From Pedals to Propellers, Czech Flying Bike Takes Shape

Forget about sharing the road. A bunch of Czech engineers and hobbyists have proposed a flying bicycle that can float above the pavement thanks to a quartet of battery-powered propellers.

Using only off-the-shelf components, the Design Your Dreams team turned what had originally been an e-bike concept into a two-wheeled multicopter, which should be capable of vertical takeoffs and landings and up to five minutes of flight.

Thrust for liftoff comes from several horizontal propellers. In total, there’s 50 kW of electric motors on board, powering two main propellers and two stabilizers. Lithium-polymer batteries are stored on the bike’s lightweight frame, and the total setup weighs just 187 pounds. That’s a heck of a lot more than that carbon fiber Trek you were checking out at the local bike shop, but the Trek probably won’t fly.