A drone capable of carrying a passenger was the first time unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas yesterday.
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Due to the 184’s fully automated navigation, made possible by EHang’s 24/7, real-time flight command center, passengers have no need for a pilot’s license – they simply sit back and let the drone take over from there. Of course much is unknown about the Ehang 184, too – not least how such a craft hopes to gain certification by global flight authorities in China, first, and then the US, New Zealand and Europe where Ehang plans to launch subsequently. “The 184 is evocative of a future we’ve always dreamed of and is primed to alter the very fundamentals of the way we get around”.
EHang claims the 184 AAV, which is expected to be available in 2016 at a cost of between $200,000 and $300,000, has full redundancy, meaning that if one set of its multiple power systems is behaving badly, another kicks in, “ensuring the safety of both the passenger and the vehicle”.
Remedy for aging transportation industry: The EHang 184 AAV takes off and lands vertically, subsequently eliminating the need for runways. No matter whether the eHang 184 takes off, or instead slides into the vast hangar of CES vaporware, the flight path over the next few months should be interesting. Except no one was shrunk, and the giant flying machine was sitting smack in the middle of the CES drone section. Ehang calls it an autonomous aerial vehicle, I prefer personal pilotless helicopter, but if you need to explain what it is to anyone, just say it’s a driverless auto for the sky. Safety measures include an option that automatically brings the drone down to earth if something goes wrong or it’s damaged, the company said.
If the EHang 184 is mass produced it will solve all traffic problems.
The design of the EHang 184 is also foldable making it convenient for everyday use.
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And somewhere on the Ehang 184 AAV, there’s a trunk that fits a 16-inch backpack. Those arms can fold up when the drone is parked on the ground, allowing it to take up less space. It is also said to have a built-in fail-safe system that immediately lands the drone if components malfunction or disconnect. Complete with 4G Wi-Fi Internet, EHang 184 provides passengers with comfortable and enjoyable riding experiences.
