Could this be true...? I find it hard to believe that Zapata's 'flyboard' may exist at all...
However, it has been awarded a Guinness record, so it must be real...
http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com...est-hoverboard-flight-record-in-france-427011
A rough calculation shows that at least 400 kW would be needed just to keep the 'flyboard' hovering, with Mr Zapata on board. That's roughly in line with the 1000 hp mentioned, in several internet sources, as the power figure for the 'independent power unit'...
To my knowledge, turbojets so small and powerful simply don't exist. Apparently, the inventor says that he uses four units with 250 hp each...
Besides, stability control would be hard to achieve in a turbojet-driven platform so small in size. Turbines, are notoriously slow to respond. Small turbines may be better, but the spinning mass is still important, and the revs are extremely high. Multicopters are easy to control, because they have several low-inertia propellers, independently driven with electric motors, that have a comparatively short response time. Perhaps that flyboard uses exhaust vanes, as the V-2 missile, but that would add to the size of the turbojets...
Any comments...?