The MEGADRONE big enough to carry a passenger

[jos]

 

A Chinese drone maker has revealed a giant quadcopter big enough to fit a passenger.

EHang claims to be building the world's first 'Autonomous Aerial Vehicle' for transporting people.

The 184 has been in development for 2 and a half years, and the company is aiming to release a commercial version later this year, depending on safety tests and future drone regulations.  

As well as having to work in the confines of UAV laws

The fully ready-to-fly 184 is a manned drone capable of automatically carrying a passenger through the air, simply by entering a destination into its accompanying smartphone app.

The 184 uses multiple independent flight control systems to automatically navigate passengers from point A to point B. 

These systems combine real-time data collected from sensors throughout the flight and automatically plot the fastest and safest route to carry passengers to their destinations.

The EHang 184 has built in reinforcements for all flight systems, so that in the unlikely event that a component does fail, multiple backups are already in place to seamlessly take over.

EHang’s independently developed Fail-Safe System ensures that if any components malfunction, or if there’s damage while the AAV is in-flight (i.e. from a bird), the aircraft will immediately begin taking the necessary precautions to ensure safety. 

The 184’s Fail-Safe System automatically evaluates the damage and determines whether the AAV will need to land to ensure its passenger’s safety.

The EHang 184 AAV flight control systems have multiple sets of sensors that provide the drone a constant stream of real-time data.

The 184’s communication system was also designed with a safety guarantee: every system is encrypted, and each AAV comes with an independent key.

In the event of an emergency, passengers can elect to halt flight and simply hover in the air with just one click.

EHang will also have a command center that employs people to make sure everything is safe — sort of like an air traffic controller at an airport. 

The command center will monitor every 184 in the air 24/7 and the company plans integrate with existing air traffic controller operations. 

The command center would, for example, make sure that a 184 doesn't take off in extreme weather conditions.

 

Source

It seems like a logical evolution, in a way: a greener, smaller, automated tool for flying the people who need and can afford it more efficiently to where they’re going. They need to work with the FAA. It’ll have to work with equivalent agencies in every other country, most of which have no regulations for anything remotely like the 184, and have far more consumer-focused problems to deal with at the moment. Then they’ll have to build command centers everywhere. Then they’ll have to figure out who’s going to actually buy the 184.

[Jade]

(cough) helicopter (cough)

[Atmos]

At this point its just a smart helicopter.

not a drone...

 

We gonna start calling f16's drones too? Those fly mostly by wire too

[Aytex]

[pagani123]

first its not a drone (as drones have to be unmanned) second this is stupid (thats coming from a multiroter enthusiast) the only thing keeping that thing in the air is the electronics one issue and it will spiral out of control as quadcopters are not naturally stable just make an electric helicopter 

[DigitalHermit]

Personal air transport?

Yay! The FAA will be sh*tting their pants for the meantime...

[LokiFire]

I have a lot of fans already, i'm not a fan of fanning on the move.

[TheProfosist]

wouldnt it be more stable with the bottom due to the weight? I mean im sure they are going after a certain image here but still...

[Kherm]

I will buy if come with Surface

[Slyhawk]

For me to ever use this i will need manual control but it is really cool, in the wrong hand very dangerous. wonder how much and how fast it can go. 

[SansVarnic]

Flying personal transport is finally here, Popular Science was right all along!

 

OT: This is cool, one major change I would make is the ability to fold back the props for storage and a way to drive into and park it into my garage.

 

In the video it says it is not legal in the US how can that be since it the first of its kind?

[pagani123]

For me to ever use this i will need manual control but it is really cool, in the wrong hand very dangerous. wonder how much and how fast it can go. 

it really wouldn't be full manual control as quadcopters are not naturally stable 

[Slyhawk]

Flying personal transport is finally here, Popular Science was right all along!

 

OT: This is cool, one major change I would make is the ability to fold back the props for storage and a way to drive into and park it into my garage.

 

In the video it says it is not legal in the US how can that be since it the first of its kind?

probably illegal cause it's basically a very small helicopter. 

[Slyhawk]

it really wouldn't be full manual control as quadcopters are not naturally stable 

Then back to my lawn chair with balloons. 

[silberdrachi]

How does the song go "if [idiots] could fly this place would be busier than o'hare"

 

I still personally believe that stuff like this shouldnt be in the public's hand, we have a hard enough time driving in 2d, lets not increase issues exponentially.

 

 

That being said, pretty cool looking. Cost and range would be the issue.

[The_Stig]

This would be ideal for mowing lawns, just fly it low enough, and viola!

[Enderman]

That thing is not going to fly for more than 20 minutes lol

[0ld_Chicken]

there is a 0% chance that I'd ever fly in one of those

 

"Free trip around the world?  Anywhere you want to go!"

 

not in that

[BuckGup]

I see no problem with this

[CommandMan7]

That better have a parachute. Right?

 

 

Also, important quote:

 

 

 

EHang said the vehicle is primarily designed for traveling short-to-medium distances — around 10 miles — and will fly at around 60 miles per hour.

 

It has a 10 mile range.

[Toddwjp]

How fucking stupid... why the fuck is the passenger cabin above the props, wtf do they not even learn flight stability in china or something, its goddam stupid to do it they way round. i dont care how powerful your props are or how good you flight stab software is it just seems stupid to make them work harder. end aerospace rant about how many people this thing will kill. chances are it wont even be fucking legal under FAA or EASA rules 

[That Norwegian Guy]

Big enough and enough lift for a 150cm midget.

[Misanthrope]

The only pro I can think of it's an ejector seat but I doubt they included one.

[Hish0t]

 

 

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unmanned_aerial_vehicle

 

Not really a drone though..

[Nomy]

Terrorists might be reading this article with a big smile on their faces, imagine the possibilities...

 

Cool thing but I hope it does not get released, people can barely drive cars, let alone this.