New Hoverboard Propels Riders Up to 10,000 Feet

If Marty McFly of the 1989 film Back to the Future: Part II had seen this device, he might have ditched his Mattel hoverboard. The Air Flyboard from Zapata Racing is a personal flying device that uses a turbine engine to propel riders to dizzying heights, The Independent reports.

Zapata Racing's original Flyboard works like a hydro-powered hoverboard, using high-pressured water jets to lift riders into the air. In the newly released video above, you can watch as the brave test pilot uses it to glide several meters above the surface of a lake, Green Goblin-style.

The fuel for the engine is stored in the rider's backpack, and according to Zapata a flight lasts up to 10 minutes. They also promise that the Air Flyboard is capable of flying at nearly 100 miles per hour and reaching altitudes of up to 10,000 feet.

Still, it may be a while before we see a performance that backs up those claim. For the time being, Zapata Racing is only testing their product over bodies of water at relatively modest heights. But compared to other self-described hoverboards like Lexus's Slide and the Tony Hawk-inspired Hendo 2.0, anything that lifts more than a few inches off the ground is already ahead of the competition.

[h/t Independent]

Header/banner images courtesy of Zapata Racing via YouTube.