Still, it grates with Chen that big supermarkets and department stores facilitate the counterfeiters by dealing in knockoffs. “It is very discouraging. The patent system is not working if something is popular. With something like Hovertrax, the patent is almost useless.”

Chen acknowledges that the problem is the price. He has put out a cheaper version that is nearly half the cost of the original but he said there is only so far he can go. The counterfeits save production costs with weaker motors and low-quality batteries, but that leaves them underpowered and unstable, making riders more likely to fall. They are also more likely to catch fire, which is why some airlines have banned them. “We explain to consumers, this has to be built safely. It cannot be that cheap. They don’t care. They want it and they want cheap ones,” he said.