This vehicle was developed by Franky Zapata, former world jet ski champion, and represents an evolution of the flyboard. It's a kind of flying board propelled by four gas turbines.

The Flyboard Air is considered the safest, easiest and most manageable personal aviation system ever created.
If you want to pilot it, you only need a helmet and a hand controller to manage direction and altitude. It's a very independent vehicle as the pilot handles all the steering.

Zapata company began with Franky Zapata's passion for speed. In 1998 he started manufacturing parts that made jet skis faster. That wasn't enough for Franky Zapata and in 2013 he began a new project that resulted in the Zapata Flyboard.
The maximum speed the Flyboard Air can reach is 160 kilometres per hour at an altitude of 150 metres. Flight duration can be between 6 and 10 minutes; and the maximum weight capacity is 100 kilos.

Currently only Franky Zapata can operate the Flyboard Air. Being a prototype, it still needs refinement.
The vehicle is controlled through a handheld device carried by the pilot. It's simple to use and designed to be operated by anyone without prior training.

Now you can ride a flyboard, so if you're interested have a look at flyboard deals in Spain.
How does it work?
The Flyboard Air is quite safe, the system works with four turbines beneath the board that help propel it upwards. The fuel is stored in a pack on the pilot's back.
Balance is managed by a complex electronic system to prevent the pilot from losing control and to maintain altitude. They use the same electronic system needed to stabilise a drone.

If one engine were to fail there wouldn't be any problem as the other three could be used. The onboard computer and the pilot's manual controls assist if there's any issue with the propulsion. If two of the four turbines fail, the Flyboard Air descends to the ground safely and in a controlled manner.

This sport is becoming increasingly popular on beaches. We can already see competitions like the Flyboard World Cup, which means this sport is even being used for competitive events.
