12 Tech Inventions From Star Wars That Already Exist Today
2. Speeder Bikes
As with previous items in this list, the answers to "Do we have speeder bikes yet?" are "Sort of; it's in development" and "We've mimicked the effect but with different tech". But that's sort of fair enough because Star Wars speeders are allegedly lifted by antigravity gear, which is one thing we're really not capable of creating right now and might not be for decades. So, the clever people at Malloy Aeronautics are developing an alternative; hoverbikes that use the same concept as drones and helicopters. High powered propellers provide a down force that lifts the vehicle off the ground and allows it to hover. The team have already built a prototype that is a third of the size of the final product and it all seems to be going well. The American military are apparently very interested. The technology is very much in its early stages at the moment but, with enough funding, we could be flitting through forests on the back of our speeders in no time at all.
Peter Austin initially joined WhatCulture as an occasional contributor to our Film, Gaming and Science sections, but made the mistake of telling us that he'd been making videos in his bedroom for over a decade. Since then he's been a vital member of our YouTube team and routinely sets the standard for smart-casual wear in the office.
