The Chinese company EHANG is developing the EHANG184, an electric powered quadcopter style vehicle that is large enough to transport a single passenger. The vehicle flies autonomously, with no input from the passenger other than specifying the destination.
- The EHang 184 Is A Human-Sized Drone Taking Off At CES – TechCrunch
- Drone able to transport humans shown at Consumer Electronics Show by Chinese drone company – Next Big Future
Specifications – Click for larger image.
From company’s description of the vehicle:
Ehang 184 AAV [Autonomous Aerial Vehicle] is the safest, Eco-est and Smartest low altitude autonomous aerial vehicle, aiming on providing Medium-Short Distance communication and transportation solution.
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The 184 AAV is designed with full redundancy – If one set of the power system are operating abnormal, the vehicle can still operate a normal flight plan and ensure the safety of the passenger together with the vehicle.
The 184 was designed to be a 100% with green technology, and is powered by electricity only.
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Four arms and eight propellers offer great lifting power and safety. Even with one propeller malfunctions, it can still land in the nearest possible area safely.
The 184 AAV has embedded with Ehangen fail safe system. If any components malfunction or disconnect, the aircraft will immediately land in the nearest possible area to ensure safety.
The communication is encrypted and each AAV has its independent key.
This video describes the background and goals of the project:
The EHANG184 is somewhat similar in concept to the German Volocopter, which is also derived from VTOL drone designs.