Fly Over Water, Ice, Mud, Sand, Snow, Grass.....
These amphibious vehicles allow you to hover over any flat surface, including water, ice, snow, sand, mud, grass._HovPod
The HovPod is a powerful and versatile multi-terrain vehicle capable of carrying 3 adults. If equipped with special outriggers it could even travel over treacherous glaciers and sea ice.Powered by a 120 HP 4 stroke http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stroke Weber engine which offers greater performance and range, the SPX 120 hovers at a height of 9-inches over any flat surface, including water, ice, snow, sand, mud or grass and can reach speeds approaching 50mph on water. It's also buoyant enough to take over a ton in weight before water ingresses into the hull, making it suitable for commercial, patrol and rescue use. _GizmagIt should be easily trailerable, for transport anywhere the fun or the job may be.
The hovercraft concept is ripe for innovations. Innovations in the HovPod models--including a built-in buoyancy composite layer--make it much more functional under a wider array of circumstances. The addition of an airfoil--perhaps an inflatable airfoil--would further widen the range of applications possible for the craft. In my opinion, development on this type of craft is just beginning.
Labels: adventure toys, amphibious vehicles, multifunctional
posted by al fin at 9:08 am
5 Comments:
Fascinating! I wonder how the ability to navigate shorter distances than road traffic compares to the energy efficiency of wheel on pavement or train track. For quick river crossings the amphibious nature might make it a better choice than either traveling long distances to a bridge or using boats then switching to cars. At any rate, I suspect that the number of niche applications such as rescue, recreation, science/industrial prospecting (getting to remote locations) will justify the development of such a craft.
Military insertion of special forces (human, robotic and equipment) would also be of interest. A sub that could move up a river to surface and release such a craft at night might be able to enable missions that could evade the radar that would otherwise complicate airborne insertions.
Also, the fact that it hovers means that it can be used over grass (at least short lawn type, maybe wild grasslands) and wetlands and can enable transportation links with less ecological impact than ordinary roads. It might even leave rodent burrows under snow packs mostly undisturbed.
Now roads are not all negative from an ecological point of view. The sudden transition from forest to open area provide niches for transition species (both plant and animal) and thus increase biodiversity. Even large animals like deer and moose can sometimes benefit since roads are so noisy and unpleasant environments for predators like bears that some species have taken to giving birth near roads since they know the bears don't like these areas. But since there are also road kill issues and a loss of biomass production from asphalt, being able to connect regions with transport links using fewer road might be ecologically beneficial.
Another interesting type of ground effect vehicle is the type of aircraft that flies only at 10 to 30 feet over the ground due to the better flight characteristics at very low altitudes. Such craft could fly over low hills, small trees, and rougher terrain and ocean than hovercraft.
the general advancement of material science and manufacturing techniques seems to be making many forms of new vehicles possible. Small, private submarines, hybrids of ultralight aircraft and boats that can let people fly from lake to lake in isolated wilderness areas, and robotic transport aircraft that can move medical samples or other small cargo from place to place regardless of infrastructure links.
I don't think anyone is truly aware of the impact this redistribution of power will have on society. How do you ban smuggling when a small robot can deliver medications, recreational drugs, duty free booze, guns or what have you to your backyard? Or they could drop it down your chimney if it is Christmas.
How expensive will even imperfect immigration control become if someone can build a vehicle from a kit that can fly them and a passenger across fences and deserts at night? Will adventurous people even bother getting passports if some guy can deliver then to a nations coast via submarine? They can do some backpacking, partying and bar fighting and then leave the country without ever using a real name.
I am not saying that none of these activities can be stopped using technologies and money but what financial and political price are we willing to pay?
Yes. Smuggling will get easier. Just like information transfer is almost impossible to stop now.
Pocket tyrannies like Cuba, North Korea, Myanmar, Iran, KSA, etc. will be harder to control as new technologies of real and virtual travel, smuggling, egress, and ingress become more available.
Neo-Soviets like Putin, and Neo-Socialists like Obama, will find it very difficult to implement their hyper-statist crap as time goes on.
The key to the great escape from statist control is the provision of all the needs and desires of humans apart from governments. The great shadow society.
You have a fine mind, Baron. Consider the creation of such a society, how it might work.
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