Hold onto your hats guys: A new passenger carrying drone was unveiled in Vegas last week, signaling the beginning of an exciting chapter in aviation technology.
Forget about drones fitted with Go-Pros – that’s so last year. Instead, get ready to take to the skies onboard your very own drone!
No, this is not science fiction.
Recently revealed at the Las Vegas Convention Centre during the CES gadget show, the The Ehang 184 is the world’s first passenger-ready drone, or PFV (personal flying vehicle). It’s real, it really works, and it’s getting everyone quite excited.
Take a look at it in action below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs4nDFgVx2o&feature=youtu.be
Made by Chinese company Ehang, the new drone resembles a remote-controlled quadcopter – albiet human sized – and uses electric power to whisk passengers up in the air for up to 23 minutes of flying time at sea level, reaching speeds up to 100 kilometres per hour and an altitude of over 3,000 metres. It has a total of eight rotors, pushing 142 horsepower.
It can accommodate passengers weighing up to 100 kilograms and carrying a small backpack. It’s also air-conditioned and comes fitted with a reading light – although it’s hard to imagine anyone doing much reading whilst flying in their little own drone…
Operating the craft is very simple. All passengers need to do is input the intended flight path and then either click “take off” or “land.” The drone does the rest. The Ehang 184 is portable and compact enough to fit nicely into a car park when its propellers are folded up.
So how will you be getting to the office in the new year?
