Can't Afford Your Own Helicopter then Go Drone

[FrgMstr]

Given all the drone, AKA remote controlled helicopters, technology we have seen in the last five years, this does not seem like much of a stretch. I do have to say, I will let some other folks be the guinea pigs on this one. If there were not people in the picture, I am not so sure that I would not have thought this was something I could pick up at Amazon.

The drone-a Chinese-made EHang 184-is an egg-shaped craft with four legs sticking out, each with two small propellers. The rider punches in a destination on a touch screen in front of the passenger seat, then the drone would fly there automatically.

 

[the-one1]

Engine failure:

On a helicopter, the rotor still rotates and can be used to safely land.

On a multi-rotor copter, better pray to your maker.

 

[Seventyfive]

I wonder what size parachute would have to get attached to the back of that thing to give a reasonable fail safe. Then again, I also don't know how many feet it would take to deploy. Crashing from 200 feet would probably be fatal or near fatal but not enough time for a chute to deploy. Any skydivers know the answer?

 

[FrgMstr]

Hehe that public photo is a bit unfortunate with the position of that parasol, makes it look like they are doing a Da Vinci helicopter

Cheers

It actually took me a second to realize that was not part of the system. LOL!

 

[Ocellaris]

That drone is going to destroy a propeller the first time it tries to land with moving occupants.

 

[Dayaks]

Multiple rotors are also way less efficient...

 

[Stoly]

Engine failure:

On a helicopter, the rotor still rotates and can be used to safely land.

Only if you are a highly trained and skilled helicopter pilot

 

[Gigus Fire]

Engine failure:

On a helicopter, the rotor still rotates and can be used to safely land.

On a multi-rotor copter, better pray to your maker.

You forgot the Chinese made portion. It's guaranteed to have catastrophic failures.

 

[Twisted Kidney]

People don't understand just how much small-scale portable energy can change our society.

Imagine something like this with an 800km range, or 10,000km?

 

[Nukester]

I just don't understand the "open prop" thing with these quads. I mean do they WANT to shred people?

 

[XenIneX]

Only if you are a highly trained and skilled helicopter pilot

By which you mean "all helicopter pilots (in the US)," since the FAA mandates autorotation training.

I just don't understand the "open prop" thing with these quads. I mean do they WANT to shred people?

Prop cages mean added weight and turbulance, and your average quad is barely managing to stay in the sky through brute force as it is. Plus, aviation history has a long and glorious tradition of people getting sucked into props and jet turbines, and we wouldn't want to get in the way of tradition, would we?

 

[LGZdarkside]

Engine failure:

On a helicopter, the rotor still rotates and can be used to safely land.

On a multi-rotor copter, better pray to your maker.

I would hope they have this installed. Many cases of them saving lives when installed on small aircraft...

 

[Nukester]

By which you mean "all helicopter pilots (in the US)," since the FAA mandates autorotation training.


Prop cages mean added weight and turbulance, and your average quad is barely managing to stay in the sky through brute force as it is. Plus, aviation history has a long and glorious tradition of people getting sucked into props and jet turbines, and we wouldn't want to get in the way of tradition, would we?

Well it's a little different when the vehicle is surrounded by ground level horizontal propellers. I mean it's a human mowing machine

 

[5icko]

Only if you are a highly trained and skilled helicopter pilot

Yeah, and if you aren't in the soup or in a dead man's curve flight profile.

 

[5icko]

By which you mean "all helicopter pilots (in the US)," since the FAA mandates autorotation training.

Licensed doesn't mean skilled. Big difference between deliberate rolling the throttle off and having an engine (or tail rotor) malfunction unexpectedly.

 

[DocSavage]

Well it's a little different when the vehicle is surrounded by ground level horizontal propellers. I mean it's a human mowing machine

There's no reason they can't just mount the propellers above the craft like helicopter rotors are. Also, I'd rather have 6 separate prop systems for a bit more redundancy should there be any failures.

 

[Jaymzkerten]

First thing I saw looking at that picture is the giant E below it. Designed by Evil Corp.