Green Goblin Is No Longer Just Fiction After Chinese Inventor Builds Flying Skateboard

A Chinese inventor has brought Spider-Man villain Green Goblin's flying glider closer to reality after building an electric skateboard capable of carrying him through the air above mountains and rivers.

Song Xingyu, a 26-year-old inventor from Badong County in China's Hubei Province, spent approximately two months developing the experimental machine. Footage circulating in October 2026 shows him taking off, hovering, and landing while standing on the homemade platform.

His project has attracted widespread attention, particularly because its development involved a failed prototype, artificial intelligence, and extensive flight practice.

Green Goblin Inspiration Leads to Failed Prototype

Song drew inspiration from the Green Goblin, the Spider-Man villain known for travelling through the air on a distinctive flying glider. Unlike a conventional skateboard, his invention uses propulsion units to lift its rider vertically and move above the ground.

However, the first design proved unsuccessful. Song initially experimented with a jet-powered prototype that caught fire during testing.

The failure damaged the equipment and forced him to reconsider the aircraft's design. Song subsequently used artificial intelligence to analyse the problem before switching to an electric propulsion system.

The redesigned platform reportedly features 10 brushless motor-driven propulsion units, replacing the original jet-powered arrangement. Although the specifications come from accounts of the inventor's development process, the publicly available footage demonstrates that the platform can lift a rider at low altitude.

The project was particularly ambitious because Song developed it using engineering knowledge he had acquired independently.

Flying Skateboard Crosses Mountains and Rivers

Song reportedly spent more than 10 days practising how to control the machine before attempting flights outside his initial testing area.

During China's October national holiday period, he conducted demonstrations around Badong, including locations near the Yangtze River and the Baren River scenic area.

Local accounts describe a demonstration on 6 October in which Song travelled more than 300 metres during a flight lasting approximately two minutes. Those figures were attributed to people familiar with the demonstration rather than independently certified aviation measurements.

Videos show him standing on the platform as it rises above the ground, resembling the Green Goblin's fictional equipment.

Song also developed an AI-assisted monitoring system using mobile phones to assess flight conditions and provide guidance about his body position. Maintaining balance is particularly important because the rider's movements influence the platform's stability.

The demonstrations attracted considerable online attention, although questions remain about the device's reliability and safety.

Could Flying Skateboards Become Everyday Transport?

Song's invention demonstrates how experimental engineering can turn a familiar science-fiction concept into a functioning prototype.

However, successful test flights do not establish that the aircraft is suitable for routine transportation.

Battery endurance, emergency systems, mechanical reliability, and passenger protection would require further assessment. Operating such equipment near populated areas or waterways also raises important aviation safety questions.

The available footage does not independently establish every technical claim or prove that the machine meets commercial certification standards. For now, the skateboard remains an experimental personal aircraft rather than a product available to consumers.

Nevertheless, Song's achievement shows how a fictional invention can inspire real engineering experimentation.

Green Goblin remains a character from Spider-Man, but the technology behind his flying glider is no longer confined entirely to fiction.