Manned drone

China-based drone maker Ehang has developed an autonomous drone prototype, Ehang 184, that can carry humans.

The human-sized drone was displayed at CES 2016 in Las Vegas. Ehang 184 is equipped with eight propellers and four arms. It can carry one person.

The prototype looks similar to a helicopter. By pressing two buttons, take off and land, the flier can reach his destination. The autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV) can be used in shipping, medical care and retail, as well as other sectors of the transportation industry.

It is capable of taking off and landing vertically, without requiring a runway. It can automatically reach the destination by entering a destination into its accompanying smartphone app.

Ehang 184 can fly a single passenger for 23 minutes at sea level at an average cruising speed of 100km/h. It has a load capacity of 100kg with the maximum output of 106W powered by eight motors.

The 18ft long AAV weighing 200kg can be folded in a 5ft space.

Ehang said it will start the process to get certification of the personal AAV from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) shortly.

"The 184 provides a viable solution to the many challenges the transportation industry faces in a safe and energy efficient way."

Ehang CEO Huazhi Hu said: "It has been a lifetime goal of mine to make flight faster, easier and more convenient than ever.

"The 184 provides a viable solution to the many challenges the transportation industry faces in a safe and energy efficient way.

"I truly believe that Ehang will make a global impact across dozens of industries beyond personal travel.

"The 184 is evocative of a future we have always dreamed of and is primed to alter the very fundamentals of the way we get around."

For safe flying, Ehang does not plan to use computer vision. Instead, it will use a fail-safe system that helps in landing the AAV automatically in case of any damage to the machine.

The company has not set an official date to launch the 184, but plans to start commercialising the vehicle in next few months.

Ehang also plans to launch the 184 in China and will establish a command centre. The centre expects to employ 300 people.

Image: The world’s first electric, personal autonomous aerial vehicle (AAV) EHang 184. Photo: courtesy of Ehang.