Ehang flying taxi shown lifting passengers into the air for the first time

Don't miss this video: https://youtu.be/Mr1V-r2YxME




https://newatlas.com/ehang-taxi-dron...t-tests/53270/

Ehang flying taxi shown lifting passengers into the air for the first
time

Aircraft

Nick Lavars
12 hours ago

Crafted from a carbon fiber and epoxy composite with an aluminum alloy
frame, the Ehang 184's top speed is listed as 130 km/h (80 mph)
View gallery - 11 images

Ehang has been a little coy about its taxi drone since bringing a
grounded prototype to CES in 2016. While we have been treated to
footage of competing aircraft in action, like the Volocopter
https://newatlas.com/volocopter-ces-intel/52882/ and Passenger Drone
https://newatlas.com/passenger-drone-flying-taxi/51539/ , the folks
behind the Chinese company have mostly kept their progress under
wraps. Today we've gotten our best look yet at the Ehang 184, with
footage for the first time showing it carrying out test flights with
people onboard.

The autonomous air taxi scene is becoming pretty crowded. Along with
the examples mentioned above, Airbus
https://newatlas.com/airbus-vtol-vah...-flight/53228/ ,
Intel https://newatlas.com/joby-aviation-funding/53232/ , Boeing
https://newatlas.com/boeing-gofly-co...-flying/51508/
and Bell Helicopter are also pumping money into these futuristic
vehicles. The designs vary, but all are essentially built to do the
same thing, carry people autonomously across city environments as a
way of overcoming pollution, congestion and the other inconveniences
that come with traveling mostly along the ground.

Crafted from a carbon fiber and epoxy composite with an aluminum alloy
frame, the Ehang 184's top speed is listed as 130 km/h (80 mph). Ehang
says its aircraft can fly at cruising speed for 25 minutes at a time
following a one-hour recharge of its electric motors, and that it can
withstand force seven typhoon winds.
A prototype of the Ehang taxi drone at CES in 2016

Until now, we've had to take the company's word for it when it comes
to these capabilities, but a newly released video shows them being put
through their paces. In it we can see a host of passengers climb into
the aircraft, including Ehang CEO Huazhi Hu, and Chinese government
officials such as deputy mayor of Guangzhou, Wang Dong.

The aircraft is shown working in some testing conditions, including
heavy fog and what is claimed to be a force seven typhoon. It can also
be seen flying at night, climbing to an altitude of 300 m (1,000 ft)
and completing a long-range flight of 8.8 km (5.5 mi). The company
does say it has covered a distance of 15 km (9.3 mi) previously, in
separate testing.

"Performing manned test flights enables us to demonstrate the safety
and stability of our vehicles," Hu said. "What we're doing isn't an
extreme sport, so the safety of each passenger always comes first. Now
that we've successfully tested the Ehang 184, I'm really excited to
see what the future holds for us in terms of air mobility."
Crafted from a carbon fiber and epoxy composite with an aluminum alloy
frame, the Ehang 184's...

So how far away are we from seeing these things deployed in the
real-world? Ehang already has an agreement with the State of Nevada
https://newatlas.com/ehang-184-taxi-...testing/43760/ to carry out
testing there, and another with Dubai's transport authority
https://newatlas.com/dubai-ehang-taxi-drone/47888/ to do the same.
But testing and proving the safety of the aircraft is one thing,
having the relevant authorities unshackle them for good will be
another.

"This is a step-by-step process," said Hu. "And at Ehang, we have our
own road map. When it comes to the development and application of any
transformative technology, first the technological innovation makes an
impact, then the relevant policies are created and developed. This
goes on to push further development of the industry."

Check out the Ehang 184 in action in the video below.
https://youtu.be/Mr1V-r2YxME

Source: Ehang:
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...300593516.html

Today we've gotten our best look yet at the Ehang 184, with
footage for the first...
Ehang says its taxi drone can withstand force seven typhoon winds
Ehang has been a little coy about its taxi drone since bringing a
grounded prototype to...
A prototype of the Ehang taxi drone at CES in 2016

View gallery - 11 images
------------------------------------------------------------------

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...300593516.html


First Test Footage Revealed of EHANG 184 Manned Passenger Drone

News provided by
EHang Holdings Limited

Feb 05, 2018, 12:41 ET

GUANGZHOU, China, Feb. 5, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- EHANG, a global leader
in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technologies, has unveiled footage of
the latest test flights of their self-flying passenger aircraft or
Autonomous Aerial Vehicle (AAV). The EHANG 184 series is the world's
first passenger drone capable of carrying a single person at up to 130
km/h and in force 7 typhoon conditions. These manned test flights are
just the latest in a series of tests to ensure that the EHANG 184 AAV
will be safe and ready for public use in the near future.
EHANG 184 AAV Manned Flight Test by EHANG CEO Mr. Hu Huazhi
EHANG 184 AAV Manned Flight Test by EHANG CEO Mr. Hu Huazhi

Among the 40 or so passengers who helped in this crucial testing phase
were WANG Dong, deputy mayor of Guangzhou, and EHANG founder and CEO,
Huazhi Hu. "Performing manned test flights enables us to demonstrate
the safety and stability of our vehicles," Hu said. "What we're doing
isn't an extreme sport, so the safety of each passenger always comes
first. Now that we've successfully tested the EHANG 184, I'm really
excited to see what the future holds for us in terms of air mobility."

Hu founded EHANG in 2014 and since then more than 150 technical
engineers have conducted thousands of test flights, including a
vertical climbing test reaching up to 300 m, a loaded test flight
carrying approximately 230 kg, a routed test flight covering 15 km,
and a high-speed cruising test that reached 130 km/h.

"We've been developing and testing aerial vehicle technology for some
time now, and we're finally at the test flight stage for the AAV. It's
been a huge success," said Hu.

Despite this success, the EHANG 184 AAV will still see further
improvements. More emphasis will be placed on improving passenger
experience and on adding an optional manual control, giving passengers
with piloting experience the choice to operate the vehicle manually.
In addition, the company has already developed and tested a 2-seat AAV
with a payload of up to 280 kg.

But when will these passenger drones be ready available for public
use? "This is a step-by-step process," commented Hu, "and at EHANG, we
have our own road map. When it comes to the development and
application of any transformative technology, first the technological
innovation makes an impact, then the relevant policies are created and
developed. This goes on to push further development of the industry."

In 2017, EHANG was granted the AS9100C certification, a quality
management system widely adopted and standardized by international
aerospace industry, and its AAV obtained the Special Flight Permit for
civil aerial vehicles issued by CAAC (Civil Aviation Administration of
China). In addition, EHANG is working closely with CAAC to jointly
establish relevant airworthiness standards for the transformative AAVs
as a major industry representative of the CAAC UAV Technical Experts
Committee, making for improved and systematic industry polices and
standards and pushing forward industry development.

[Video] EHANG 184 AAV Manned Flight Tests

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mr1V-r2YxME&t=5s

---END---

About EHANG

Founded in 2014 in Guangzhou, EHANG is a high-tech company that
develops, manufactures and sells intelligent UAVs and provides related
services. Driven by its continuous technology and product innovation,
"AI + network" methodology and its "user experience comes first"
philosophy, EHANG provides both consumer-level and commercial
end-users with simple, smart and efficient aerial products and
solutions. EHANG is a pioneer and leading advocate of the global
civilian UAV industry having created multiple innovative ideas, such
as smart software-based control, smartphone tilt control, autonomous
UAV formation flight technology, 3D air mobility and more. Dedicated
to giving people the chance to fly, EHANG has developed a wide range
of aerial products, including the EHANG 184 autonomous aerial vehicle,
a command & control center for smart UAVs, EHANG Egret UAV formation
flight technology, the EHANG Falcon commercial UAV, and the GHOSTDRONE
series consumer UAV. For more details, please go to www.ehang.com.

SOURCE EHang Holdings Limited
---------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.ehang.com/
http://www.ehang.com/ehang184/

Specifications:
http://www.ehang.com/ehang184/specs/
================================================== ==================

https://newatlas.com/airspacex-mobi-one-detroit/52985/

AirSpaceX's autonomous, electric air taxi lands in Detroit
Aircraft
David Szondy

David Szondy
January 15th, 2018

16 pictures
Mobi-One is designed to ease traffic congestion and speed up urban
commutes

Mobi-One is designed to ease traffic congestion and speed up urban
commutes(Credit: AirSpaceX)
View gallery - 16 images

Airspace Experience Technologies, LLC (AirSpaceX) has given a preview
of its vision for the future of air taxi services at this year's North
American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. The company
unveiled a sub-scale model of its vertical take off and landing (VTOL)
aircraft, Mobi-One, an autonomous, tilt-wing electric aircraft
designed to carry both passengers and cargo at speeds of up to 250 mph
(400 km/h).

A scale version of Mobi-One
Mobi-One with wings tilted for takeoff or landing
Mobi-One in horizontal flight mode
Mobi-One is powered by four electric motors

According to AirSpaceX, US$300 billion dollars in fuel and
productivity costs a year are wasted in traffic jams and other delays
in the United States alone. Additionally, urban drivers spend 42 hours
stuck in traffic each year, while pumping 38 billion pounds (17
billion kg) of carbon emissions into the atmosphere.

Designed and built by AirSpaceX parent compant Detroit Aircraft
Corporation (DAC) at Detroit City Airport, Mobi-One is targeted at the
point-to-point commuter market as a clean, quiet alternative to road
transport that relies on "lean automotive design and mass production
techniques" to be affordable to produce.

Mobi-One uses four wing-mounted electric motors that the maker claims
makes the aircraft quieter than a helicopter. It's designed to carry
two to four passengers or payloads of over 200 kg (440 lb) at a
cruising speed of 150 mph (241 km/h) over a range of 65 mi (104 km).
A scale version of Mobi-One

Along with its pilot assisted/autonomous flight avionics, it also has
broadband connectivity for high speed internet access, V2X collision
avoidance, and safety messaging. Aside from passenger and cargo
services, it can also be used for medical and casualty evacuation;
tactical Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR); and
research flights.

The Mobi-One was developed in cooperation with Camilo Pardo, who was
the chief designer of the 2005 and 2006 Ford GT. Completion of the
aircraft's engineering packages are still the primary focus, but the
hope is that a full-scale version of the craft will soon be available
for US FAA certification.

"Our goal is to deploy 2,500 aircraft at the nation's 50 largest
cities by 2026, targeting existing infrastructure at first," says JP
Yorro, Chief Commercial Officer at AirSpaceX. "The MOBi development
program will be capital intensive, but air Mobility as a Service could
generate billions for the economy. We are considering a broad array of
financing options, including potential fractional ownership interest
and profit sharing models."

Source: AirSpaceX http://airspacex.com/

Mobi-One has an autonomous flight system
Mobi-One is designed to carry up to four passengers
AirSpaceX shows off its Mobi-One model at the North American
International Auto Show
AirSpaceX shows off its Mobi-One model at the North American
International Auto Show

View gallery - 16 image