Franky Zapata, the man who invented the jet-powered Flyboard Air, set a new world record on Saturday for the farthest flight by a hoverboard. Taking off along the coast of Sausset-les-Pins, near Marseille, France, Zapata flew the hoverboard for 2,252 meters (7,388 feet), far surpassing the previous mark set by Canadian inventor Catalin Alexandru Duru. His company, Zapata Racing, has just released video from Saturday's flight, providing a closer look at Zapata's noisy takeoff, and his triumphant landing.
Zapata became an internet sensation last month after a video of him flying the Flyboard Air went viral. Unlike the original Flyboard, which tethers to the turbine of a personal watercraft, the Flyboard Air flies autonomously for up to ten minutes, using what Zapata Racing calls an "Independent Propulsion Unit." The company has said it can reach a height of 10,000 feet, with a maximum speed of 93 miles per hour.
"It's an amazing sensation, it's really peaceful," Zapata told The Verge, when asked what it felt like to ride the Flyboard Air. "I open my arms because it helps me control my movements, but when you open your hands and you feel the wind go through your hand and you have nothing under your feet — it's hard to describe, really. You have to experience this moment in your life."
For more details about the Flyboard Air, and Zapata's vision for its future, see our coverage of Saturday's flight.
Update May 2nd, 9:58AM ET: Zapata racing has released an alternate, more heavily produced video of the record-setting flight, which you can see below. (H/T Emma Berg)