How About A Flying Hovercraft

 

If you’re an outdoors fan, and you’re looking for a better way to get around over water and land, you have to check out the Flying Hovercraft by Universal. Most hovercraft elevate just a few inches above the water and barely skim over the surface. The flying hovercraft is different.

Leveraging the aeronautic principal known as the “ground effect”, the flying hovercraft glides over water and land at a cruising altitude of 2 to 6 feet and can fly at speeds of 75 mph and more. The good news is that operating a flying vehicle in “ground-effect” does not require a pilots license. But you will need to register the flying hovercraft as a boat.

The flying hovercraft presents interesting possibilities for many commercial applications and is a great idea for the tourism industry if you want to offer outdoor enthusiasts a new and different experience.

The integrated wings enable the hovercraft to literally fly over water and land. Powered by a 130 horsepower twin-cylinder, turbocharged and fuel-injected, liquid-cooled gasoline engine. Propelled by a 60 inch wood and carbon composite propeller and an 1,100 RPM 34 inch lift fan inflates the durable vinyl-coated nylon skirt to hover above the ground.

The flying hovercraft can operate in fresh and saltwater environments and can maneuver over sand, grass, mud, swamp, desert, ice and snow at up to 30 percent inclines. The wings and horizontal elevator allow the pilot to literally hop over land or water based obstacles with the ability for brief 20 foot high jumps. These types of obstacles are usually insurmountable for normal or typical hovercraft,

You pilot the flying hovercraft with a joystick that controls three vertical rudders and the elevator. A twist friction-lock throttle controls forward speed. And a variable drive system controls the lift fan for hovering. You break or slow the hovercraft by lowering the lift fan RPMs which will cause the vehicle to come to rest on the Kevlar composite landing skids.

The flying hovercraft, with a low center of gravity and lighter weight composite fiberglass/PVC hull, can operate in winds as high as 25 mph and can navigate waves as high as 6 feet when in flight.

The two nine-gallon gasoline tanks hold enough fuel to enable a 160 mile range, and the flying hovercraft can support pilot and passenger payloads of up to 600 pounds. Dimensions are 19 feet in length, by 7 feet 8 inches wide, by 6 feet 6 inches high, and weighs 1,100 pounds.

At $190,000, the flying hovercraft may be out of reach for most people, but if you have the budget, this fun outdoor gadget will undoubtedly draw lots of attention and place you in a class of your own.

Available: Hammacher

Price: $190,000

Celestron Ultima 100 – 45 Degree Spotting Scope

 

If you’re not familiar with spotting scopes, these useful optical devices fall somewhere between binoculars and an astronomical telescope, probably a little closer to a telescope than a binocular. Designed in a more compact and portable form, a spotting scope is optimized for viewing terrestrial objects and has additional optics to present the viewing image right-side-up.Typically, refractor and some reflector telescopes will orient the image upside down and you need an extra attachment called an “erect image prism diagonal” to present the image right-side-up (but usually reversed left-to-right). A “spotting scope” already has this image orientation correcting ability built in.

The Celestron Ultima 100 – 45 Degree Spotting Scope is one of the very best you can buy with superior optics and magnification power. The Celestron Ultima 100 has a 100mm aperture (3.95 inches) which means 50 percent brighter images (allows more light in) that the Celestron 80mm model. The additional light that the larger aperture can collect also means better performance in low light conditions. Spotting scope models more commonly have smaller objective diameters, usually between 50mm and 80mm (2.0 to 3.1 inches) which means less light. The Celestron Ultima 100 has one of the largest objective diameters available.

The Celestron Ultima 100 – 45 Degree Spotting Scope is manufactured with top quality multi-coated optics and housed in a sturdy and durable refractor design. The spotting scope comes with a standard 22x to 66x zoom eyepiece. The high-quality waterproof construction is safe to use in even the most extreme weather conditions. And the convenient, easy-to-use portable scope also comes with a soft protective carrying case.

People use spotting scopes for all kinds of applications including observing nature. Serious bird lovers and outdoor enthusiasts often prefer using a high-quality spotting scope over binoculars for better and more precise remote distance viewing.  Other typical spotting scope applications include target shooting (marksmen use spotting scopes on target ranges to avoid walking to the target to verify the placement of hits), and astronomy.

Celestron Ultima 100 – 45 Degree Spotting Scope Features

• Ultima 22-66 x 100 Refractor Spotting Scope
• Weight: (approximate) 4.50 pounds
• Optical Tube Length: 19 inches
• Magnification: 22x to 66x
• Angular Field of View: 1.8° to 1° Real
• Objective Diameter: 100 mm (3.95 inches)
• Includes a protective soft carrying case
• Waterproof design, protected from the elements in extreme weather conditions
• Eye Relief 18 mm
• Linear Field of View: 95 ft  to 53 ft @ 1000 yards
• 45° viewing angle
• 22-66x zoom eyepiece
• Sight tube for quick targeting
• Camera Adaptable: built-in t-thread on eyepiece allows you to attach a digital camera adapter and use your favorite digital camera with your spotting scope to take spectacular photographs (adapter is optional, not included)
• Tripod Adaptable: has mounting attachment to easily attach a tripod to the spotting scope (tripod not included)
• No fault manufacturer’s warranty

The Celestron Ultima 100 – 45 Degree Spotting Scope has been designed to out-perform the competition in a full range of viewing situations and will provide almost every outdoor enthusiast with a terrific all-around optical instrument.

Available: Buy.com

GoPro HD HERO2 Camera Outdoor Edition

 

The GoPro HD HERO2 Camera is fast becoming the hottest deal in outdoor action and sports wearable video cameras. When it comes to action and sports cams, more sports filmmakers, professional athletes and outdoor action enthusiasts choose GoPro cameras over any other camera out there.

If you’re a fan of the GoPro HD HERO then you’re going to love the GoPro HD HERO2 Camera hands down! The HD HERO2 Outdoor Edition improves on the original GoPro HD HERO in a number of ways.

GoPro HD HERO2 improvements over the HD HERO

• Easy to decipher language-based LCD readout replaces the previous tedious and difficult to understand codes.
• Still images up to 11 megapixel
• Full 170º, Medium 127º, Narrow 90º FOV in 1080p and 720p HD Video
• Enhanced 2X faster image sensor
• Faster and sharper glass lens to match the faster image sensor
• New 10 frames per second still photo mode
• 30 FPS up to 120 FPS (frames per second)
• HDMI out
• 3.5mm Stereo External Microphone Input

The GoPro HD HERO2 Outdoor Edition Camera is wearable and gear mountable, waterproof to a depth of 197 feet (60m), and able to capture stunning 170º wide angle 1080p HD video and 11 megapixel still photos at an incredible rate of 10 photos per second. Professionals and amature video photographers alike are turning to the GoPro HD HERO2 camera to capture unbelievably great outdoor action footage like never before.

Watch Some Cool Footage Shot 100% With the GoPro HD HERO2 Camera

But don’t say I didn’t warn you … you’re gonna want one of these cameras!

 

More GoPro HD HERO2 Camera Cool Features

• 11MP image sensor
• Full Wide 170º, Medium 127º, and Narrow 90º FOV (Field of View) in 1080p and 720p HD video
• Professional Low Light Performance
• 11MP, 8MP and 5MP Photos with Full 170º and Medium 127º FOV
• 10 Photos Per Second Burst
• 1 Photo Every 0.5 Seconds Time-Lapse Mode
• Natural and High Wind Audio Modes

Coming up in March 2012, GoPro is going to introduce two brand new BackPac’s that will make the camera even more amazing. The Wi-Fi BacPac will enable wireless camera control with preview and playback from your smartphone along with the downloadable GoPro app. And you’ll be able to stream live video to the Internet over Wi-Fi.

Additionally, the Wi-Fi Remote BacPac will enable longer range wireless remote control of up to 50 GoPro HD HERO2 cameras simultaneously for some amazing multi-camera array footage. The good news is that the GoPro HD HERO2 camera available today is already fully compatible with the Wi-Fi BacPac and the Wi-Fi Remote BacPac when they release in March.

GoPro HD HERO2 Camera – What Comes In The Box

• 11MP HD HERO2 Camera
• Waterproof Housing (197ft / 60m)
•  HD Skeleton Backdoor
• Rechargeable Li-ion Battery
• USB Cable
• Vented Helmet Strap
• Head Strap
• 2 Curved Surface Adhesive Mounts
• 2 Flat Surface Adhesive Mounts
• Three-Way Pivot Arm
• Assorted Mounting Hardware

There’s actually three editions of the GoPro HD HERO2; the outdoor edition featured here, the Motorsports edition and the Surf edition. The three different editions are based on the same HD HERO2 Camera, just different combinations of mounting hardware, straps and harnesses which you can pickup separately anyway if you want to expand your kit.

So what are you waiting for? Be a hero today with a GoPro HD HERO2 Camera.

Available: Amazon

Price: $280.00

The Path Illuminating Umbrella

 

An all too common approach behind the innovation of new gadget inventions is frequently the hybrid combination of two seemingly unrelated gizmos to form a new kind of gizmo. Usually the outcome is more of a novelty and takes on a silly Rube Goldberg characteristic. But once in a while the combination of two useful gadgets actually does produce a new and useful combination gadget. That “useful combination gadget” would be the case with the new Path Illuminating Umbrella from Hammacher Schlemmer.

The Path Illuminating Umbrella has a flashlight built into the handle that lights up your path during dark and rainy walks. When you need a flashlight to light your way and an umbrella at the same time to protect you from the rain, the Path Illuminating Umbrella is a convenient solution to free up your other hand if you need to carry a package or parcel. The LED flashlight at the end of the umbrella handle articulates upt to 180 degrees (with a maximum of 90 degrees perpendicular to the umbrella’s fiberglass shaft), lighting up the walkway up to 30 feet in front of you.

The flashlight component of the Path Illuminating Umbrella consists of three bright white LEDs that provide 100 lumens of light output. And remember, with the Hammacher Schlemmer lifetime guarantee, you are always assured of the finest quality. This sturdy umbrella includes a durable and light-weight fiberglass shaft and corrosion-resistant fiberglass ribs and spreaders that support the 60 inch nylon gust-resistant umbrella canopy.

The Path Illuminating Umbrella includes three AAA batteries that provide up to 48 hours of continuous flashlight use. Now a combination umbrella and flashlight, that’s a simple and useful idea!

Available: Hammacher

Price: $39.95

The Advanced Intelligence Telescope

 

Have you ever dreamed of a romantic setting viewing the stars with your partner? Or being one step closer to seeing the vast wonders of the universe? Well, with the latest technology provided by the advanced intelligence telescope, determining which celestial bodies are best viewed at any moment just got a whole lot easier.

The advanced intelligence telescope uses information such as location and the current time to determine or find the best direction for celestial viewing. And it will automatically move and adjust to bring the images of the selected celestial objects into the optimal view. This remarkable new telescope is the winner of the Consumer Electronic Show award for Design and Engineering Excellence.

The telescope also comes with a built in camera which will allow images to be captured with one touch of a button. It can then compare the image taken to the internal database that consists of up to four thousand stars, planets, and galaxies! The telescope can then sharpen the images of the celestial objects in view in about three minutes. This is definitely faster as compared to any of the self aligning telescopes that are available.

You can also select the celestial bodies that you are interested in from the database stored and maintained in the tethered controller and the telescope will do its job in orienting itself in relation to the night sky. The Advanced Intelligence Telescope works on eight D-size batteries (batteries not included). And the batteries can power-up the telescope for up to 30 hours. The size of the telescope is 60” in height, 36” in width, and 28” in depth.

Available: Hammacher

Price: $699.95