Amid all the buzz about new VR devices and Netflix now spanning the globe, one startup in China is planning to take the next step in the drone industry.
When Amazon revealed their drone delivery service, people were flabbergasted; were we finally in the era where robots delivered goods to us, something that had been declared as far fetched and relegated only to cartoons. Now EHang, a Chinese startup plans an even more radical approach to drone delivery; delivering people to their destinations. Yes, Uber Air is being conceptualised by this company. The drone, called the EHang 184 AVV, is a single person pod that gains flight through the eight rotors mounted on four folding arms (hence the “184” name) and is capable of carrying a passenger for 20 odd minutes, at 60 miles an hour, with the mileage being 20 miles. The octocopter pilots itself with the user just inputting the destination on a map.
Now before you start emptying your bank accounts for the chance to beat the morning commute whilst raining down potato peels on drivers who have cut you in the past, there are a few things you should know. First off all, it still isn’t approved in any country. EHang say they’re working with multiple governments around the world in an effort to see that the EHANG 184 matches regulations set about by various countries. Secondly. because of the regulatory issues, it’s still not determined when the personal octocopter will go on sale. Pricing is another mystery but EHang has stated they want it to be available for the average person and not just as toy for billionaires.
“The 184 provides a viable solution to the many challenges the transportation industry faces in a safe and energy efficient way. EHang will make a global impact across dozens of industries beyond personal travel.”
– Huazhi Hu, EHang Chief Executive.
Safety-wise EHang haven’t taken any detrimental shortcuts; there are redundant systems on the aircraft in case the primary system fails and a fail-safe system would evaluate any damage it takes and could land the 184 AVV pronto. Furthermore, there’s even a hover mode passengers can activate if for instance there’s pride of lions below them.
The 184 AV weighs 440 pounds and can carry 220 pounds. Its eight motors produce 106 watts of power. No pilot’s licence will be required to use it.
