Looking like something out of Star Wars or Back to the Future movies, the Aero-X certainly grabs your attention and imagination. Besides looking like a contraption constructed by an eccentric inventor, it occupies a niche between ground and aerial vehicles, which might throw up some very interesting application areas.
Don't get too ahead of yourselves yet though. It comes out into the market at $80k in 2017 and there seems to be a few power/safety issues that need to be ironed out before then. Would fuel cell technology offer a solution to this?
It will be interesting to see if the company can overcome some of the well-known limitations of rotary engines. Mazda was one leading car-maker that used them, in their RX line of vehicles, but in general they have proven to be difficult to make clean and fuel efficient, and they need scrupulous regular maintenance to avoid engine failures. (Mazda has since stopped rotary engine car sales, as they could not meet emissions standards).
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140623-the-real-life-hoverbike
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