Vertipod aims to be "Segway of the sky"

This one's been making the rounds lately, but we'd be remiss if we didn't take a moment to acknowledge any invention that boasts to be the "Segway of the sky," which is just what upstart Air Buoyant claims its so-called "Vertipod" could one day be. According to Danger Room, this flying machine employs a gasoline or ethanol powered 440-cubic-centimeter engine to propel one brave along individual at speeds up to 40 miles per hour while hovering 15 feet off the ground, with a propeller, naturally, spinning perilously close to your feet. What's more, Air Buoyant's Pete Bitar says the contraption could even have consumer appeal, with a $10,000 kit planned that "can be assembled in a weekend."

[Via Tech Digest]

[parr @ Nov 30th 2007 3:00PM]

next thing you know, we'll all be using treadmills mounted to the outside of our houses!

owate, nvm.

[TheCow5 @ Nov 30th 2007 3:01PM]

Have you parachute ready, look like you will sure need it for this one. lol

[Viney @ Nov 30th 2007 4:48PM]

Is a parachute really going to be all that effective 15' off the ground?

Perhaps an inflatable system, like the Mars rovers used, would be more appropriate

[TheCow5 @ Nov 30th 2007 5:00PM]

That was factored into the pun I made.
What do you do when this flips you out?

[rzlmlchm009 @ Nov 30th 2007 3:04PM]

Finally! Now we have something to combat the tazing UFO's with. :)

[Seung-Hwan @ Nov 30th 2007 3:04PM]

... so it's only for people who are obese?

[Seung-Hwan @ Nov 30th 2007 3:05PM]

(waits for Segway users to flame me)

[mike @ Dec 2nd 2007 7:48PM]

Hey! Don't talk about Steve Wozniak (and his Segway Polo team) that way...
He's 'husky', that's all.

[Mickey Jones @ Nov 30th 2007 3:06PM]

One mis-step and your new name is "Stumpy".

[Jason @ Nov 30th 2007 3:06PM]

Segway of the sky + even more restrictions on when and where you can use it.

[dataminer49er @ Nov 30th 2007 3:06PM]

15' off the ground eh? Just high enough to fly yourself into the side of a semi truck.

[wheatie @ Nov 30th 2007 3:07PM]

Because the segway was so successful.

[applefreak @ Nov 30th 2007 6:13PM]

aww man, you beat me to it

[Mickey Jones @ Nov 30th 2007 3:09PM]

Uses a propeller; flys 15' from the ground; average person is about 5'9".
Anyone else see a decapitation problem here?

[parr @ Nov 30th 2007 3:13PM]

last i checked, 15' > 5'9"

...but that's just me.

[riffrocker134 @ Nov 30th 2007 4:26PM]

hahahahahahaha. Um. Recheck your math there bud.

[rzlmlchm009 @ Nov 30th 2007 5:14PM]

I can see it now, coming home from work and saying, "Good news honey, there were only 3 fatalities on my way home from work today. Oh yeah, and we need to get Ms. McGerty a new cat." ;)

[Neurofool @ Nov 30th 2007 5:23PM]

what goes up (above head height),
must come down. . .

[Mickey Jones @ Nov 30th 2007 8:33PM]

So you would we be happy with that dude flying it over your head? Hope it's not a windy day.

[spammerblackhole-engadget @ Dec 1st 2007 8:36AM]

Apparently all of these people didn't read the article. It hovers 5' to 15' off the ground. And you can check my math but I'm pretty sure 5' < 5'9"

[Mickey Jones @ Dec 2nd 2007 8:45AM]

Spammer scores one for reading comprehension.

[Joe @ Nov 30th 2007 3:11PM]

I just cannot understand with all our advancements in technology, we can't friggin make a simple flying machine that works without having it look like something MacGuyver put together.

And isn't there some company (Google?!) around with the resources to create a decent, safe personal flying craft that can be mass-produced now?

AirGoogle FTW.

[rzlmlchm009 @ Nov 30th 2007 3:22PM]

Yeah, and equip it with GPS and miniature missiles. It can be called Google Search and Destroy. Future hitmen would simply "Google" their target. ;)

[atomicthumbs @ Nov 30th 2007 3:23PM]

But it looks awesome!

[TheCanadianGeek @ Nov 30th 2007 4:03PM]

I was thinking it more looked like something Professor Farnsworth would have come up with.

[Natedog @ Nov 30th 2007 5:30PM]

Good news, everyone! You'll now be making your deliveries on this flying deathtrap.

Can it outrun space bees?

On a more serious note, why would anyone compare their own product to the Segway; is he trying to imply that it's overpriced and very impractical?

[johnzilla @ Nov 30th 2007 7:00PM]

Most people can barely drive a car, which is two axes. Do you honestly think they can handle flying a machine in three??

[jimmyfinch @ Nov 30th 2007 7:56PM]

Two axes?

What are you, The Road Warrior?

[feffrey @ Dec 1st 2007 12:42AM]

he is referring to 2 axis, he used the wrong word.

[CapnVan @ Dec 1st 2007 9:17AM]

Um, actually "axes" is the plural form of "axis".

[boomhauer @ Dec 5th 2007 5:19PM]

Duh... just hovering takes a crapton of energy, which a car gets free while sitting still. throw a bunch of tech at this to make it safe etc and then the enviros will come after you for wasting fuel (oh, it burns ethanol too! it must be ok!).
stupid idea, always has been, still is today.

[raerae @ Nov 30th 2007 3:15PM]

Thats one way to travel and get the callus off your feet....in high demand these days

[3rdsun @ Nov 30th 2007 3:17PM]

Jetsons here we come

[Hastings @ Nov 30th 2007 3:19PM]

I want to see Gob from Arrested Development debut this thing to the public!

[aaoaoo @ Nov 30th 2007 3:23PM]

I can already hear "The Final Countdown"...

[Walt_Mink @ Nov 30th 2007 4:00PM]

COME ON!

[aboriginal @ Nov 30th 2007 3:20PM]

spam in a can

[Boynamedsue @ Nov 30th 2007 3:20PM]

get there slower than a car, in a less safe vehicle that will be immediately slapped with bunch of restrictions.

whatever. i'm spending my tax return on a finglonger.

[McGinley @ Nov 30th 2007 3:23PM]

A self assembled personal flying machine that hovers 15 foot in the air travelling at 40 miles per hour,for 10000$....

Heck,I cant self assemble a 50$ bedside table...

[macmike47 @ Nov 30th 2007 3:38PM]

Me neither, and even if I could, I wouldn't want to put my life at its mercy.

[MrFuNKy76 @ Nov 30th 2007 3:23PM]

yesss, one step closer to the flying car!

[tintin @ Nov 30th 2007 3:24PM]

I wouldn't want my product to be the Segway of anything.

At least when the platform under your feet gives out the resulting bits of you left after going through the worlds biggest food processor will quickly nourish the earth and hopefully grow enough plant material quickly enough to cover the remnants of the most rediculous idea in human transport since, well, the Segway.

Maybe they could remarket this as an alternative to cremation to the granola-crunchers to avoid leaving that last firm and final carbon footprint on the earth.

[wheatie @ Nov 30th 2007 3:30PM]

If your commute is congested enough, going 40 miles per hour may actually be an improvement. Try living in Atlanta.

Look at the Wright Brother's first plane, we'd all laugh if someone unveiled it now on engadget as the first vehicle to fly in. You have to start somewhere.

I just wish they'd perfect and mass produce self driving cars that were mandatory for all. This would eliminate accidents and reduce traffic commute congestion.

I think the technology is already there, in some cars with radars that keep the cars spaced like 12 inches apart or something.

Of course it would have to run on a OS X operating system. Can you imagine a self driving car running on windows, they'd just freeze up and reboot right there on the highway.

Uh oh didn't mean to start a Mac vs. Windows flame thread, just saying.

[Jonathan Bergeron @ Nov 30th 2007 3:34PM]

It HAS to run on OS X???? Stop being such a fan boy for a sec. It would run on an open sourced OS (a la Linux). Apple fans are such.... I think I'll get banned from here if I say what I want to say.

[Brad @ Nov 30th 2007 3:46PM]

"Uh oh didn't mean to start a Mac vs. Windows flame thread, just saying."

No, that's exactly what you meant to do. Why else would you talk about a sophisticated control system running an OS that's designed to be pretty and friendly, and then attacking that OS's major competitor?

How can you spot a Mac fanboy? Look for passive-aggressive jibes, just like all the "I'm a Mac" commercial. And look for a lethal dose of "smug" to be served along with it.

Grow up or take your shit elsewhere.

[Brad @ Nov 30th 2007 3:48PM]

Oh, and as for your "Mandate self-driving cars" - it must be nice to be a middle-class white kid, but not everyone in the country can afford to buy a new car at the drop of a hat.

Way to show off how much of a bubble you live in.

[Reader @ Nov 30th 2007 6:48PM]

Brad what's up with you always assuming everyone is white and middle classed and that somehow means anything at all? Last time I checked being a minority didn't hinder making money, but actually helped. Affirmative action, government programs for minority businesses, etc. So don't even go there.

[drew @ Dec 1st 2007 9:25PM]

man, someone's a little pissed about their most recent reboot.

[Jack Storm @ Dec 2nd 2007 10:40AM]

Ooh yeah if it ran OSx it probably wouldn't be compatible with all terrains and airs and it would probably be extremely difficult to find parts to Pimp my Vertipod.

[Grey Welborn @ Dec 4th 2007 9:58AM]

No kidding - I'm in downtown ATL and 40 mph seems like a dream.

(Of course, this is the city where segways actually caught on)