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Have Hovercraft, Won't Travel

by Tim Stevens on April 9, 2007 at 12:00 PM


While previous personal hovercraft attempts have looked like they'd inflict anything from broken limbs to certain death upon the operator, British inventor Geoff Hatton's new design almost certainly prevents that, if only because his vehicle actually too small to ride. However, if the mini-hovercraft's military aspirations come to fruition, it might be responsible for bringing a little pain to the bad guys. His design merges helicopter with hovercraft tech, resulting in a small package capable of flying high while remaining compact and stable. It's potentially the perfect Unarmed Arial Vehicle, providing portable recon for ground-based troops so that they'll always know what's around the next bend.

While the U.K.'s Ministry of Defense passed on the device, our own U.S. Army has apparently shown plenty of interest. Meanwhile, inventor Hatton suggests a range of domestic uses, from search and rescue to crop investigation. Might we suggest high-tech piñata?

From Engadget (via Daily Mail)

Tags: Hovercraft, UAV

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