The Skyacht "practical" personal blimp

While we're still waiting for our jet pack and saving up for our Moller Skycar, it looks like we may soon have another flying machine at our disposal once the Skyacht personal blimp hits the market. The blimp's been in development since 2002 (including some makeshift wind tunnel testing) but just recently underwent its first tethered test flights and is set to make its first untethered flight later this month. Unlike traditional blimps, the Skyacht simply uses hot air instead of helium, and employs a "virtually silent" motor for propulsion. The use of hot air makes the Skyacht cheaper to operate than other blimps but, as you can see, also requires a much bigger balloon. Rest assured though, it is the world's first "practical" personal blimp.

[Via MAKE: Blog]

[mark f @ Aug 7th 2006 4:18PM]

A powered hot air balloon? It will have to carry so much fuel for the burners and there is so much surface area a breeze from a farting flock of hummingbirds will overpower the 'vurtually silent' motor. I think I'll pass. mf

[Ben @ Aug 7th 2006 4:24PM]

That sounds interesting, but I don't think it is very practical.

[TC @ Aug 7th 2006 4:27PM]

I have an urge to tell my neices and nephews a scary bedtime story about giant killer bees, then sping this upon them when they wake up. Does that make me evil?

[Robert Preseau @ Aug 7th 2006 4:28PM]

I, for one, welcome our... ummm... err... wait a second!!! Don't they also need to invent the world's first "practical" personal blimp hangar too?

[BISH @ Aug 7th 2006 4:36PM]

soooo ... it's a hot air balloon.

[Mark @ Aug 7th 2006 4:57PM]

Within 3 hours of release to the general public, some nimrod will lose control of one of these things and steer it into some powerlines and that'll do it for this idea.

[crono141 @ Aug 7th 2006 5:08PM]

Why not combine techniques: Hot Helium balloons.

[davidl340 @ Aug 7th 2006 5:12PM]

didn't see a mention of what they might cost.

[Alex @ Aug 7th 2006 5:24PM]

I may just keep one of these folded in my trunk in case I hit some bad traffic.

[Dennis @ Aug 7th 2006 6:34PM]

I've been looking all over for something like this.
Can't wait until I can try it.

Seriously, I wonder how many people will buy it -- after all, it is "practical".

[x23 @ Aug 7th 2006 7:02PM]

oh! the humanity!

[Murc @ Aug 7th 2006 7:40PM]

Finally, A practical Blimp...Oh, how I've dreamed of the day when the cool air breeze could whisk me off to wall-mart to pick up my groceries.

[Whataboutme? @ Aug 7th 2006 8:01PM]

I have a bit of a weight problem (OK... I'm fat).

Some call me a blimp.

I'm also a VERY practical person, and can be quite personal.

So, given the fact that I'm 40 years old, I'm proof that this is definitely NOT the first practical personal blimp.

(Whew! Quite a long set up for such a lame joke)

[Mike @ Aug 7th 2006 10:00PM]

Oh, the--

What?

Someone already did that joke?

Damn.

[Chkninabscut @ Aug 7th 2006 11:49PM]

You......have....got....to....be....fricking...kidding.

[Scott @ Aug 8th 2006 12:04PM]

Har. First thing that hit my brain when I saw that pic was "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang".

[Adam @ Aug 8th 2006 12:06PM]

Can anyone say "form factor"?

[scott @ Aug 8th 2006 1:31PM]

There are serious neighborhood warfare implications with this vessel. What is the useful payload, in terms of eggs and oil based paint? I want one, two if they'll take a check.

[Mr.Gadget @ Aug 8th 2006 7:41PM]

I would not fly this in the western suburbs of Melbourne...unless it was bullet/rock/spear/javelin proof...

[Jim @ Aug 13th 2006 8:26PM]

Hot air, let's call it the Congressional Blimp.

[Robert @ Aug 13th 2006 8:52PM]

Shove a piece of coal up Chertoff's ass right now...when he thinks about the security ramifications of a silent personal blimp, he'll make you a diamond.

[stephen @ Aug 13th 2006 9:31PM]

these things are gonna have every dog from new york to los angeles chasin it

[david crowell @ Aug 13th 2006 9:46PM]

this is a disaster waiting to happen why you need to have a wide open space a lot of space and a lot of smarts to fly it one mistake can kill you your head cant be full of hot air to big for a two car garage cant park on street try parking at walmart some one will pop it for hoging the lot no not good for any thing more then just fun dont try to fly over a pro foot ball game or base ball game some nut will try it

[Lance Love @ Aug 13th 2006 10:03PM]

Skyacht? Hmmm... all I see is a plastic chair. Kinda Lessens the word Yacht does it not? Maybe it comes with a free OH S###t handle. I loved the farting Hummingbirds comment.

[Sheila @ Aug 13th 2006 10:13PM]

I was married thirty years ago in a hot air balloon. I wonder what I should do in this?

[Charlie Tuppen @ Aug 13th 2006 10:37PM]

They pooh-poohed the Wright Brothers too. I'd like more information but would think Helium might work better.

[Eddie @ Aug 13th 2006 11:11PM]

Using Helium wouldn't be cheap. If the price of 1000 cubic feet of Helium is $65.00 and it takes (for arguments sake) 250,000 cubic feet to fill it then it would cost approximately $16,000.00 per....I'll pass.

[Greg P @ Aug 14th 2006 12:14AM]

With the exception of only one of these comments, These have to be the BEST posted comments I've ever read on this site ! Love the hummingbirds, the 'humanity' and all the others. I actualy enjoyed reading these for a change ! Oh, and TC- it just means you're a great aunt/uncle (depending on what the 'T ' stands for ....

[mocycle @ Aug 14th 2006 3:18AM]

Great! Please get one for golf tournaments so when they say *QUIET* we don't have to listen to the droan of a blimp!

[Ed Rosenthal @ Aug 14th 2006 4:16AM]

That could be a Hindenburg waiting to happen if it doesn't go through a crash test to see what happens to a person who happens to lose control of the thing. Will there be an ejection seat? What are the safety features? It scares the !@#$ out of me really to read nothing about the safety features.

[Marty @ Aug 14th 2006 5:01AM]

A different angle on the insect thing:

...floats like a butterfly, looks like a bee...

[Matthew @ Dec 19th 2007 8:07AM]

I suspect that safety is not that great an issue, considering the likely low speeds attainable in this vehicle. Besides, it's a big bag of hot air, what would happen if it hit something? The worst I foresee is that some of the air would be pushed out.

I would be interested to know its projected price and its actual dimensions, I am sure the former would be quite high.