French Inventor Impressively Hovers over Bastille Day Parade on Flyboard
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Could the future of France and the world's military units include individual rifle-holding hoverboard troops? French President Emmanuel Macron and other EU leaders looked overhead as French entrepreneur and inventor, Franky Zapata, flew on a flyboard over the Champs-Elysées during the annual Bastille Day parade.
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During his flight, Zapata donned a makeshift or unloaded rifle, a possible sign of future military use.
Fier de notre armée, moderne et innovante. pic.twitter.com/DQvIfPolQf
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) July 14, 2019
Futuristic Military Flyboard
Former jet-skiing champion, Franky Zapata, created the flying device, and according to France24, he held the rifle as a potential sign of the flyboard's potential military use.
French Armed Forces Minister, Florence Parly, told France Inter radio that it "Can allow tests for different kinds of uses, for example as a flying logistical platform, or, indeed, as an assault platform."
Zapata first created the invention for use over water, and says that the flyboard can reach speeds of up to 118 mph, and fly for 10 minutes.
Channel crossing
Before the flyboard can be used in any potential military environment, it first needs to increase its flight time.
Zapata has been working on improving this part of his flyboard. In an attempt at combining historical and futuristic inventions all at the same time, the French inventor is contemplating flying the flyboard across the English Channel.
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