This flying Airbike straight out of “Star Wars” is already creating a buzz

For decades, “Star Wars” speeder bikes seemed reserved for science fiction. A Polish inventor now claims to have transformed this fantasy into reality with a flying machine marketed for nearly $900,000.

Have you always dreamed of racing at full speed on a speeder bike, like Luke Skywalker in “Star Wars VI: Return of the Jedi,” on the forest moon of Endor? Good news: what was still pure fiction during filming in 1983 has now become reality. Your dream could even soon come true – provided you have the necessary financial means.

Polish inventor and entrepreneur Tomasz Patan has indeed designed a means of flying transport called “Airbike”, which is strongly reminiscent of the “Speeder Bike 74-Z”, one of the cult vehicles from the Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi universe. Here’s what it looks like:

According to his website, Tomasz Patan has been working on his “Airbike” for some time. About a year ago, he started teasing his progress on social media and YouTube. On May 4, he published the most recent video of his flying machine, largely inspired by the “Star Wars” universe. Result: the sequence immediately went viral.

May 4 is considered International “Star Wars” Day, due to one of the most famous lines from the saga: “May the Force be with you” in English. The expression “May the Force” is indeed very similar to “May the Fourth”, which means “May 4” in English.

Tomasz Patan also wants to make his invention commercially accessible. Under the Volonaut brand, it markets the Airbike on the internet. Announced price: 880,000 US dollars. The device can currently be pre-ordered.

Interested parties must first pay a non-refundable deposit of $2,000. A second stage then provides for the payment of an additional deposit of 80,000 dollars. The remaining $798,000 must be paid when the Airbike is ready. The website does not, however, specify when the first models can be delivered.

How does the Airbike work?

The site, however, provides several technical details on the operation of the machine. The Airbike would fly using jet propulsion and would be easy to pilot thanks to a specially developed stabilization system, supplemented by a flight computer. The site, however, contains conflicting information regarding its maximum speed. In one place, it says 200 km/h, while a few scrolls further down, the maximum speed displayed drops to 102 km/h.

According to these indications, the Airbike would “only” fly at a maximum of 102 kilometers per hour.Image: screenshot volonaut

The Airbike would also be seven times lighter than a conventional motorcycle thanks to “advanced carbon fiber materials, 3D printing and a minimalist approach”. Its empty weight would only be 30 kilos. Small downside, however, regarding autonomy: with a full tank – the machine runs on kerosene or diesel – it could only fly for around ten minutes, according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Good point nonetheless: refueling could be done in less than a minute.

No flight permit required

In the United States, no additional authorization, pilot license or special permit would be necessary to use the Airbike, says Tomasz Patan. The vehicle would meet all Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements and would be considered an ultralight aircraft.

The Volonaut Airbike is not Tomasz Patan’s first project.Image: screenshot linkedin

According to several media, the Polish handyman has already participated in the development of another ultralight flying device called “Jetson One”. Here too, despite its high price, the project seems to have aroused strong interest: hundreds of pre-orders have already been registered. Jetson said last year that this was a clear sign of growing interest in personal air mobility.

(translated and adapted by mbr)

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