Chinese company Ehang showed off its first electric passenger drone at CES in January. Now the company is preparing to fly the world's first manned "unmanned aerial vehicle" in Nevada later this year.
The company is working with the Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems (NIAS) and the Governor's Office of Economic Development (GOED) to secure the regulatory approval needed for the upcoming Ehang 184.
The company says its autonomous drone, dubbed the “184,” will be able to take off vertically and carry a passenger for 23 minutes at an altitude of 11,500 feet at 63 miles per hour to their destination and nowhere else but their destination.
Ehang will need to prove to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that its drone is safe to use and can begin operating with broader capabilities. The company is preparing to conduct its unmanned aircraft system tests at the FAA's Nevada test site.
However, don't expect to see the 184 in the city center any time soon, operating as an air taxi. Considering that a safety framework for simple drones has not yet been fully established, regulatory approval for Ehang's manned "unmanned" vehicle will likely be slow to come.
Until then, take off with the video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrPejpbz8RI
