The first passenger-carrying drone will hit the sky soon.
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The Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems and the Governor’s Office of Economic Development have both given Ehang the go-ahead, presumably with the okay of the FAA, according to CNET. The thing was, that as cool as the single-person autonomous drone sounded, it also seemed a bit farfetched, and a lot of folks figured it was a concept that would never come to fruition.
Ehang founder Huazhi Hu said the deal was a “big step” for the firm, which first showcased its plans at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January, adding that it would lay the foundation for commercialising the vehicle and “building up the aerial transportation ecosystem in the future”.
Should Ehang make it to market, it’s estimated the drone will cost between $200,000 to $300,000.
The EHang 184 drone is capable of speeds up to 60 miles per hour and is equipped with gulwing doors that folder vertically above the roof.
To help fine-tune its fully-autonomous flying abilities the Ehang has partnered with the Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems (NIAS). A small team from the company’s Chinese base will move to Nevada, but it’s unclear if the company will eventually set up shop in the state. The passenger enters their destination on a touchscreen and the drone’s on-board computer works out the best route. As of now, there is no timeline for testing operations. But now it’s going big, working with the state of Nevada to test out what’s being billed as the world’s first-ever drone capable of carrying a human passenger.
This partnership will advance the state’s commercial drone industry, Wilczek said in a statement.
The Nevada tests will begin later this year.
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Mark Barker, business development director of the Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems, said: “I personally look forward to the day when drone taxis are part of Nevada’s transportation system”.
