
Interview with Flyboard Air creator Franky Zapata - sunilb
http://www.theverge.com/2016/4/15/11439798/franky-zapata-racing-jet-powered-flying-hoverboard-interview
======
ChuckMcM
looks crazy, and like others it strained my credulity. But the interview
sounded pretty authentic and the description of the development process also
sounded credible. The Hiller Air Platform [1] was reasonably successful in the
50's and had less HP than modern RC turbojets can produce so the physics would
seem to be credible as well.

[1]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiller_VZ-1_Pawnee](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiller_VZ-1_Pawnee)
(you can see this at the Hiller Museum in San Mateo)

------
6stringmerc
So as I've recently submitted my ParaWing concept to ApplyHN this is of course
of interest! Quite a development and I'm glad to see it getting some
attention. Skepticism is important as is being open minded.

Bottom line: It works. Caveat: It's dangerous as shit

Okay so this is the quote that got me:

> _It’s a logic system inside the board that helps stabilize the machine. It’s
> extremely hard to stabilize, so yes it’s not only my balance. For example,
> we use like the same kind of electronics like you use on a drone to
> stabilize. The problem is to create the algorithms, the right algorithms, to
> combine the intelligence in the board and in your brain. So we spent about
> four months to make that work._

That's why the ParaWing is such an important development in designing an
airfoil and method that will allow the flight stability algorithims to have a
wide range of viable parameters. All this computing power they've developed
and deployed as a proof of concept is really, really impressive. It's almost
as though a 'down-grade' version could be applied to the ParaWing for
stability flight management.

Now, talking about those power sources - look at the numbers. 250 HP each? On
something with zero lift? It's staring me right in the face. Put one or two of
these on a ParaWing with the stability controls and now we're talking
seriously revolutionary.

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeet.

~~~
dankohn1
Your ApplyHN is more of an idea for an application that an application.
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11501823](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11501823)

I would encourage you to resubmit including a mockup (not just a picture of a
notebook), and in particular to talk about whether it is designed for
recreational use and whether a pilot's license would be required.

~~~
6stringmerc
Well the parameters of the Apply HN concept according to the original posting
indicates "idea or prototype stage" submissions are suitable. As the UAV
situation has indicated thus far the FAA is not a worthwhile entity to bother
with in the non-public release stages. It would be in the Ultralight or
Microlight, non-license category anyway. I've got the math, working in private
to get "a mockup" going as able, and would encourage you to offer technical
resources as you're able if you happen to be able. Or you can volunteer to be
a test pilot when the time comes. That works too.

------
VeejayRampay
Nice video, I like that people will pursue the craziest ideas because
whatever, Homo Sapiens :)

The French accent was a nice touch too.

------
boulos
This submission title is link-baitey, not the original title, and wrong (I had
parsed this as meaning 10k ft _altitude_ , there doesn't seem to be any
mention of this 10k number anywhere in the article).

I sympathize with the submitter that the article's title ("Yes, the jet-
powered hoverboard is real, and yes, the creator has crashed it") is useless,
but the slug in the URL isn't awful (franky-zapata-racing-jet-powered-flying-
hoverboard-interview). So how about _Interview with Flyboard Air creator
Franky Zapata_.

~~~
dang
Good suggestion. Title changed from "Jet powered flying hoverboard reaches
10000 ft in air". Thanks!

