Vertical take-off and landing machines: So many companies have started pouring an incredible number of resources into these devices, with the big bet that these "flying taxis"will be the next big thing in passenger transportation. Volocopter is one of many vying for a piece of the potential future industry, and this is its near-production Volocity.
The startup released its vehicle tour on Friday with the company's Chief Commercial Officer Christian Bauer as he walks us through some of the technology, safety precautions and amenities that Volocity promises its drivers. Volocopter believes it will be the first to bring this type of electric VTOL machine to market, and Bauer confirms in the video that the machine is following all European aviation safety authorities.
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On the security front, the Volocity has 18 rotors to get passengers to their destination, and Bauer emphasizes that the VTOL can lose one or two of the rotors due to the built-in redundancies. If they break out, the vehicle can end its flight without any problems. The same applies to the batteries, which, according to Bauer, are fully functional even if up to two of them run out of juice. There are nine of them in total, although we don't have any specifics about their makeup yet. All we know is that they are lithium-ion batteries that are replaceable and will provide enough juice for 22 miles. Yes, only 22 miles. The maximum flight speed is approx. 100 km / h. VTOLs shouldn't go very far, at least initially. Instead, most companies think of them as quick puddle jumpers to find their way around parts of the city faster than sitting in traffic. At least that's the goal.
Initially, Volocopter is planning a piloted version that will be operated by trained specialists. After all, it promises completely autonomous aircraft with cameras to handle all the necessary maneuvers. We are still a long way from fully autonomous cars, so it is safe to say that fully autonomous aircraft are just as far away. Be sure to check out the Volocity in late prototype form above.
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