ET may have pioneered the flying bicycle 30 years ago, but a pair of British inventors hope their new foldaway green flying cycle will capture the imagination of investors and the public.
The £10,000 biofuel-powered bike will reach 15mph on land or 25mph in the air, with the designers claiming it will reach heights of 4,000ft.
Designers John Foden and Yannick Read are looking to generate £50,000 via social fundraising site Kickstarter to pay for the finalised design and production of the paravelo, after spending the last two years developing a prototype for the project.
“The Wright brothers were former bicycle mechanics so there’s a real connection between cycling and the birth of powered flight that’s recaptured in the spirit of the paravelo,” said Foden.
The folding bike docks with a trailer which features a flexible wing and starter for the 249cc biofuel-powered motor, and will be able to fly for up to three hours at a time.
The designers, who have until August 15 to raise the money on Kickstarter, believe the bike has a number of practical values, including aerial reconnaissance for parks and forests.
Watch the paravelo in action below: