Thomas Senkel travels above Spain’s Canary Islands in his flying electric scooter and electric paraglider, the Skyrdier One. He believes that the maiden flight was the first ever made by an electric two-wheeled vehicle. (Image: forschungsbuero via YouTube)
Thomas Senkel is a bit of an adrenaline junkie. How else would you classify a person who builds and flies an electric scooter attached to a canopy?
Senkel recently took flight in his prototype, named the Skyrider One, for approximately 46 minutes above Spain’s Canary Islands. Senkel thinks, according to a report by Gizmag, that the prototype’s maiden voyage marks the first instance of an electric two-wheeler taking flight.
“All other powered paragliders I know come with three or four wheels and a combustion engine,” he told Gizmag.
The Skyrider One prototype features an 8 hp motor used to power the rear wheel. A 17 hp prop motor powers a simple propeller at the scooter’s rear. The scooter is equipped with either one or two 3 kWh lithium polymer batteries. Skyrider One has a range of roughly 75 miles on the road or 30 minutes of flight with two batteries. It can travel 37 mph on the ground. When it’s time to fly, the rider lets out the tandem paraglider canopy.
Senkel views Skyrider One as an easy to use, pollution-free vehicle.
“You can drive to your airstrip, fly to somewhere, and drive home after landing,” reads the description provided on the Skyrider’s official YouTube video. “With all electric drive, it is quiet and doesn’t make any pollution. It can be used in areas, where combustion engines are not allowed. And two wheels are enough, no need for more. Take off and landing is easy with some help of your feet.”
Senkel is currently seeking business associates who can help to market and bring Skyrider One to market.
Filed Under: Rapid prototyping
