YouTuber makes a hoverbike in his shed
More than a million viewers tune in to see Colin Furze leave the ground in an 'insanely dangerous' stunt
A well-known YouTuber has made a fully functioning "hoverbike" in his garden shed.
Colin Furze created the device by strapping a couple of two-stroke motors and propellers – each facing different ways and kicking out 155lbs of thrust – to a rudimentary metal frame.
He posted his results on a video on YouTube, which shows his hoverbike taking off and floating with ease, although manoeuvres appear to be a little more difficult. The video, however, has certainly been a big hit and accumulated 1.6 million views in just 24 hours.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
According to Gizmag, the bike is unapologetically "low-tech and relies on its brave (or foolish) inventor's wrangling, and control of each individual throttle, to stay in the air".
As such, it's sensible to point out this is something you probably shouldn't try at home yourself - TechCrunch calls the stunt "insanely dangerous". Given that the bike doesn't appear to have any brakes or legs/wheels for landing, falling off when trying to land is an accident waiting to happen.
Furze told Mashable the project took three months to finish and four off-camera flying sessions to get the hang of piloting the bike.
There's a full series of development videos on Furze's channel, alongside other inventions such as a homemade thermite launcher, a jet-powered bicycle and the world's fastest toilet.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Why Bhutan hopes tourists will put a smile back on its face
Under The Radar The 'kingdom of happiness' is facing economic problems and unprecedented emigration
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
7 beautiful towns to visit in Switzerland during the holidays
The Week Recommends Find bliss in these charming Swiss locales that blend the traditional with the modern
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US Published
-
The Week contest: Werewolf bill
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
Generation Alpha: the new kids making Gen Z feel old
feature The next generation of children are on the cusp of becoming teenagers – and are making their presence felt
By Felicity Capon Published
-
YouTuber Trevor Jacob facing prison over deliberate crashing of plane for views
Speed Read US prosecutors said the influencer ‘did not intend to reach his destination’
By The Week Staff Published
-
The Supreme Court, Section 230 and the future of the internet
feature Lawsuits brought against tech giants could have far-reaching consequences for the internet as we know it
By Richard Windsor Published
-
How cybercriminals are hacking into the heart of the US economy
Speed Read Ransomware attacks have become a global epidemic, with more than $18.6bn paid in ransoms in 2020
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
Language-learning apps speak the right lingo for UK subscribers
Speed Read Locked-down Brits turn to online lessons as a new hobby and way to upskill
By Mike Starling Published
-
Brexit-hobbled Britain ‘still tech powerhouse of Europe’
Speed Read New research shows that UK start-ups have won more funding than France and Germany combined over past year
By Mike Starling Published
-
Playing Cupid during Covid: Tinder reveals Britain’s top chat-up lines of the year
Speed Read Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and Dominic Cummings among most talked-about celebs on the dating app
By Joe Evans Last updated
-
Brits sending one less email a day would cut carbon emissions by 16,000 tonnes
Speed Read UK research suggests unnecessary online chatter increases climate change
By Joe Evans Published