加拿大CBC报道:中国载客无人机亿航184将在杜拜投入运行!

来源: Chinucks 2017-02-14 20:10:15 [] [博客] [旧帖] [给我悄悄话] 本文已被阅读: 次 (11177 bytes)

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/passenger-carrying-drone-dubai-1.3982499

Passenger-carrying drone to fly in Dubai

Vehicle has a top speed of 160 km/h and can fly within a 50-km range

The Associated Press Posted: Feb 14, 2017 4:42 PM ET Last Updated: Feb 14, 2017 4:42 PM ET

The EHang 184 autonomous aerial vehicle is unveiled at the EHang booth at CES International, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2016, in Las Vegas. The drone is large enough to fit a human passenger.

The EHang 184 autonomous aerial vehicle is unveiled at the EHang booth at CES International, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2016, in Las Vegas. The drone is large enough to fit a human passenger. (John Locher/The Associated Press)

Dubai hopes to have a passenger-carrying drone regularly buzzing through the skyline of this futuristic city-state in July.

The arrival of the Chinese-made EHang 184 — which already has had its flying debut over Dubai's iconic, sail-shaped Burj al-Arab skyscraper hotel — comes as the Emirati city also has partnered with other cutting-edge technology companies, including Hyperloop One.

The question is whether the egg-shaped, four-legged craft will really take off as a transportation alternative in this car-clogged city already home to the world's longest driverless metro line.

Mattar al-Tayer, the head of Dubai's Roads and Transportation Agency, announced plans to have the craft regularly flying at the World Government Summit. Before his remarks on Monday, most treated the four-legged, eight-propeller craft as just another curiosity at an event that views itself as a desert Davos.

"This is not only a model," al-Tayer said. "We have actually experimented with this vehicle flying in Dubai's skies."

 

The craft can carry a passenger weighing up to 220 pounds and a small suitcase. After buckling into its race-car-style seat, the craft's sole passenger selects a destination on a touch-screen pad in front of the seat and the drone flies there automatically.

The drone, which has a battery allowing for a half-hour flight time and a range of up to 50 kilometres, will be monitored remotely by a control room on the ground. It has a top speed of 160 km/h, but authorities say it will be operated typically at 100 km/h.

Al-Tayer said the drone would begin regular operations in July. He did not elaborate.

The Road and Transportation Agency later issued a statement saying the drone had been examined by the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and was controlled through 4G mobile internet. The agency did not immediately respond to further questions from The Associated Press.

The United Arab Emirates already requires drone hobbyists to register their aircraft. However, drone intrusions at Dubai International Airport, the world's busiest for international travel, has seen it shut down for hours at a time in recent months.

EHang did not respond to a request for comment. In May, authorities in Nevada announced they would partner with EHang to test the 184 to possibly be cleared by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.

Looking to the future

The drone may be a techno curiosity for now but Dubai — the commercial capital of the oil-rich UAE and home to the long-haul carrier Emirates — has bold visions for the future and the 184 fits right into its plans.

Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, announced in April he wanted 25 percent of all passenger trips in the city to be done by driverless vehicles in 2030. To that end, Dubai already has had the box-shaped driverless EZ10, built by France's EasyMile, cruise nearby the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building.

Gadget Show EHang

People crowd around the EHang 184 autonomous aerial vehicle at the EHang booth at CES International, Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2016, in Las Vegas. The drone is large enough to fit a human passenger. (John Locher/The Associated Press)

In October, Dubai signed a deal with Los Angeles-based Hyperloop One to study the potential for building a hyperloop line between it and Abu Dhabi, the Emirati capital.

A hyperloop has levitating pods powered by electricity and magnetism that hurtle through low-friction pipes at a top speed of 1,220 km/h. Elon Musk, the co-founder of Tesla who appeared on Monday at the Dubai conference, first proposed the idea of a hyperloop in 2013.

Musk, who took no questions from reporters on Monday, later launched his Tesla car brand in Dubai at an event organizers said was not open to international media. Musk has come under criticism for serving on a business council advising U.S. President Donald Trump.

所有跟帖: 

内华达州政府也为亿航184获得美国FAA适航证和亿航合作。 -Chinucks- 给 Chinucks 发送悄悄话 Chinucks 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 02/14/2017 postreply 20:19:23

这种东西还是不用的好。安全恐怕无法保证。 -austraveller- 给 austraveller 发送悄悄话 austraveller 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 02/14/2017 postreply 20:24:41

事故率低于汽车就可以了。 -Chinucks- 给 Chinucks 发送悄悄话 Chinucks 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 02/14/2017 postreply 20:26:17

即使事故率低,但太扰民。 我可不愿看到上百架载人无人机在小区上空转悠 -ncaa- 给 ncaa 发送悄悄话 (0 bytes) () 02/14/2017 postreply 21:36:09

不如terrafugia的飞行汽车实用 -ncaa- 给 ncaa 发送悄悄话 (0 bytes) () 02/14/2017 postreply 21:05:00

Maybe。但还八字没一撇。不试不知道吧? -Chinucks- 给 Chinucks 发送悄悄话 Chinucks 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 02/14/2017 postreply 21:11:17

都获许可证批量生产了 -ncaa- 给 ncaa 发送悄悄话 (0 bytes) () 02/14/2017 postreply 21:23:54

不想了,能看到蓝天比什么都重要 -ncaa- 给 ncaa 发送悄悄话 (0 bytes) () 02/14/2017 postreply 21:41:01

美国人脾气暴,已发生过持枪将头顶无人机击落的情况 -ncaa- 给 ncaa 发送悄悄话 (0 bytes) () 02/14/2017 postreply 21:44:02

还没有,公司说今年要开始第三架原型的试飞。 -Chinucks- 给 Chinucks 发送悄悄话 Chinucks 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 02/14/2017 postreply 21:38:44

这东西只能给少数人用。给多数人用无法想象 -ncaa- 给 ncaa 发送悄悄话 (50 bytes) () 02/14/2017 postreply 21:45:27

都不实用,只能少数人用 -ncaa- 给 ncaa 发送悄悄话 (0 bytes) () 02/14/2017 postreply 21:49:13

那有什么用?坐地铁 -ncaa- 给 ncaa 发送悄悄话 (0 bytes) () 02/14/2017 postreply 21:52:14

这无人机貌似都没地方放行李,怎么载客 -ncaa- 给 ncaa 发送悄悄话 (0 bytes) () 02/14/2017 postreply 21:20:11

好厉害。中国民间的科技创新和中东石油财富搭上线,前景可观啊。 -yaowangshanhaiguan- 给 yaowangshanhaiguan 发送悄悄话 yaowangshanhaiguan 的博客首页 (0 bytes) () 02/15/2017 postreply 09:38:49

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