Watch Dubai Police fly a crazy Star Wars-like hoverbike

Dubai's crime busters will soon be swooping down from the skies. The oil-rich nation has begun training its cops to fly the S3 2019 Hoverbikes, the country's press office said in a tweet last week.

.@DubaiPoliceHQ starts training on flying Hoverbike. #Dubai https://t.co/qyRQXozfRM #Dubai
— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) November 8, 2018

The move comes a year after the Dubai Police showed off a Hoversurf Scorpion hoverbike at Gitex Technology Week in Dubai. The hoverbikes are described as a "first responder unit used to access hard-to-reach areas," CNN reported, citing Khalid Alrazooqi, general director of Dubai Police's artificial intelligence department, who added that he hopes to have them in action by 2020.

Not everyone's convinced these cool flying bikes can help Dubai Police do its job better. Many are concerned about efficiency, given that the bikes will only be able to fly up to 60 mph for 10 to 25 minutes with a pilot, but then require 120 minutes of charging time.

Whats the point? Every vehicle can outrun this cop..
— josh wolfe (@blckie0745) November 11, 2018

This makes no sense. The Violators in Dubai are all driving super cars, these motorbikes won’t even catch up!
— Mohammed Masud (@mmasud718) November 11, 2018

So they can patrol for 15-25 minutes at a time and then have to be downed for 2.5hrs for charging? Umm yeah that sounds effective!
— NBeezy (@FullNelson79) November 9, 2018

The internet won't quit making fun of it either.

Very nice but When they arrest somebody how they take them to the police station? I think they will have to jump at the back 😂😂😂
— amro (@amro45406626) November 11, 2018

Will this them help them catch all those hovering criminals who have managed to defy justice so far?
— Racist Bannon (@RacistBannon) November 11, 2018

This is so incredibly Awesome! So does this mean that the 'flying magic carpet' will become obsolete now?
— Michael St. Douglas (@MichaelSt1965) November 11, 2018

Like my colleague Andrew Krok did last year, some express more serious concerns about the safety of the drone-like vehicle. Many floated the possibility of heads getting chopped off.

My condolences to the first pedestrian that gets decapitated by that thing.
— TheBryceIsRight (@DWD1981) November 10, 2018

I like the fact he's wearing pads, you know, incase he falls off. Cus that will save him from the massive blending effect of those 4 tri blade props that will go through flesh like butter!
— Hugo Drax (@Hugo_Drax77) November 10, 2018

In other news today an otherwise non fatal assault turned deadly when a Dubai police officer was hit with a rock fired from a slingshot causing him to fall off his hoverbike and into its whirrling blades. Police are still looking for the suspect and pieces of the officer.
— Jennifur68 (@jennifur68) November 10, 2018

Alrazooqi clarified that safety rings will be added to the propellers.

Yes it will have a safety ring around the blades
— Khalid N Alrazooqi (@KhalidAlrazooqi) November 11, 2018

If that's enough to soothe worried minds and you've got some spare money lying around, here's good news for you: The hoverbikes aren't exclusive to the police, with preorders open for civilian purchase at $150,000. While a pilot's license won't be required to fly the hoverbikes, buyers will be screened to ensure they can handle the technology, according to CNN.