Flyboard® Air Test 1

Moller makes the same claims over and over, and adjusts the proposed completion date on the web site year after year to be about three years in the future. (Long discussion of this on the Wikipedia talk page.) He's been in trouble with the SEC for overclaiming to investors. His product has been "real soon now" since the 1970s. Here's his 1974 brochure.[1] Full-scale production was to begin by the end of 1976. Moller was trying to build a VTOL powered by Wankel engines. His company was trying to build Wankels with much better power to weight ratios than usual. As usual, this resulted in much reduced engine lifespan. (Classic tradeoff, as everybody in drag racing knows.) He's been able to build a vehicle that can get off the ground, and hover a bit, tethered from a crane, for 2-3 minutes. Pure-thrust VTOL is quite possible with jet engines. The aircraft that do it, such as the Harrier and the F-35, are fighters, which are mostly engine anyway. It can be done, but not at low cost or high payload or high efficiency. Jet engines remain expensive. Despite many attempts, small, cheap, reliable jet engines remain out of reach. Below 6-passenger bizjet size, reliable engines don't seem to get much cheaper. There are cheap high-powered small jet engines with model aircraft levels of reliability and a life of 100 hours or so. That's how the Flyboard Air does it.[2] Not being stupid, they always fly this over water at low altitudes. [1] [link] [2] [this video]