when will hover boards be a thing

Question: when will hover boards be a thing
- Keywords:
  hoverboards
Asked by kitty cat to Greg, Jen, Laura, Mobeen, Paul on 6 Mar 2016.
- Laura Haworth answered on 6 Mar 2016:
  
  Are they not already a thing? It would be pretty fun to travel around the hospital on one.
- Paul O'Mahoney answered on 7 Mar 2016:
  
  I suppose they sort of are (those things on wheels are not hoverboards!) but they are not quite at the Back to the Future level. Usually they only work on magnetic surfaces (like the Hendo hoverboard). Still pretty cool though!
- Greg Melia answered on 7 Mar 2016:
  
  Like they said, someone already invented some, though I think they got banned by law somewhere? Boring I know.
- Mobeen Ali answered on 7 Mar 2016:
  
  Real flying hoverboards will be a thing when a new form of propulsion is invented. They can only carry a small amount of fuel so jet engines or propellers are too heavy and inefficient. I think it would have to be something nuclear or maybe anti-matter. After that it’s only a small matter of transferring the technology to cars to make flying cars.
- Jen Lowe answered on 10 Mar 2016:
  
  In the 2030s (my guess). Even if they can be invented they may not end up being an efficient or economical (or safe!) mode of transport.

Question: when will hover boards be a thing