Drones do just about everything now: They take videos, deliver packages and defuse bombs. But they don’t carry you around.
Well, until now.
Chinese drone-maker Ehang has developed the 184, a prototype of the first autonomous drone that will fly humans.
The helicopter-like flying machine seats one, and after the flier enters the destination, it will require just two button presses from the rider: take off and land. That’s all it takes to pilot the thing.
The 184 (one passenger, eight propellers, four arms), isn’t ready to fly just yet. There are all kinds of government clearances that it will have to obtain before you can fly by drone to work. But Ehang says it is working closely with government agencies on the technology.
Once it goes into production, it will take off vertically (no need for a runway), and land similarly. When in the air, it’s capable of speeds of up to 62 miles per hour. The 184 can travel up to 11,480 feet, and it’s got a battery pack that’s capable of 23 minutes of flying time.
It’s tiny too: just 18 feet long. But it’s actually capable of being smaller than that: it can be folded into a five-foot space, so it can fit right into a standard parking spot.
You can’t exactly carry it, but it’s light for what it is: It weighs just 440 pounds.
For those who are afraid of flying, don’t fear (that much). Ehang put all kinds of failsafes on board, including multiple power backups, a program that will land the drone at the first sign of trouble, and an On-Star-like command center for fliers who need help.
And Ehang promises that it will be much safer than driving, where drivers themselves are the main source of accidents.
Ehang hasn’t estimated what the 184 will cost yet. But it plans on continuing to improve the product and get the costs down for when it’s able to be produced.[ATTACH=full]26431[/ATTACH]
Wale wasee wana do reseach on batteries ndio wana tu hold back, if we can be able to manufacture high capacity light weight batteries, the things we can do with electric motors are virtually limitless.
Its about time somone created virtual highways in the air so that this cars don’t crash up there
Kupatia ISIS ideas.
Wewe unafanya research gani? Ngwati? Why don’t you take the challenge and develop a battery capable of flying the drone for days?
True hata kwa simu Battery tech bado iko nyuma kama haga ya Sidika
Ile sector nafanya research I’m on top of the game, industry niko watu wakitaka market trends nawawai real time data and analysis. Uliza nani kusema kwa business ya mogoka upperhill and community area, most innovative mogoka cocktail award winner, wananitambua all over.
I suspect its a conspiracy thing …like how they can’t cone up with a bulb that pasts a lifetime of say 20+ years …consumerism at its best so that you keep upgrading your gadgets for “longer battery life”… ni nayo tu
Battery technology is advanced they are just with holding the for what reason i dont know.last year a teen developed a charger that can charge your phone in 20seconds google bought the tech and that is the last time i heard about it.
Drones are the future, there is still room for improvement in the future and with a sustainable power source these drones might be the vehicles of the future
Relax with the conspiracies, in the capitalistic world we are living in, I don’t see how that would work. You see most companies in this industries that need high performing batteries don’t own the patents to the batteries used in their products. So anybody who comes up with a serious battery will just sell it to the highest bidder in the phone industry, electric vehicle industry, drone e.t.c e.tc and earn billions of dollars in royalties
Laws will have to be made concerning drones, otherwise malicious use will be a thing to contend with. Chaos can erupt with some characters disturbing the peace, wizi, weaponry, drugs.
@shocks am glad you have mentioned electric car the concept has been proved to sustainable yet they are having problems rolling why do you think that is ? The answer is oil corporation they will fight it in all ways possible.there is also who invited a machine that can wash cloths without soap do think soap companies wld allow that?
Badala ya kurely solely on batteries waitengeneze iwe hybrid. Batteries ziwe back up ndio incase of engine failure batteries kick in to enable safe emergency situation handling
Own goal right there… with a capitalist mentality holding on to something useful makes more valuable …off topic kidogo cure for cancer/aids it is more profit to regulate than cure … I wonder why electric cars have such horrible design concepts such an eye sore.
That would be comparable to a helicopter, shida ya this type of fuel engines (internal combustion & jet) ni they have very many moving parts making them heavy compared with an electric mortar
What about motorcycle engines?
You haven’t seen Tesla Model S
Its called planned obscolescence from a manf point it is important for repeat purchases but consumers would prefer not to have it. There is a bulb that is 100 years plus and still works manf didnt like those numbers so came up with planned obscolescence
Also love model x now that is a car I would love to own
Earth shaking battery innovations come around on average once in a decade at best, the comanies on the cutting edge of high energy density batteries in mass are LG chem and Panasonic though personally I prefer Panasonic Lithium Ion