The 'Flyboard Air' Is The Hoverboard You've Been Waiting For. Now Is It Real?

[news]

[news]

It's the video that's taking the Internet by storm: Either a clever fake, or footage of the most impressive hoverboard yet in action. 

With the Flyboard Air, you can be Marty McFly, the Green Goblin... or just someone chillin' in the air:  








The Flyboard Air was made by Franky Zapata's Zapata Racing, the company behind the original water-powered Flyboard. 

But the new one doesn't use powerful jets of water to keep you aloft. 

Unless there's some video editing at work, it's just you... in the air: 








The company claims Flyboard Air can reach an altitude of 10,000 feet -- more than three times the height of the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world -- hit speeds of 93.2 mph, and fly for about 10 minutes at a time.  

In the test shown on video, however, the device flew at 35 mph for just under 4 minutes and at altitudes far below 10,000 feet.   








But not everyone is convinced. 

Numerous posters on Facebook and YouTube claim the video is fake, with some saying they can see wires in some of the shots. 

In response, the company released a second video that it says shows the Flyboard in use: 






The company said the Flyboard Air has been in development for 4 years, but is still a prototype and won't be available for sale this year. 

It didn't mention when that might happen or what it would cost if and when it does become available. It also has yet to reveal how the device works or how it's powered.

The Huffington Post has reached out to the company for comment and this post will be updated if they provide more details.  

There are other hoverboard-like contraptions. At least two use magnets to hover above metallic surfaces, including one from Lexus and another from Arx Pax. Arca Space Corporation made a larger unit powered by high-speed fans, and Canadian inventor Catalin Alexandru Duru created one that uses propellors, which last year broke a Guinness World Record. 

There are also any number of jetpacks.

However, if it's real, the Flyboard Air would appear to be a huge leap over the others, offering true flight on a small device with few limitations.  

(h/t Digg)
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