Fly to work or school, or even into the wilderness on a camping trip. That is the promise if a new parachute-equipped bike product comes to market.

It’s currently seeking funding online to the tune of £50,000. If the brand, the U.K.-based XploreAir, gets the money it plans to bring the flying bike — called the Paravelo — to market.

XploreAir calls it “a brand new type of ultra-light aircraft — the combination of a para-wing and a bicycle.” It works with a parachute and a large fan to power its forward motion. You pedal the bike to get to a destination, and then with the fan on and the parachute lofted the bike can take off. Land on your wheels and hit the brakes to stop, the parachute deflating into the grass.

Its air speed is only 25mph, but it can fly up to 4,000 feet high. No license is required to fly it, XploreAir cites. See more about the concept in this video below and on XploreAir’s Kickstarter page. We’re game for a test of this bike as soon as we can take control! —Stephen Regenold

tagged: crowdfunding see all Technology posts

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