Dubai Police to get flying bikes soon

Dubai Police start training sessions for new aerial motorcycles | Image Credit: Hoversurf

Dubai: Police hunting crooks on hoverbikes will not be seen as a fantasy anymore. In a recent attempt, Dubai police have started training on flying motorbikes developed by Californian startup Hoversurf. Back in 2017, they signed a deal with Dubai Police and the first production unit of the 2019 S3 Hoverbike has been gifted to the police force.

The general director of Dubai Police’s AI unit, Brigadier Khalid Nasser Alrazooqi, has said that this electrical vertical take-off and landing vehicle (eVTOL) will be in force by 2020.

The Hoverbike boasts some pretty outlandish specs for a vehicle of its calibre. Weighing just 115kg and a total thrust of 364kg, this flying motorbike is no joke. It has a max speed of 97km/h and can fly with a pilot for around 10-25 minutes. As a drone, it can fly for up to 40 minutes. It can hover up to 5 metres above, and takes nearly 3 hours to charge. When it finally goes on sale, it will cost within the region of $150,000.

Brigadier Alrazooqi went on to say that Dubai Police had “two crews already training, and we’re increasing that number.”

Here’s the flying motorbike in action:

Reacting to the news, many Twitteratis felt its unsafe for police to ride on it. 

I can’t help feeling prop guards would be a sensible idea for the safety of both pilot and public.

— Simon Merton (@SimonRMerton) November 10, 2018

Some also raised concerns about public safety. 

The blades need to be encased in some sort of covering or there are going to be injuries to passersby.

— MelissaBishop (@melissabishop) November 10, 2018

The new crime-fighting “hoverbike” was part of the remarkable display of advanced technology unveiled by Dubai Police at the Gitex Technology Week 2018.

“It works on electricity and can fly at 5 metres height and carry a policeman during emergency situations and heavy traffic. The bike can also fly without a passenger and can go up to 96km/h. It can fly for 25 minutes with a pilot and for 40 minutes when controlled by an operator,” Brigadier Al Razooqi said earlier in Gitex week.

The hoverbike can be used for quick response to traffic accidents and emergencies. Nevertheless, this seems like popped out of fantasy book and some are thrilled to see such innovation in action. 

What are your thoughts? Share it in the comments below.