I don’t think that there could be any Kanoka, since those were only invented 7000 years ago, while the vehicles are around 100,000 years old.
That said, Levitation technology is clearly possible in the Matoran Universe; I’m sure Artakha could have figured it out long before the Matoran, in time to implement it in the vehicles, even if it wasn’t in disk shape.
Lewa is not piloting the Axalara T9. He’s using his control over air to make it float.
I really enjoy this subject of science in the bionicle universe. I think the measurements for thrust are a bit much and are probably like the ridiculous 40 million feet measurement where they’ve they been just written to sound impressive. I think all three would need some form of vtol. I only own the rockoh so that’s the only one I can analyse deeply. The rockoh has no visible engines underneath therefore it needs something else to attain vtol and just even fly.
First idea, I propose gravity lensing/manipulation. (Warning lots of head canon in bound) So we know that the GSR can manipulate gravity-pushing or pulling maybe even internally so there’s gravity when travelling through space. This suggests that the great beings have a mastery over the force of gravity and understood how to alter it. Artahka being one of the older MU residents and the one responsible for inventing stuff within said universe probably inherited some of his knowledge/programming from the great beings therefore he would know about gravity manipulation. So I suppose there’s a coil or reactor or mini Karda Nui inside each vehicle to power this “anti gravity tech”
Or my second idea is simple. Mag-lev. These vehicles are used within the robot, the robot is metal therefore they can ‘fly’ within the robot. They could also be used on the exterior hypothetically but no where beyond.
Thanks for listening to my Ted talk…
Huh.
I feel like it’s a bit of a waste of time ngl. It’s a world where there are sapient biomechanical beings with emotion but no love, magic helmets, and elemental ability that live on the face of a giant robot.
Let’s talk physics.
It goes back to what I said earlier - it’s called fantasy, and with every fantasy there is a certain level of suspension of disbelief. I just feel like the BIONICLE community struggles a bit with accepting that.
What I meant was more that I like discussing how technical things work within the GSR and mataron universe, I feel it’s a subject that doesn’t get enough love and one that I find interesting even if none of its set in stone.
@Kraata Apparently I deleted Vultraz’s (I think it actually performed worse, from memory, which would be why), but I still have the Axalara. It’s actually better than I remembered - it can take off from the ground or mid-air, in either weapon configuration, and keep flying level in a straight line. Once it has a steady flight you can keep it going and even perform some light handling, but if it doesn’t have momentum or if you pitch up too far it goes into a violent spinning nosedive. Trying to activate/deactivate the weapon transformation mid-air wreaks havoc with the aerodynamics too much, too.
(Keep in mind that this is an unfinished/unpolished build that’s probably not going to get finished, aha. If anyone has the game and is interested I’d be happy to upload the design publicly, though):
Once it’s going, it’s almost able to fly pretty well - other than steering being slow and touchy, and the weapons system having to remain in whatever configuration it’s in. But getting it going - though it can take off successfully from the ground or from a mid-air spawn - is the tricky bit that usually ends like this.
Takeaway - I think the fact that I got this at least almost flying in a simulator while using only real-world tech (no mods!) and a much larger, heavier build at least suggests that it’s plausible that with Bionicle-level tech something like this could pretty easily gain it’s lift and keep it - in fact, sometimes the issue was that it generated too much lift from the front and began spiraling head-over-heals. I think the real question we should be asking is how it’s able to handle so maneuverably, however - the animation shows it weaving through tree roots and all sorts of things that are way beyond the scope of this simulator without some modding. And all bets are off for the Rockoh.
We have achieved more than thrust than the karda Nui vehicles in the real world, though.
Here is my take on it:
we all know how matoran aircraft fly right? levitate disks and increase weight disks allow it to ascend and descend. Im thinking that these have those kanoka disks integrated in a similar way (like using repulsorlifts for airspeeders in star wars), while the engines provide forward thrust. and because you no longer have to worry about making lift, wings dont matter for anything other than maneuvering, which explains the apparent lack of them.
You guys are just overthinking everything.
It’s simple.
The rules of physics in the Bionicle universe, reasonably, is considerably different from our rules of physics. I mean, you’ve got giant god robot things, biomechanical life with superpowers granted by masks…
It’s probably something along those lines that enables flight.
Good point.
Well, if there were a live-action movie of Bionicle, then they probably would change the designs of the vehicles to make them conform to the laws of physics better. And size does not matter, as physics apply to all flying objects.
But it was said earlier in the topic that, for those powerful engines we’ve created, they can only be powered for a few minutes at most.
except when, you know, it doesn’t. It’s a fantasy world. Its physics doesn’t have to be the same as ours.
Maneuvering is exactly the bit that I am confused on, though. There doesn’t seem to be anything to indicate what these vehicles do when they want to, you know, turn. 
The Rockoh, as I mentioned in my opening post, does have wings. The Axalara’s blade extensions at the back MIGHT have some steering capabilities, but the Jetrax…not so much.
The jetrax doesn’t turn itself – it just locks in place and sends out a signal that causes mata Nui to roll around in his sleep, thus turning everything else.
Fair enough, I’m just saying it is plausible. We just don’t have the material to do it for very long, at least not yet, but it’s not a ridiculous exxageration like a 60,000 furlong tall robot.
I know there is no specific evidence but seeing as they’re rocket propelled maybe they have manoeuvring thrusters, any of the pin holes could be such
As a person who knows almost nothing about physics, I don’t think the physics of the Bionicle canon is implied to be fundamentally different than our own, just that hyper intelligent beings have worked far beyond the bounds of what we think to be possible.
I too like those science-in-Bionicle talks much.
About maneuverability:
Axalara has texhnic wheels on sides, which could be engines - activate left engine and turn right. Plus it has 2 rear engines and pilot could alter their thrusts to help side boosters. It culd ascend/descend/rotate using those 3 things on the aft section, especially those Nuparu’s shields could be flaps/maneuvering wings.
Jetrax - since its engines are situated far away from center of mass, it could turn/ascend/descend by increasing/decreasing their thrusts and sligtly rotating them, something like this, but without vertical variant:
Rockoh: it has wings. They are not enough for a proper lift, but pretty enough for maneuvering.
Vultrtaz’s aircraft: all the same, it has wings, and could alter engines thrusts.
lift counteracts the weight of the craft
yes, but Im also one of those people that discuss the differences between real life physics and physics in star wars
