Video: The US Army's New Hoverbike
The military is taking a page from the Jetsons.
What do you get when you cross a motorcycle and a drone? A top item on the Defense Department's wishlist.
The U.S. Army Research Laboratory has contracted with Malloy Aeronautics and Survice Engineering to develop a hoverbike.
Australian Chris Malloy, founder of Malloy Aeronautics, designed the original prototype of the bike in his garage.
The current model contains a 1,170 cc four-stroke engine in a carbon fiber frame. It supports nearly 600 pounds of weight, which means both soldiers and their heavy gear could go for a spin.
As for now, the hoverbike is still undergoing testing using a handy drone rider, though human testing could be just around the corner.
To see the hoverbikes in action, check out the video below from CNET: