EHang 184 'Autonomous Aerial Vehicle'

[Grey Havoc]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3387542/The-MEGADRONE-big-carry-passenger-Chinese-firm-says-self-flying-craft-used-smart-taxi.html


[IMAGE CREDITS: Daily Mail]

 

[Johnbr]

1st drone capable of carrying human passenger

http://news.yahoo.com/video/ces-2016-ehang-unveils-drone-104618830.html


To cool.
PanARMENIAN.Net - The first drone capable of carrying a human passenger was unveiled at CES 2016 when Chinese company Ehang Inc lifted the lid on the Ehang 184, according to Digital Spy.

Equipped with four propellers, the mini-helicopter can transport a single person for 20 miles, as long as they weigh less than 15.5 stone.

The drone is electric-powered and can be fully charged in two hours. Passengers set a flight plan on a touchscreen tablet device before issuing 'take off' and 'land' commands.

Ehang claims the chopper has been test flown over 100 times in a forested area in Guangzhou, China, including journeys with a passenger on board.

The company is aiming to sell the Ehang 184 for between $200,000 and $300,000 this year, but there are likely to be some legal obstacles to work around first.

Unmanned drone usage is under strict scrutiny from the authorities, so expect the subject of passenger transit to spark intense debate.

To add a measure of controversy, Ehang's aircraft does not include physical controls that the passenger can fall back on in the event of an emergency.

But the firm claims that the craft is capable of performing a rough landing with just one of its propellers in working order. It also has plans to set up a remote control centre to assist those who run into issues

 

[Sferrin]

Re: 1st drone capable of carrying human passenger

China uses stone as a measure of weight? ???

"But the firm claims that the craft is capable of performing a rough landing with just one of its propellers in working order. "

1 out of 8? Hope it comes with a parachute.

 

[Machdiamond]

Re: 1st drone capable of carrying human passenger

I suppose it depends on the definition of rough landing :. Some can be really rough and you may not be walking from it.

As crazy as it sounds, the entirely autonomous capability and lack of internal controls is where I think personal air transportation will evolve eventually. However this company may be jumping the gun a bit.

A stone is a former weight unit used in Hong Kong equal to 120 catties, or 120 times 605 grams thus 72.6 kilograms (I sound like I am very intelligent but I learned this two minutes ago). The press release has been translated from Chinese a bit too quickly methinks.

 

[Sferrin]

Re: 1st drone capable of carrying human passenger

I think that's the wrong stone, as this drone can carry a person up to 15.5 stone.

 

[Machdiamond]

Re: 1st drone capable of carrying human passenger

You're right, it doesn't add up. Must be another stone indeed.

Hey, I just typed "15.5 stones in kg" into Google and surprise! It returns 98.4 kg That makes more sense.

 

[Umble]

Re: 1st drone capable of carrying human passenger

the wonders of English measures.... a stone is 14 pounds

 

[Sferrin]

Re: 1st drone capable of carrying human passenger

the wonders of English measures.... a stone is 14 pounds

But how many rods are in a chain? ;D

 

[Steve Pace]

Re: 1st drone capable of carrying human passenger

If it's occupied it's no longer a drone. -SP

 

[yasotay]

Re: 1st drone capable of carrying human passenger

If it's occupied it's no longer a drone. -SP

Thank you Steve. I am still waiting for dehydrated water...

 

[Blitzo]

Re: 1st drone capable of carrying human passenger

China uses stone as a measure of weight? ???

"But the firm claims that the craft is capable of performing a rough landing with just one of its propellers in working order. "

1 out of 8? Hope it comes with a parachute.

I think their website says 100kg... Not sure why yahoo listed it in stone. Every other site is reporting it in kg.

 

[Grey Havoc]

Re: 1st drone capable of carrying human passenger

Cough, cough: http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,26424.0.html

 

[kaiserbill]

Re: 1st drone capable of carrying human passenger

Bizarre..the use of archaic measurements such as stone in 2016.

 

[Gridlock]

Re: 1st drone capable of carrying human passenger

If it's occupied it's no longer a drone. -SP

..Or as I saw someone put it on Twitter; congratulations, you just invented the helicopter. :

 

[riggerrob]

Re: 1st drone capable of carrying human passenger

Then we get into a rousing debate about whether it can be called a "drone" if the human cannot touch the controls. On one hand, there is huge liability if it crashes. OTOH computers are better drivers than the average drunken, stoned, distracted human driver.

 

[Steve Pace]

Re: 1st drone capable of carrying human passenger

Bizarre..the use of archaic measurements such as stone in 2016.

Rolling Stone(s), Stoned, Stone Ponies, Stone Cold Sober...just jargon by any measure.

 

[Jemiba]

Re: 1st drone capable of carrying human passenger

If it's occupied it's no longer a drone. -SP

..Or as I saw someone put it on Twitter; congratulations, you just invented the helicopter. :

Would be at least one of the first aerial vehicles, that change their designation respectively
to their payload. Outbound, with a pax on board it's a helicopter, inbound it's just a drone.
Will regulations for its use change, when the occupant has left it ? :

 

[GTX]

This could be an interesting step towards something like a emergency medical/tactical logistics drone which allows either medical supplies (to other supplies for that matter) to be delivered or for casualties to be retrieved (including both from battlefield and civilian emergencies (e.g. car accident) to hospitals and the like.

 

[shedofdread]

Considering that it appears to function exactly like a smaller octo-copter UAS (fixed pitch props, varying motor speed to vary thrust), I'd be a little sceptical until I've seen one ACTUALLY fly. My experience is that there's an upper limit to such air vehicles' mass. Above this limit, variable pitch is required to achieve adequate, precise control....

Some years ago, I saw a large octo from one of the German manufacturers get into all sorts of trouble trying to fly in turbulence in the lee of a stand of trees. Hardly what you'd want if you were actually in the damn thing

 

[Grey Havoc]

CES 2016 launch video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vGd1Oy7Cw0

Of course, as shedofdread and others have pointed out, the proof will be in the pudding.

 

[yasotay]

A very interesting idea, however if it is going to work in the US it will have to meet FAA rotorcraft crash worthiness standards. Not overly challenging. More difficult will be the autonomous flight and airspace management in major urban environments and keeping airliners and air cabs separate... To the FAA's satisfaction.

Wish them the best of luck. Hope they have luck getting started .

 

[AeroFranz]

FWIW, there are already a few Optionally Piloted Aircraft flying (OPAs), that can be flown manned, unmanned, or in 'hybrid' mode. And yes, deconflictualization of the airspace is going to be a major hurdle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDKYF4mO6_w

 

[Grey Havoc]

http://phys.org/news/2016-01-chinese-drone-maker-unveils-human-carrying.html​

 

[shedofdread]

Leaving aside technical issues (reliability, battery life etc), I just can't see this being allowed into UK, European or American skies any time soon. Following that chain of reasoning, is this a 'real' project? Or are we seeing a marketing exercise by a company that wants to make a 'splash'? Maybe someone has designs on usurping DJI in the 'quad' world...?

Also, I'm told they have the navigation lights wired up in a distinctly non-standard way....

 

[Grey Havoc]

Also, I'm told they have the navigation lights wired up in a distinctly non-standard way....

I suspect that is deliberate, in order to alert aircraft pilots at night that it is not a normal piloted (in the traditional sense of the word) light aircraft whose lights they are seeing.

 

[shedofdread]

Red at the front and green at the back? Oh aye - that'll tell other pilots something sure enough....

 

[TomS]

Maybe it's meant to fly sideways?

Actually, I suspect the four "arms" are interchangeable and they just assembled it incorrectly for the show.

 

[Grey Havoc]

Could well be.

 

[Blitzo]

Leaving aside technical issues (reliability, battery life etc), I just can't see this being allowed into UK, European or American skies any time soon. Following that chain of reasoning, is this a 'real' project? Or are we seeing a marketing exercise by a company that wants to make a 'splash'? Maybe someone has designs on usurping DJI in the 'quad' world...?

We'll know if it's real in a few months. They intend to do a few demonstration flights. If they're proper and successful (or not successful) I'm sure it'll be publicized fairly widely.

 

[VTOLicious]

Leaving aside technical issues (reliability, battery life etc), I just can't see this being allowed into UK, European or American skies any time soon. Following that chain of reasoning, is this a 'real' project? Or are we seeing a marketing exercise by a company that wants to make a 'splash'? Maybe someone has designs on usurping DJI in the 'quad' world...?

We'll know if it's real in a few months. They intend to do a few demonstration flights. If they're proper and successful (or not successful) I'm sure it'll be publicized fairly widely.

The real question is if its software and electronic hardware was developed according to standards like DO-178, DO-254, etc.

 

[ouroboros]

Big issue is the rough line between fixed and variable pitch rotor is roughly 30-45 inches for electric motors, to be useful for control input due to motor response/rotor inertia.

 

[Grey Havoc]

Via the Drudge Report: http://www.reviewjournal.com/business/passenger-carrying-drone-company-will-test-nevada

 

[VTOLicious]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65X25g5Lyuk

 

[Grey Havoc]

https://phys.org/news/2017-02-passenger-carrying-drone-dubai.html

 

[Grey Havoc]

I wonder what happened to Ehang. They got replaced by Volocopter.

I heard the unmanned flight demos were...unconvincing, even unnerving.

Even before that they were running into problems. From last December:
https://dronelife.com/2016/12/29/ehang-still-hanging/
https://www.engadget.com/2016/12/28/ehang-flight-command-center-human-carrying-drones/

 

[robunos]

EHang claims to have made manned test flights . . .

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-5357121/Footage-shows-EHangs-driverless-MEGADRONE-action.html


cheers,
Robin.

 

[Reaper]

and they changed their concept from a 4x2 quadcopter to a 8x2 layout

 

[GTX]

and they changed their concept from a 4x2 quadcopter to a 8x2 layout

Certainly far from elegant.

 

[Grey Havoc]

The EHang 216:

View: https://youtu.be/_5K7cpxeXnc

 

[Grey Havoc]

The EHang 216:

View: https://youtu.be/_5K7cpxeXnc