A 26-year-old Chinese tech influencer has turned a science-fiction fantasy into reality by building a manned hoverboard from scratch, mastering flight control and mechanical engineering largely through self-learning.
A 26-year-old Chinese tech influencer has turned a science-fiction fantasy into reality by building a manned hoverboard from scratch, mastering flight control and mechanical engineering largely through self-learning. Song Xingyu, popularly known online as “Amazing Ayu”, hails from Enshi in central China’s Hubei province. He has gained a massive following of more than 3 million across social media platforms by showcasing his daring aerial experiments and unconventional flying machines.
Song recently grabbed global attention after sharing a video on October 15 showing himself riding a homemade hoverboard over mountain ranges and the Yangtze River. The flying device, which took him nearly two months to build, marked one of his most ambitious engineering projects yet.
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Interestingly, his spectacular demonstration came on the same day Tesla unveiled its redesigned Roadster in the US. The electric car grabbed headlines after reportedly climbing a curved vertical ramp and executing a mid-air kickflip over parked vehicles.
From a school dropout to an aerial engineering sensation
According to Jimu News, born into a rural family, Song Xingyu left school at the age of 14 and started working at his father’s lumberyard.
His fascination with aviation developed after watching a flight-testing television programme. Driven by curiosity, he began collecting discarded materials and assembling his first model aircraft, relying partly on donations from online aviation enthusiasts.
Determined to take his experiments further, Song borrowed money in June 2022 to transform an abandoned shed into a personal laboratory.
However, his journey was anything but smooth. After falling victim to a scam, he reportedly found himself burdened with 2.4 million yuan (US$360,000) in debt. Technology company Insta360 eventually stepped in, providing 1.8 million yuan in funding to support his ambitious projects.
Surviving a terrifying mid-air experiment
In May 2024, he spent 22 days constructing a remote-controlled aircraft and attempted to send it towards the upper atmosphere using a helium balloon. However, powerful winds tore through his campsite, destroying both the launch equipment and the setup.
Six months later, wearing a homemade jet-powered flying device, Song jumped from a helicopter at an altitude of 5,000 metres. The stunt nearly ended in tragedy when his main parachute failed to open, forcing his backup parachute to deploy just 600 metres above the ground.
Song disclosed that he had recorded a final will just hours before the jump. The recording carried a stark warning about the risks associated with his experiments.
“Only when doing these things do I feel truly alive. Please, everyone, do not follow my example.”
From a flying living room to a Spider-Man-inspired hoverboard
In September last year, Song pulled off another bizarre aerial experiment by using a hot-air balloon to lift an entire furnished living room into the sky. In a scene straight out of a science-fiction film, he even fried eggs and prepared sandwiches while suspended among the clouds.
This year, drawing inspiration from Spider-Man, Song set his sights on recreating the Green Goblin’s iconic flying glider.
His first prototype, powered by miniature turbojet engines, caught fire during testing. Rather than give up, he redesigned the machine and switched to an electric propulsion system.
After several rounds of development, he eventually created an AI-monitored, manned hoverboard reportedly capable of carrying four adults. He also underwent extensive balance training to prepare himself for the challenging flight.
During China’s National Day holiday in October, Song successfully completed a landmark test flight in Enshi. The daring demonstration saw him glide above the Yangtze River, mountain peaks and city streets before making a safe landing inside a canyon.
Reflecting on his journey from a modest beginning to becoming an internet sensation, Song said he had no intention of letting setbacks hold him back.
“I started with nothing, so what do I have to fear from failure? Moving forward courageously is the best choice,” Song said, adding that he hoped to keep testing the limits of physics.