Hovercraft Inspired by Back to the Future: A Real-World Build
A devoted fan of the classic time travel film Back to the Future turned a cinematic obsession into a tangible project by building a functional hovercraft. The effort blends film devotion with hands-on engineering, taking a favorite scene and translating it into a real craft that glides across smooth surfaces. The project has drawn curiosity from film fans, hobbyists, and engineers who enjoy watching bold ideas move from imagination into practice. Rather than a simple replica, the work captures the spirit of the film and translates it into a modular machine that demonstrates basic hovercraft physics and practical carpentry. The result invites viewers to imagine what it would feel like to time travel in a vehicle born from a beloved blockbuster while seeing the ideas brought to life through bolts, wires, and careful testing.
The hovercraft itself is built around a recycled DeLorean, echoing Doc Brown’s iconic time machine while becoming a distinct, working vehicle. It rides on a cushion of air and uses a compact lift and propulsion setup that lets the hull hover just above the ground. The DeLorean’s recognizable silhouette remains a centerpiece, but the interior has been adapted with practical hovercraft components to enable lift and controlled motion. The design preserves the car’s gull-wing doors and low, angular profile while adding a sturdy skirt, a lightweight hull, and a compact blower system to create a stable air cushion. A small propulsion unit provides forward motion, and simple steering inputs keep everything responsive. The combination is a lively fusion of nostalgia and hands-on tinkering that invites observers to imagine what it would feel like to cruise through time in a machine born from a beloved blockbuster.
The builder behind the project is Matthew Riese, a San Francisco native who earns his living as a crab fisherman. He completed the hovercraft in 2010 with a modest budget of five thousand five hundred dollars. The craft can rise and glide over flat surfaces, yet it does not reach the continuous speed shown in the film. Enthusiasts and observers note that incremental upgrades and refined control can push performance higher, turning a playful prototype into a more capable craft over time. Riese emphasizes resourcefulness, repurposing a familiar shell, sourcing off-the-shelf components, and focusing on balance, stability, and safety. The project offers a practical lesson in aerodynamics, propulsion, and vehicle dynamics, showing how a dedicated hobbyist can turn a love for cinema into a hands-on experiment. It illustrates how small-scale builds can become valuable demonstrations for learning and inspiration within maker communities.
Local chatter suggests Riese hoped to catch the eye of tech leaders, including Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, who are known for seeking quirky, inventive minds. The story has become part of a broader conversation about how unconventional projects can draw attention in Silicon Valley, where imagination often pairs with practical skill. The hovercraft stands as a clear example of how a hobbyist idea can resonate with film fans and engineers in a community that prizes creativity. Whether such attention materializes or not, the craft serves as a case study in how a personal project can spark conversations about the intersection of pop culture, engineering, and entrepreneurship. It highlights the way guardians of innovation look for unconventional experiments that demonstrate curiosity and the ability to translate imagination into real-world demonstrations. The ongoing chatter reflects a culture that values experimentation and the sharing of learnings within maker networks.
A video showing the hovercraft in action circulates online, offering a rare glimpse into the build and its early testing. Viewers can see the craft lift slightly and move across a paved surface, capturing the sense of possibility that arises when cinema fantasy intersects with real-world engineering. The footage has sparked discussion among fans and makers alike, underscoring how pop culture can inspire tangible experiments even when the path from hobby to professional opportunities remains uncertain. The clip serves as a vivid reminder that the learning and inspiration can be immediate, even if movie-grade performance takes time. Local News Archive.