by aviation kerosene. Fuel comes from a tank placed in a satchel behind the pilot. Each engine produces about 30 kg of thrust, with its own weight of 3 kg. In addition, the platform is equipped with a pair of additional low inertia propfan motors to ensure a quick response of the control system. The control system is another important element of Flyboard Air, it compensates for wind gusts, weight redistribution due to pilot movements, fuel consumption, uneven engine operation with high speed and accuracy and stabilizes the flight of Flyboard Air.
The Bastille Day military parade on the Champs-Elysées in Paris featured a Flyboard Air hoverboard with a pilot armed with a rifle (or an imitation rifle), highlighting the military's interest in this technology.
Flyboard Air at a military parade, in the sky over Paris
In what capacity can hoverboards be in demand in the armed forces? If one imagines packs of mobile foot soldiers attacking the enemy on flying boards, then most likely he will be disappointed. At the moment, hoverboards are still bulky, difficult to control devices, and their flight time is extremely limited.
However, there are certain tactical situations where hoverboards can be not only useful, but even indispensable.
First of all, we can talk about conducting special operations, for example, to storm buildings, free hostages, etc. In this case, the use of hoverboards will make it possible to abandon the use of helicopters for landing on the roof of buildings. The hoverboards are delivered to the place of the special operation by vehicles, after which the combat unit can, within a few minutes, drop onto the roof of the building with the necessary weapons. One of the advantages of this solution is the ability to assess the situation on the spot, choose a non-shootable sector for dropping, taking into account the architecture of the building, the ability to quickly retreat if necessary.
Helicopter exit to the point, landing of special forces (from the seventh minute). In this situation, the strike group could carry out a hoverboard drop from the end of the building, where only one window needs to be controlled
As another example, consider the conduct of hostilities in urban areas. In this case, hoverboards can be used, for example, to throw snipers onto a high-rise building, while all passages in the building can be mined. Or they can be used to enter the rear of a position defended by the enemy, "jump" over an obstacle.
Also, the hoverboard can be used to occupy the dominant heights in the mountains. Here it is necessary to make a reservation that this will depend on the height to which he is able to rise relative to sea level. According to some reports, Flyboard Air flight altitude can reach 3000-3500 meters, which is already comparable to the flight altitude of some helicopters. If the enemy has taken an advantageous position that makes it difficult for him to attack "on the forehead", and at the same time other areas are difficult to pass, a maneuverable group on hoverboards can take a position that is more advantageous relative to the position of the enemy.
It can be argued that the hoverboard pilot is extremely vulnerable in flight, but in fact he is no more, but rather even less vulnerable, than the pilot of a light helicopter. Minimizing the probability of hitting a pilot should be ensured by the suddenness of its use (there is no flight time, like a helicopter, when it can be detected from afar by the sound of engines) and a short flight time, in fact, a jump. And hitting a small moving target is not as easy as it seems at first glance.
In any of the scenarios, the hoverboard is not seen as a platform for warfare, but only as a highly mobile means of movement over short distances in specific tactical situations.
In an unmanned version, the hoverboard can be used to deliver ammunition to a blocked battle group.
hoverbike
The idea of creating a flying motorcycle - a hoverbike, attracts people no less. At the beginning of the 21st century, there were two ways to create hoverbikes. The first is the creation of a flying motorcycle with jet engines, the second is the creation of a flying motorcycle based on the technologies used to create unmanned quadcopters. Accordingly, either liquid fuel or a supply of electricity in batteries is used as fuel. Each of the indicated paths has both its advantages and difficulties in implementation.One of the most interesting, and presumably close to implementation concepts, is Jetpack Aviation's Speeder jet motorcycle. Equipped with four jet engines, Speeder will be able to reach speeds of more than 240 km/h and climb to a height of 5000 meters with a payload of 115 kg. Initially, jet engines are planned to be placed in the central part of the structure, but this may make it difficult to control the vehicle and require the introduction of complex autonomous stabilization technologies, so in the future the turbines may be moved closer to the edges of the hull.
The flight time will be about 30 minutes. Is it a lot or a little? Taking into account the declared maximum speed, this is about 100-120 km. It is quite enough to fly to a country residence, bypassing city traffic jams. Jetpack Aviation has already begun accepting pre-orders for the Speeder. The cost of booking a seat in line is $10,000, and the full cost of the flying motorcycle is $380,000. The first batch will be only 20 cars.
The possibility of creating a military version of a jet motorcycle is also being considered. It will have five engines instead of four, the load capacity and the maximum flight time will be increased.
Jetpack Speeder jet motorcycle
Speede hoverbike promotional presentation
Another sample of the hoverbike, developed earlier by the Russian, and now the American startup Hoversurf, has more modest characteristics. Hoversurf was founded by Petersburger Alexander Atamanov and registered in California in 2014.
His Scorpion flying motorcycle has a carbon fiber frame that weighs less than 114 kg, a lithium-manganese-nickel hybrid battery that can provide 10 to 25 minutes of flight time depending on the weather and the weight of the pilot. In remote control mode, the flight time will be 40 minutes. The Scorpion hoverbike can fly up to 16 meters above the ground, reaching a top speed of 96 km per hour.
Despite its modest specs compared to Jetpack Aviation's Speeder jet bike, the Scorpion hoverbike is much closer to being realized. Pre-production prototypes are shown, a purchase order is also open - the price of the hoverbike will be Scorpion 150 thousand dollars. The Scorpion hoverbike is classified as an ultra-light vehicle that allows you to fly in the US without a pilot's license.
Hoversurf Scorpion hoverbike
Tests of the Scorpion hoverbike by the Dubai police in 2019
Hoversurf plans to produce other types of similar aircraft for civil and special applications.
Hoversurf eVTOL
Looking at this and other projects “escaping” from Russia, I would like to say that the leadership of our country should reconsider its approach to high-tech domestic startups. Otherwise, all that will remain then is to proudly say that the US helicopter industry was founded by a native of Russia, and recall numerous other similar examples.
How can hoverbikes be used by military and special forces? As in the case of hoverboards, hoverbikes should hardly be considered as combat vehicles designed to strike the enemy from the air, although such use in the future cannot be completely ruled out.
First of all, hoverbikes can be used for the prompt delivery of special forces. In the event of a terrorist threat, the score can go by minutes. Delay will allow the terrorists to equip firing points and install mine-explosive devices. At the same time, the congestion of city highways does not allow special vehicles to quickly advance to the required positions. Hoverbikes will provide special units with the highest speed of response to threats that cannot be provided by any other type of vehicle.
They can perform a similar function for the ground units of the armed forces - promptly deliver help, quickly transfer weapons and ammunition to a distance of about 100 kilometers, advance to positions and take them ahead of the enemy. At the same time, in the future, hoverbikes can return to the base in autopilot mode so as not to additionally unmask the fighters. Or vice versa, in unmanned mode, advance to the specified point and ensure the evacuation of the ground unit.
The most important area of use of hoverbikes can be their use by doctors to provide emergency medical care to both civilians and the military, in case of injury. With many types of diseases or injuries, the count goes not just for minutes, but for seconds.
Time will tell how true the alleged scenarios for the use of hoverboards and hoverbikes are, but now almost all developers of this type of aircraft provide for the possibility of their military and special use. With a high probability, these types of aircraft will be in demand not only in the civilian market, but also as vehicles for the armed forces and special forces.
A bike hovering above the ground is a cross between a helicopter and a motorcycle. It looks like a regular quadcopter. Only with handlebar and saddle. Correspondents of Komsomolskaya Pravda also risked a ride on it.
The propellers whirred. We took off from the ground and hung in the air. The car took off thirty or forty centimeters. The height is not God knows what, but it became creepy. Vibrating and pulsing, the "air horse" now and then strove to fall to the side due to air turbulence near the ground.
By God, there was a whole abyss between us. Not thirty centimeters.
View from the cab. PHOTO: provided by A. Atamanov
The flight was stabilized. Five minutes in the saddle - and we are already experienced pilots. At a minimum, we learned how to take off gently and land softly... The excitement has passed. But we did not tempt fate. Having flown a few meters, they put the bike on the ground. Enough for a debut!
The first flying motorcycle in Russia was developed by a graduate of the St. Petersburg State University of Telecommunications. Bonch-Bruevich, master of the Higher School of Economics, founder of the ATM Cargo Drones Design Bureau in Russia and Howersurf in the USA, inventor and businessman Alexander Atamanov.
- The hoverbike is easy to operate. Especially for "traditional" motorcyclists. We made successive ergonomics,” he told us. - A flying motorcycle is a compact thing. We transport him in a regular pickup truck. It does not need to be disassembled or disassembled. Sat down and took off.
The cost of the toy is 52 thousand dollars on pre-order. Three million rubles... Not so expensive. For some Russians. The luxury SUV is not cheaper.
- The cost of bikes is higher. 52 thousand dollars is the price to "probe" the market, - the inventor noted. - There are orders. Flying motorcycles are purchased by private buyers.
Alexander Atamanov presents his development. PHOTO: provided by A. Atamanov
The idea to create a "transport of the future" came to Alexander Atamanov five years ago. It was not possible to implement it immediately. The level of technology did not meet the requirements of scientists. I had to wait a bit. The first prototype appeared in 2015. It was called "Scorpion 1".
“A new prototype is already ready,” the developer shared. – Its working title is “AK-47”. Like the Kalashnikov assault rifle, it will be just as reliable and ... massive. As in the AK-47, it will use not only metal, but also natural wood. But he shouldn't kill people (laughs).
The project was started as a non-profit. The innovators were not going to make money on the sale of flying motorcycles. Scientists wanted to inspire the public. They believe that someday flying motorcycles will soar over city roads...
– It is worth looking into the future. How else can we get rid of traffic jams? There is no place on the road, so let's find it in the air! I myself am a motorcyclist, so I understand all the problems very well, - Alexander Atamanov shared. - It is impossible to use hoverbikes as "official" means of transportation in Russia. But there is no direct prohibition either. We stand for order and security, therefore we are ready to take part in the formation of legislation. Sooner or later, flying motorcycles and cars will take their place in the air.
The "stuffing" of a flying motorcycle is dozens of knots. PHOTO: provided by A. Atamanov
The "stuffing" of a flying motorcycle is dozens of components: propellers, engines, motor controllers, a generator, landing systems, sensors and a flight computer... The first prototype of the bike weighs 45 kg. Its carrying capacity is 150 kg, and the maximum speed is 100 km/h. The hoverbike also works in unmanned mode - via a radio channel and autonomously, like a large drone. The bike does not take off above five meters (the height was limited for safety). The battery charge is enough for twenty minutes of flight.
Australian Chris Malloy created a device that he called the “air motorcycle”. The length of this unusual vehicle is 3 meters, the diameter of the screw installations is 1.3 meters, and the weight is 105 kg. The designer managed to achieve a relatively small mass of his vehicle through the active use of foam materials and carbon fiber. The inventor claims that his aero bike can fly at speed. 278 km / h at an altitude of up to 3 km. If you fly at a speed of about 150 km / h, then a 30-liter fuel tank will be enough to overcome 150 km.
As conceived by the developer, the propellers of the motorcycle-helicopter rotate in opposite directions, which makes it possible to dampen the active torque. Everything is thought out at Malloy: if the propellers suddenly fail, the parachutes will open. True, the inventor has not yet finally decided whether they will be located on the body of his aircraft or in the pilot's backpack. The Hoverbike is controlled like a motorcycle.
Currently, the Hoverbike has passed ground tests and can even get off the earth's surface. The first flight will take place in the fall, and with the interest of investors, Malloy plans to launch the Hoverbike into mass production. The aircraft is expected to cost around $40,000.
