All the drones that we have seen to date are drones that need to be piloted by a human remotely. They are also, for the most part, too small to fit a human and at most they can carry is a camera mounted onto their bodies. However that could change in the future, thanks to Chinese company Ehang who unveiled the Ehang 184 Autonomous Aerial Vehicle (AAV) at CES 2016.
The idea that one day drones could ferry humans isn’t new as we have heard in the past, and it certainly looks like that idea is slowly starting to catch on. The Ehang 184 is a one-seater electric drone that is flown autonomously. All the passenger has to do is get in, power it up, select their location via its 12-inch touchscreen tablet display, and they’re good to go.
Apart from flying, the drone will also be able to do other tasks such as communication with air traffic control and other aircrafts, thus preventing any miscommunications and potential aerial accidents. As it stands, the version of the Ehang is made from a carbon fiber/epoxy composite body with an aerial aluminum alloy frame.
It has 8 motors that can put out up to 142hp/106kW, and right now its 14.4-kWh battery is enough to keep passengers afloat for up to 23 minutes, and is able to carry a load of up to 200kg. The company claims that the drone is fully functional and will be available commercially later this year for anywhere between $200,000-$300,000, although we’d like to think that the FAA might have something to say about that.