MWEB:
A few companies have claimed to build a hoverboard. Most notably the semi-conductor powered SLIDE, built by Lexus, which only works on a magnetic track. There are the Self-balancing two-wheeled boards, which somehow have claimed the name hoverboard, even though they do not actually hover. Technically, they’re more like miniature Segways.
You might not have heard of Franky Zapata, but anyone in the UK could tell you he's the crazy Frenchman who has a self-made hoverboard.
Failed miserably?!? He made it about half way! Seriously, when it comes to distance, "failed miserably" normally means shortly after starting.
The Verge: Franky Zapata plans to cross the Channel on the Flyboard Air on Thursday
The man who invented the Flyboard Air has been barred from flying his jet-powered hoverboard in France, sparking a debate over the country’s policies on innovation.