In the picture above, you can see a 25-year-old young man standing on a high-tech skateboard, hovering and gliding through valleys and mountains around 100 meters in the air. This is neither an AI-generated image nor a drawing; it is a real flying skateboard invented by A Yu. His invention caused a huge sensation, earning him a feature on CCTV News and over 8 million views on his videos. Today, I would like to introduce this extraordinary young inventor to you.
Born in one of the poorest villages in China, A Yu did not receive a high-quality education. However, even as a young boy, he held a big dream of becoming a pilot. In such a challenging environment, he took his first steps toward his dream by making model airplanes and helicopters out of garbage, scrap materials, and tape. Although those early models couldn’t fly, they planted the seed for his future flying skateboard. Later, he dropped out of high school and began working various jobs—from a salesman to an assistant at an aviation school—to save money for his dream. During his free time, he taught himself aviation theory, paving the way for his future inventions.
As he grew older, he decided to start his own venture. At first, his studio was just a humble storage room at his home,built from yellow mud and wood. Without any financial support from major businessmen or investors, he built a homemade aircraft and launched it into high altitude. Throughout this process, he documented his journey through short videos. At the beginning, very few people noticed him. Yet, he never gave up, because he wasn’t doing it for money—he was chasing his childhood dream.
Over time, he built a loyal fanbase, launched his own business, and hired seven assistants along the way (though many couldn’t endure the harsh living conditions in the small village, where they had to use six buckets inside the workshop just to catch rain leaking from the roof). To complete this incredible flying skateboard, A Yu even went into debt, borrowing 2.4 million yuan (around $350,000). It is hard to imagine the immense pressure he carried. But as he once shared: “I always feel like I was an airplane in my past life. Whenever I see anything related to planes, I get as excited as if I were meeting my own family.”
In conclusion, A Yu’s story is a powerful reminder that humble beginnings cannot limit a lofty dream. Through relentless self-education, immense financial sacrifice, and unwavering passion, he turned what seemed like science fiction into reality. He didn’t just build a flying skateboard—he proved that with enough courage and perseverance, anyone can lift their dreams off the ground.
