A couple of years ago, a man named Rick Hamel created one of the most insane remote-controlled flying machines you'll ever witness. No, it's not an airplane or helicopter, or anything that mundane. Instead, he created a dragon that actually shoots fire and reaches airborne speeds of up to 70 mph (112.6 km/h). Now, this beast is actually for sale via Hammacher Schlemmer, with a staggering US$60,000 price tag.
The flying dragon has a wing span of nine feet (2.7 m), which is just a tad shorter than the height of your average basketball hoop. It features a miniature turbine engine in the chest that thrusts out the rear of the mythical beast at 500 mph (804.7 km/h). It's powered by jet aircraft fuel or kerosine, and its half-gallon tank can keep it airborne for about 10 minutes before it will need to be landed and refueled. Not exactly long flights, but I suppose that if you're going to spend $60K on a flying dragon, fuel costs probably aren't a huge concern.
The dragon promises to have all of the steering points of a standard aircraft, including elevators, ailerons, and a rudder. All of this is controlled via a 2.4 GHz remote control.
Materials used in its construction include two layers of epoxy glass and internal structures of high-grade plywood. These materials promise to be lightweight enough for optimal flight.
As far as the shooting of fire goes, it's a little disappointing in that it can only do so while on the ground. Still, the letdown is alleviated by the fact that the propane-fueled flame blast can travel three feet (0.9 m), which quite frankly sounds as awesome as it does dangerous.
Other cool features of this dragon include eyes that light up red, striking fear in the hearts of one's enemies, and a head that rotates into the direction of turns, making the dragon look a little more authentic while in the air.
Hammacher Schlemmer is selling the dragons now, but they're not available for purchase directly on the website. Due to the high price and odd nature of the device, the company is requiring would-be buyers to call in to talk to a product specialist to place an order.
Source: Hammacher Schlemmer via Gizmodo
