In Japan, the flying motorcycle Xturismo is already on sale. The futuristic flying machine was recently unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show and is set to hit the market next year in the United States.
As a child, the Japanese Shuhei Komatsu was fond of ‘Star Wars’ movies, especially the lightning-fast landspeeders (a kind of flying motorcycles; ed.). “As I got older, I decided to make my own,” he told the Detroit News newspaper.
Last Wednesday, Komatsu presented his vision of a machine that can fly above the ground at the North American Auto Show. It is a flying motorcycle with a weight of 299 kilograms, which can remain in the air for about 40 minutes. His company Aerwins Technologies – based in Delaware – specializes in building unmanned drones.
“No need for a pilot’s license”
The hoverbike is already being sold in Japan, according to the CEO. Japan does not classify the vehicle as an aircraft, so no license or pilot’s license is required to operate it. Komatsu now hopes that the US government will follow that line of thought.
The Xturismo is not a bargain, with a price of about 778,000 euros. Komatsu said his company plans to sell a smaller version of the hoverbike in the United States by 2025 for about $50,000. The machine is equipped with a petrol-electric hybrid engine of the Kawasaki brand.
With a top speed of around 100 kilometers per hour, the Xturismo has numerous safety functions and sensors to avoid collisions. Komatsu hopes governments will also use it, for example to enforce the law and inspect infrastructure.
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