CES 2016: Prototype of drone that can carry person unveiled

Chinese drone-maker Ehang has developed the 184, a prototype of the first autonomous drone that will fly humans.

The drone flies in an inverted U-shape, flying upward vertically to a specific altitude, then moves horizontally in a straight line to a preset destination, where it then descends vertically to land.

Ehang plans to operate a fleet of vehicles that could pick up customers on-demand “just like a taxi”, Mr Hsiao said. Passengers are required to use the tablet or rely on the flight control center, but what would result if connectivity was lost?

The 184’s fully automated navigation is made possible by EHang’s real-time flight command center and makes it possible for passengers to fly without a pilot’s license.

The 184 is 100 percent electric and doesn´t depend on fossil fuels, reducing our reliance on substances that can be environmentally damaging. Even if it were capable of safely carrying a terrified human across the post-apocalyptic wasteland, the legal minefield – let alone the air-control practicalities – would present sizeable barriers to release.

The EHang 184, which is entirely battery powered, has built in reinforcements for all flight systems, so that in the event of component failure, backups are in place to maintain flight stability.

The drone will also be able to automatically evaluate the damage to figure out whether the AAV will need to land to ensure its passenger’s safety. The user also has the option to momentarily pause the flight and hover in the case of an emergency.

The EHang 184 is 4.9 feet (1.5 m) tall, weighs 440lbs (200kg) and can carry up to 220lbs (100kg).

No official launch date has been set, but the company said commercialization will begin in a few months.

Ehang’s CEO Huazhi Hu was motivated to develop a passenger drone after two of his friends passed away in separate aircraft crashes.

Before everything else, it needs permission from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fly in U.S. skies.

One of the immediate questions that is evoked by the unveiling of an interesting development such as the EHang 184 is “how safe is it?”