Written by: Dave Owen

It's a plane/boat/hovercraft hybrid

There are always new forms of transport emerging that promise to radically alter how we traverse the globe, but the FlyShip is one of the more promising prospects.

The German-engineered craft uses state-of-the-art technology to hover just above water level, and can reach speeds over 155mph. The team behind it promises the FlyShip will revolutionise how we travel across oceans.

The FlyShip is able to hover above land and water by creating a cushion of air under the ‘reversed delta wings,’ which propels it from the ground.

“Instead of utilising a static air cushion underneath the hull and wings, FlyShip is mastering the physics of the ground effect,” says Daniel Schindler of FlyShip. “Our vessels are riding on a dynamic air cushion which is produced by ram air under the reversed delta wings, lifting the body hull.”

It is primarily being developed as a maritime transport vehicle to move cargo. It could transport loads at 155mph, compared to the 46mph of most container ships.

Yet it could also be used as a commercial passenger vehicle, as FlyShip claims the vessel is cheaper than planes. They say that an Airbus A318 jet liner, as used by British Airways, costs around £50 million. A FlyShip FS-100 – the concept model – costs around £26 million.

The concept vehicle also has a similar cabin capacity to a typical A318 at around 100 seats. The FlyShip is about 121ft long, has a wingspan of 131ft, and a cabin space area of 1,500 square feet.

Perhaps most importantly, it consumes only 270 litres of fuel per hour, compared to the 3,300 litres per hour consumed by jet liners, making it much cheaper to operate.

So, only time will tell if FlyShip is genuinely revolutionary travel tech, or another concept just a little too good to be true.