"...this is a vehicle that, in still air, would go uphill under its own lack of power..."
No, it wouldn't. The vehicle extracts energy from the velocity difference between the air and the ground, which it converts into forward motion. This is essentially the same mechanism used by sailboats tacking against the wind, and despite being counterintuitive at first is well-established. The speed is limited only by gearing and mechanical efficiency--an idealized device could accelerate arbitrarily.
While the Wired link doesn't explain how the device works, the same idea has made the rounds on the internet many times before; links to detailed descriptions were already posted in the comments here, which I assume you didn't bother to read before implying that this is a scam?
"Trying to put skeptics on the defensive"
Sticking with a knee-jerk reaction against something while ignoring further information that supports it gives "skeptics" a bad name.
No, it wouldn't. The vehicle extracts energy from the velocity difference between the air and the ground, which it converts into forward motion. This is essentially the same mechanism used by sailboats tacking against the wind, and despite being counterintuitive at first is well-established. The speed is limited only by gearing and mechanical efficiency--an idealized device could accelerate arbitrarily.
While the Wired link doesn't explain how the device works, the same idea has made the rounds on the internet many times before; links to detailed descriptions were already posted in the comments here, which I assume you didn't bother to read before implying that this is a scam?
"Trying to put skeptics on the defensive"
Sticking with a knee-jerk reaction against something while ignoring further information that supports it gives "skeptics" a bad name.