New Delhi :
A Chinese drone company Ehang Inc. unveiled the world’s first drone capable of carrying a human passenger. The company pulled the cloth off Ehang 184 at the Las Vegas convention centre during the CES trade show 2016.
The passenger carrying drone looks like a small helicopter with four doubled propellers spinning parallel to the ground like other drones.
According to Ehang, this electric-powered drone can be fully charged in just two hours, it can carry up to 100 kg and fly for 23 minutes at sea level.
The small cabin can fit one person, a backpack and is fitted with air conditioning and a reading light. It is designed to fit, with propellers folded, in a single parking spot. The passenger only need to give two commands, “take off and land” just with a single click on a tablet.
This drone is designed to fly 300 meters to 500 meters off the ground with a maximum altitude of 3.5 km and top speed of 63mph. Considering the legal grey areas when it comes to security, the company hopes to sell the device for $200,000-$300,000 this year.
The company has already tested the drone with a person aboard flying in a forested area in Guangzhou. Since the passenger has no controls over backup, the company is planning a remote control centre that would take over the vehicle in the event of an emergency and ensure a safe landing.
