230 Ehang Autonomous Aerial Vehicle

Ehang flies their autonomous aerial vehicle with human passengers, reaction to a close encounter with an airliner, drone safety measures at the Olympics, drone video awards, drone package delivery by Airbus, and thoughts on cargo drones.UAV NewsFlying car? Watch as this drone flies around with passengers insideThe Ehang 184 autonomous aircraft is rated for a 220-pound payload, a cruising altitude of 500 meters, and a top speed of 80 mph.CEO takes ride in passenger drone to demonstrate that it’s safeEhang has conducted over 1000 flight tests, including some with human passengers. Other flight tests include a 300-meter climb test with a 507-pound payload, a 9.3 mile distance test, and tests in high winds. Video shows two variants: a single-seater with eight pairs of rotors on four arms, and a two-seater with sixteen pairs of rotors on eight arms.EHANG 184 AAV Manned Flight TestsVideo: EHANG 184 AAV Manned Flight TestsFAA Investigating Video of Drone Flying Dangerously Close to AirlinerVideo originally posted on a Facebook group shows a drone flying close to a Frontier Airlines Airbus A320 on final approach to McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. The poster says he is a Las Vegas high school student and the video is real, but he didn’t shoot it. The FAA confirmed to Flying that it is taking the video very seriously,UAS Stakeholders to FAA: Use Full Authority to Apprehend and Prosecute Reckless Las Vegas UAS OperatorA number of UAS stakeholders sent a letter [PDF] to the FAA to encourage it “to use its full authority to investigate, identify and apprehend an operator who recently flew a UAS over an airliner making its final approach at Las Vegas McCarran International Airport.”DJI institutes no-fly zones around sports arenas as the Olympics open in South KoreaDJI is implementing temporary no-fly zones around sports arenas at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Aviation authorities recommended the size of the zones.Drone-catching drones to bolster security at Winter OlympicsDespite precautions, officials are concerned about rogue drones and have taken additional steps. A special drone-detection radar developed by the Korea Advanced Institute of Science & Technology will be used. There are reports of signal-jamming guns and “drone-catching drones” with nets may be deployed.2017 Drone Video Awards WinnersThe 2017 AirVūz Drone Video Awards winners have been announced:Dronie — There Is No One Else by Wellington VisualsLandscape — Perspective by Jay WorsleyRacing — Drone Racing Underground by JohnnyFPVCountries — “Awaken” Iceland by mikebishop.tvPeople — This is Yunnan by Face du MondeAnimals — Majestic Beast Nanuk by florian ledouxCities — Moscow Aerial 5K Timelab.pro by Timelab.proTiny Whoop — エアリアルヨガスタジオ ｙ＋AERO × TINY WHOOP JAPAN by KatsuFPVFreestyle — NURK’s Flight of the Year // Trains, Bridges, Rapids, Mountains, Sunsets, Gapping, Perching, Powerlooping by nurkfpvSports — Dream… by PilotVikingOriginality — Cardboard Cadet by chrisxgxcReel — Drones are Awesome by thisistiltPhotography — Floating in the Unknown by zimydakidAirbus Helicopters’ Skyways UAV takes flight into future of parcel deliveryThe Skyways UAV completed its first flight demonstration at the National University of Singapore. The drone was launched from the Airbus dedicated maintenance center. It flew to the roof of a specially designed parcel station and used a robotic arm to load a package. It then returned to the maintenance center. Airbus Helicopters’ Executive Vice President of Engineering and Chief Technical Officer, Alain Flourens said, “Safe and reliable urban air delivery is a reality not too distant into the future, and Airbus is certainly excited to be a forerunner in this endeavour.”Singapore Air Show: Drone tech is ready, but are we?Air Cargo World noted the Airbus achievement, but comments that “Drones with last-mile delivery capabilities… require a dense population to justify the typically steep costs from research to deployment.” Additionally, Air Cargo World stated that regulatory hurdles exist in densely populated areas, and residents might be hostile to unmanned vehicles.Also at the Singapore Air Show, ST Aerospace showed the concept for an unmanned freighter piloted by an artificially intelligent computer. ST Aero was optimistic that an unmanned freighter could be possible in the next five years. The technology is available now, they say, but public sentiment is not there yet.UAV Video of the WeekBeaver Dam Collapse Update 2018This video documents a Beaver Dam collapse and rebuild on private property in Northern Minnesota. The dam was an engineering marvel as it was double-decked, holding back over nine feet of water.Video: Beaver Dam Collapse Update 2018MentionedCNY DronesOrganizing an upstate New York open team drone competition.