A manned drone prototype was unveiled at the annual CES technology convention in Las Vegas last week. Capable of flying at speeds of up to 100 kph for as long as 23 minutes while carrying weights of up to 100 kg, the Ehang 184 claims to be the first of its kind.
The Chinese company Ehang Inc. revealed the impressive Ehang 184 along with a five-minute video showcasing the flying vehicle, which is designed to fly 300 to 500 meters above ground. Watch the video below (VPN off):
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Just large enough to fit a human with a backpack and yet still small enough to fit snugly with propellers folded into a single car-parking space, the drone is equipped with all the key essentials such as air conditioning and a reading light. It is set to sell for USD200,000 to 300,000 (RMB1.3 to 2 million) this year.
Operating the drone is simple. The Guardian quotes the Guangzhou-based company as saying: “After setting a flight plan, passengers needed only to give two commands – 'take off' and 'land' – to control the done with a single click on a tablet.”
Environmentally and user friendly, the drone can be fully charged in just two hours. Passengers also won't need to be experienced or even licensed pilots. Navigating the drone simply requires inputting the destination. The drone will take care of the rest, from plotting the route to avoiding obstacles.
This may sound a little alarming, but there’s no need to fear as the chief marketing officer of Ehang, Derrick Xiong, assures the vehicle has been tested more than 100 times flying at low altitudes in a forested area of Guangzhou. The tests were performed several times with a person on board.
[Image via The Telegraph]
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