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How to Make a Balloon-Powered Hovercraft





What You’ll Need:

  • 1 4-by-7-inch foam board (A thoroughly cleaned foam meat tray works great.)
  • 1 large flex drinking straw
  • Average size balloon
  • Scissors
  • Hole punch or pencil
  • Glue gun
  • Pin
  • Tape

What You’ll Do:
Step 1. Cut out the bottom of a foam tray. Be careful not to bend it.

Step 2. Place the flat foam under the body template and trace it by poking holes with a pin along the outline of the template. Also trace the straw slot. Trace two fins and the balloon ring using the same method. Cut out the foam shapes with the scissors. Make a center hole in the balloon ring with a hole punch or a sharp pencil point. To download a template to trace click here.

Step 3. Cut a sharp angle on one end of the straw and make a flat cut on the other as shown.

Step 4. Stretch and bend the straw, then glue the balloon ring to the flat end. Stretch the balloon over the circle. Carefully glue this assembly over the straw slot so that no glue is inside the straw and none of the straw or glue is below the bottom of the body.

Step 5. Glue the two fins to the rear sides of the body.

Step 6. Make an inflating straw by taking the leftover half of the straw and cutting two 1/2-inch slots in it. Roll the end into a taper with your fingers and tape together. Use the inflating straw to blow up the balloon from the bottom.  Pinch the neck of the balloon and release on a smooth, clean floor.

Hovercraft Tip
The hovercraft will work properly only on a smooth, clean floor. The bottom of the hovercraft should also be smooth and clean.

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Comments about “How to Make a Balloon-Powered Hovercraft”

  1. rocknrollrobots25 says:

    :) gonna be doing this as a fun activity for some GATE elementary kids (outreach for my robotics team)

  2. joke says:

    doing it for science project. sounds fun.

  3. migdet in a high jump contest says:

    sounds cool

  4. bob says:

    i think it is cool

  5. baboon says says:

    best thing i ever saw

  6. 9 tailed fox says:

    awesome

  7. killer says:

    it will never work

  8. concon says:

    cool!

  9. DJ says:

    aswome cool!!!!!!! :-) ,

  10. cat says:

    this seems like a very interesting project i will for sure have to try it out once i get the materials! :D
    <3LOVE ME

  11. cat says:

    this seems like a very interesting project i will for sure have to try it out once i get the materials

  12. zeek says:

    did nt work fr me

  13. yyt says:

    cool man it worked for me

  14. ninja11202 says:

    i cant.i dont have the stuff

  15. bobby star says:

    this is sick thx for the help

  16. lego man 22222222222221 says:

    i’m going to try it

  17. meep-meep says:

    i have built it with my cub scouts and they did work with time and patience!!!!

  18. wishbunny says:

    I do not have the matireals

  19. yo boy says:

    i tried it it did,nt work

  20. the J man says:

    i like this… it is to bad i do not have what i need. :(

  21. hello says:

    dos it even work

  22. Ace says:

    I got all the materials and cut everything to size, i just have to assemble it.

  23. Bree says:

    has anyone actually tried this and have it work??

  24. Poinator says:

    I don’t get the inflating straw

  25. moobs says:

    ithink im gonna try it

  26. Sparrow says:

    Who thinks the hovercraft will work or won’t work?

  27. Sparrow says:

    I think making a hovercraft would be so cool!

  28. Foo says:

    Wood a elmer’s glue work insted?

  29. earl says:

    what is the balloon powerd hovercraft all about

  30. pony girl says:

    i love hovercraft

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