So, there are these videos going around of some guy riding around on what looks like a Star Wars speeder bike. In fact, just hours ago, a new video just popped up where he's wearing a Stormtrooper costume in the forest while he flies around. Just in time for May 4th excitement?
Over the last few days since the video release, the internet seems mostly in this collective "WHOA! But...?" But nothing. There's virtually zero information about it except it can do 124 mph (200 km/h), it's made of lightweight materials like carbon fiber, it is 3D printed, and it's jet-powered.
There's not even real audio of this "airbike" in action which might give us at least an idea of what's happening. Today's Stormtrooper video is just Star Wars audio overlay – sans laser blaster pew-pews – that make it sound like a speeder on Endor. Clever green screen? An elaborately painted-out crane and wires setup?
What the Volonaut Airbike does have going for it, however, is that it's the alleged creation of Tomasz Patan – the guy responsible for the Jetson One ... another mobility toy that you just have to see to believe. Knowing that, one may be inclined to think the Volonaut Airbike could exist and isn't simply movie-magic.
We've reached out to the Jetson co-founder with questions like "What's powering it? How long can it stay airborne?" We have yet to receive a reply.
Supposedly the "superbike for the skies" Airbike is "seven times lighter than a typical motorcycle" from what I'd read on the Volonaut website days ago. In my limited twenty-year career in the motorcycle industry, I'd wager that most "superbikes" range around 390 lb (177 kg). Seven times lighter would be exactly 55.7 lb (25.3 kg).
To be certain, I just looked up the weights of a range of "typical motorcycles" to get an average. These are the bikes and weights I used from mostly 2023 models: Yamaha MT-10 (467 lb/212 kg), Honda Shadow Phantom (549 lb/249 kg), Harley-Davidson Sportster S (502 lb/228 kg), Honda Gold Wing (804 lb/365 kg), Yamaha MT-07 (406 lb/184 kg), Yamaha YZF-R3 (375 lb/170 kg), Kawasaki Ninja 400 (366 lb/166 kg), and Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RS (437 lb/198 kg).
It seems like a fair "typical motorcycle" list from the beginner-friendly Yamaha R3 to the elite touring six-cylinder Honda Goldwing ... and the average weight is 488 lb (221.4 kg). Seven times lighter than that would be 69.7 lb (31.6 kg). Even that's a tough pill to swallow.
Why is Volonaut being so secretive? Protecting its IP like its protecting George's legacy?
"The creation of the Airbike, kept secret from us Volonaut did. How this was done, we know not," said Yoda (or something like that).
The company's website says the Airbike is powered by jet propulsion and has no spinning propellers, allowing it to travel through tight quarters. In the video, we see what appears to be an air blast below the Airbike like a USAF Harrier coming in for a VTOL landing. Is it hot air? I think I saw a puff of smoke in one frame. If there are "no spinning blades," we're probably talking some kind of micro-turbine burning Jet-A or something, right? Unless there's a hyperdrive stuffed in there somewhere running on midichlorian-infused coaxium?
A single gallon of Jet-A weighs about 6.7 lb (3 kg). That's almost exactly 10% of my calculated "seven times lighter than" weight of the Airbike.
Let's do some more "best case scenario" theoretical calculations based on very little information – and by all means, if I'm wrong or missing anything, please let me know in the comments!
The Airbike would need to produce roughly ~300 lbf of thrust to "safely" carry its ~70 lb (~32 kg) airframe plus a ~160 lb (~73 kg) pilot. A JetCat P400 Pro pumps out about 95 lbf. One engine is about 15 inches long with a roughly 6-inch diameter and weighs about 9 lb ... so three of those at 27 lb totally fall within an acceptable weight range I made up for the Airbike and could fit in the airframe. Each one burns about 7.5 to 9 gallons of Jet-A per hour, meaning a single gallon of Jet-A – again, best case scenario – would last for about a 2-3 minute flight. More fuel, more weight, possibly not enough thrust – you know, the classic "mass penalty loop" ...
Is the "seven times lighter" dry weight, before fluids like fuel? What about redundancy if one fails? Does the Insta360 camera on a selfie stick come with the Airbike for when it goes full lawn dart?
Keep in mind, this is all just conjecture on my part. If/when we learn what's really powering it, how much it actually weighs, and what the proprietary stabilization system is ... I'll likely be wildly wrong on all my thoughts.
Until then, the green-screen-coaxium-hyperdrive-speeder-bike looks pretty cool in videos. Just needs Ewoks.
May the Fourth be with you.
Source: Volonaut
New Atlas makes a commission on products purchased through our links, and you'll be supporting your favorite news site! Thank you!
