The dream of many fans of Star Wars, apart from riding those space fighters and destroyers, is to ride of a more planet-bound Hoverbike. Seen in Episode VI: Return of The Jedi, the Hoverbike was used by Imperial troopers in the Battle of Endor, a decisive Rebel Alliance victory which led to the deaths of Palpatine and Darth Vader.

For those who dreamed of riding a Hoverbike, it may just happen soon, especially if they belong to the U.S. Military. UK-based Malloy Aeronautics and U.S.-based SURVICE were joined Maryland Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford at the Paris Airshow to announce that they are joining forces to develop Hoverbike for the U.S. Department Defense.

Malloy Aeronautics is developing the Hoverbike technology with prototypes available to prove it. It is also had a successful Kickstarter funding campaign to raise funds for the 1/3 scale drone of their Hoverbike.

Their objective in developing the Hoverbike is simple: to combine the simplicity of a motorbike and the freedom of a helicopter to create the world’s first flying motorcycle. Anyone would love to see them succeed and with the U.S. Defense Department backing this joint venture with SURVICE, the chances of having the full working Hoverbike just got even more real.

The Americans see the value in the Mally Aeronautics Hoverbike.  According to Reuters, the adducted rotors make it safe to use as it people and property are protected in case they get bumped. They can be used to carry troops over rough various terrain and cheaper than a helicopter. It is also manoeuvrable as it can go in tight areas where the choppers can't go in. Since it can be manned or unmanned, it can be used to supply troops at the frontlines using remote control technology. For now, the development of the Hoverbike is part of the Tactical Reconnaissance Vehicle (TRV) program.

Whilst this cooperation is about developing full-scale models of the Hoverbike before building a military-grade version, Malloy Aeronautics can work on developing a commercial model for their Hoverbike. With the funding U.S. Defense Department, the company can implement whatever improvements to their technology for civilian purposes. Hopefully, this becomes a success and who knows we might see airsofters going to milsim events riding hoverbikes in the future.

Press release below the video:

LT. GOVERNOR RUTHERFORD ANNOUNCES MARYLAND, U.K.  COMPANIES HAVE TEAMED UP ON NEW HOVERBIKE TECHNOLOGY

U.K.-based Malloy Aeronautics opens office in Maryland

ANNAPOLIS, MD (June 16, 2015) – At the Paris Air Show, Maryland Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford joined with SURVICE Engineering Co., a Belcamp, Md.-based defense firm, and U.K.-based Malloy Aeronautics, an aeronautical engineering firm, to announce that the two companies have teamed up on the development of Hoverbike technology for the U.S. Department of Defense. SURVICE and Malloy are working on the Hoverbike as part of an ongoing research and development contract with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory. The Hoverbike is being developed to operate as a new class of Tactical Reconnaissance Vehicle (TRV).

As part of this strategic alliance, Malloy Aeronautics has also announced that they have established a U.S. office in Belcamp adjacent to Aberdeen Proving Ground to complete work on the Hoverbike. A model of the Hoverbike is on display at the Paris Air Show, which runs through June 21.

“I am pleased to join with SURVICE Engineering and Malloy Aeronautics to announce their partnership on the Hoverbike, which represents a new frontier in aviation,” said Lt. Governor Rutherford. “We are also very excited to welcome Malloy and look forward to working with them to grow their operations in Maryland.”

“Establishing an office in Maryland was a clear business decision,” said Chris Malloy, managing director of Malloy Aeronautics. “The proximity to the Army Research Laboratory and U.S. defense decision makers, access to the world-class facilities through the laboratory’s Open Campus initiative, and the co-location with our strategic business partner, SURVICE Engineering, were all factors in favor of Maryland as the best choice for Malloy Aeronautics.”

“Maryland companies do a tremendous amount of research and development (R&D) for the U.S. military,” said Jeff Foulk, SURVICE chief executive officer. “If there is a new military technology being developed, there’s a good chance that some aspect was designed, built or tested in Maryland.”

With about 400 employees, SURVICE is a specialty engineering firm that has been providing R&D support for the U.S. Department of Defense and other industry sectors for more than 30 years. Formed in 2012, Malloy Aeronautics is an entrepreneurial aerospace company that develops, markets, and sells drones and Hoverbike technology to commercial and military markets.

The U.S. Army Research Laboratory is the nation’s premier laboratory for land forces and is part of the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, which has the mission to develop technology and engineering solutions for America’s Soldiers.  RDECOM is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Materiel Command.