New video shows Airbus' one-seater Vahana drone take to the skies ahead of its commercial launch in 2020
- Airbus' advanced projects division, Project Vahana, completed its first successful test flight of the Alpha One aircraft, an autonomous robot taxi
- Now the aerospace giant has shared footage of Alpha One taking to the skies
- Alpha One climbed to 16 feet before successfully returning to the ground
- The self-piloted vehicle weighs 1,642 lb (745 kg) and will house one passenger
- Future tests will transition from hovering off the ground to directional flight
Airbus has shared new footage of its autonomous robot taxi taking to the skies for the first time.
The flying taxi, dubbed Alpha One, is part of Project Vahana, the aerospace giant's advanced projects division.
The video shows the self-flying drone hovering above the ground for about a minute or so, before smoothly lowering itself back to the ground.
Airbus posted the video on Thursday, a month after the test flight took place at the Pendleton Unmanned Aerial Systems Range in Oregon, close to a nearby airport where the craft has been stored since November 2017.
Airbus' plans to create a fleet of self-flying taxis have moved a step closer to becoming reality, thanks to the first successful test flight of a full-scale prototype. Project Vahana's aircraft, dubbed Alpha One, took to the skies for the first time, flying for a total of 53 seconds
AlphaOne is a full-scale aircraft that's all-electric and self-piloted.
The self-piloted aircraft is 20.3 ft (6.2 m) wide, 18.7 ft (5.7 m) long, 9.2 ft (2.8 m) tall and has a takeoff weight of 1,642 lb (745 kg).
It has eight propellers and a six rotor design that allows the taxi to take off vertically, then adjust its wings to move directionally.
'During our minute-long flight, the primary battery system used about 8 percent of its total energy, demonstrating that the vehicle is capable of much more,' said Zach Lovering, a project executive at Vahana, said in a description of the video. Airbus hopes to create a fleet of self-flying taxis in the near future, with plans to have a commercial version of the AlphaOne in operation by 2020.
Alpha One climbed to a height of 16 feet (five metres) before successfully returning to the ground at 8:52am PT (11.52am ET / 4.52pm GMT).
The single-passenger taxi was able to maneuver itself without the input of a human operator.
A screenshot from the video shows a Vahana engineer removing a pin from the Alpha One autonomous taxi. The taxi flew in the air for a total of 53 seconds before returning to a tarmac
Future tests will transition from hovering off the ground to directional flight.
If successful, they could lead to the creation of commercial self-flying taxis to help commuters avoid the ever-growing issue of traffic during rush-hour in congested cities across the world.
In a previous statement, Lovering said called last month's test a 'historic day for Airbus, A³, and the Vahana team'.
'After two years of planning and building, we are thrilled to see our efforts culminate in successful flight.
In June 2017, Vahana released a concept video showing what passengers could expect from a future flying taxi service. The two minute clip depicts Deborah, a computer character who needs to get from the Hotel de Anza in San Jose to Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco
Rather than contend with traffic on the ground, she orders a Vahana flying vehicle to pick her up from the nearest 'vertiport' using a smartphone app
Vahana collects her and completes the 42 mile (68 km) journey in 18 minutes, for a total fare of $77 (£54)
The footage also shows off some of the anticipated features of the vehicles, including automated obstacle avoidance and on-board climate control
'Getting Vahana to this point, and at this pace, has tested our ingenuity and our resolve. Tomorrow we’ll start on the next steps of our journey.'
Vahana's sleek self-flying aircraft seats one passenger under a canopy that retracts in similar way to a motorcycle helmet visor.
The vehicle is designed to operate like a helicopter.
The vertical takeoff-landing (VTOL), all-electric aircraft is made up of a cockpit mounted on a sled, flanked by propellers in front and back.
Project Vahana began early in 2016 and is one of the first projects at A³, the advanced projects and partnerships outpost of Airbus Group in Silicon Valley.
In November 2017, the Vahana craft completed its move to the 9,600 square foot (892 sq m) Pendleton Hangar at the Eastern Oregon Regional Airport, in what the firm called a ‘monumental’ step toward the first flight
France-based firm Airbus is set to unleash its electric aircraft in 2020. It aims to reduce traffic jams around the world, and people will summon the flying taxi with the push of a button
Zach Lovering, the project leader at Airbus has said passengers should expect to pay $1.50 to $2.50 (£1 to £1.50) per mile. The low cost is possible because the craft does not need the same maintenance as ground-based cabs
About the successful test flight, Mr Lovering added: 'Our aim has long been to design and build a single passenger electric VTOL self-piloted aircraft that will answer the growing need for urban mobility.
'Our goal is to democratize personal flight by leveraging the latest technologies such as electric propulsion, energy storage, and machine vision.
'Our first flights mark a huge milestone for Vahana as well as the global pursuit of urban air mobility.'
In June 2017, Vahana released a concept video showing what passengers could expect from a future flying taxi service.
Project Vahana began early in 2016 and is one of the first projects at A³, the advanced projects and partnerships outpost of Airbus Group in Silicon Valley
Conceptual renders of the futuristic vehicle have been passed around the web since the craft was announced
Airbus noted in 2016 that one of Vahana's first projects will be working with Uber to create a new business model for helicopter operators
If successful, future testing could lead to the creation of commercial self-flying taxis to help commuters avoid the ever-growing issue of traffic during rush-hour in congested cities across the world
The two minute clip depicts Deborah, a computer-generated character who needs to get from the Hotel de Anza in San Jose to Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco.
Rather than contend with traffic on the ground, she orders a Vahana flying vehicle to pick her up from the nearest 'vertiport' using a smartphone app.
Vahana collects her and completes the 42 mile (68 km) journey in 18 minutes, for a total fare of $77 (£54).
The footage also shows off some of the anticipated features of the vehicles, including automated obstacle avoidance and on-board climate control.
HOW DID AIRBUS' FLYING TAXI COME TO BE?
Project Vahana began in early 2016 and is one of the first projects at A³, the advanced projects and partnerships outpost of Airbus Group in San Jose, California.
The first conceptual artist's images revealed a sleek self-flying aircraft with room for one passenger who sits under a canopy that retracts in a similar way to a motorcycle helmet's visor.
The air taxis will take off and land vertically, thanks to tilting wings which are each equipped with four electric motors.
Project Vahana began in early 2016 and is one of the first projects at A³, the advanced projects and partnerships outpost of Airbus Group in San Jose, California. The first artist's images revealed a sleek self-flying aircraft with room for one passenger
In November 2017, the Vahana craft completed its move to the 9,600 square foot (892 sq m) Pendleton Hangar at the Eastern Oregon Regional Airport, in what the firm called a ‘monumental’ step toward the first flight.
In less than a day, the team reassembled the craft, allowing them to then install the high voltage power system and motors that will power the first test flights.
It also carried out the first end-to-end flight test simulation, combining real and simulated data.
A³, pronounced A Cubed, had aimed to have a full-sized prototype in the air by the end of 2017.
It missed this deadline by a few weeks. Project Vahana's full-scale aircraft, dubbed Alpha One, took to the skies for the first time on January 31, 2018.
Alpha One climbed to a height of 16 feet (five metres) before successfully returning to the ground.
A commercial model is planned for sale by 2020.
Airbus has revealed its airborne vehicles will cost ‘the equivalent of a normal taxi’, around $1.50 to $2 (£1 to £1.50) per mile.
No comments:
Post a Comment