Holy Hoverboards! Man Flies 1.4 Miles on "Back to the Future" Device

Franky Zapata, a French jet skier, set a Guinness World Record by traveling 7,388 ft (about 1.4 miles) on a hoverboard at a height of 164 ft off the coast of Sausset-les-Pins in southern France.

A video of the record can be viewed here. It easily bests the previous mark of 905 ft set by Canadian Catalin Alexandru Duru last year.

Zapata developed his skateboard-like device, which he calls the Flyboard Air, as part of his Zapata Racing company. He claims the personal mobility system can fly for as long as 10 minutes and reach a top speed and height of 93 mph and 10,000 ft, respectively.

Earlier last month, Zapata posted a video of a previous test run that left some people questioning the authenticity of the technology because it looked so unbelievable. About 200 people attended the record-setting run, including journalists and Guinness representatives.

Unlike Zapata’s original Flyboard device, which was tethered to a personal watercraft turbine via a long hose, the Flyboard Air has its own self-contained propulsion unit. It took four years to develop the new system, including its advanced control algorithms, Zapata tells The Verge.

The new system consists of four 250-hp turbine engines, which are fueled by Jet A1 kerosene carried in a tank strapped to the rider's back. Two other engines placed on both sides of the board are used for stabilization. Riders turn by shifting their weight and use a wi-fi-enabled hand remote—with triple redundancies—to control the engines' throttles.

The 37-year-old Zapata, who previously held a record for the most backflips (26) with a water jet pack in one minute, describes riding the Flyboard Air as an “amazing, peaceful” sensation. The inventor says he is working to extend the system’s flight range and make it easier to control—he currently recommends about 50 hours of training with the base Flyboard water propulsion system before attempting the Flyboard Air.

Zapata says he’s been approached by several companies (Ford is listed as one of his sponsors) about potential commercial applications. He envisions the device initially being used by emergency responders and possibly to help combat terrorism in densely populated areas.

Hoverboards were made famous in the film Back to the Future II in which Michael J. Fox's Marty McFly character used one after time travelling 30 years into the future to 2015. In recent years, several inventors and companies have demonstrated prototype hoverboards—including Toyota’s Lexus brand last year—but Zapata’s Flyboard Air appears to take the performance capabilties to a new level.