German company e-volo successfully conducted the first manned flight of its 16-rotor electric multicopter, piloted by Thomas Senkel.
The 80kg craft is mechanically simple, computer-controlled for flight stability, and designed for safety, capable of landing even with four motor failures.
The initial 90-second flight demonstrated "good natured" characteristics, with the vehicle able to hover stably without steering input.
E-volo aims to develop commercial single- and multi-seat versions offering 10-30 minutes of flight time.
Thomas Senkel of the German company e-volo recently became the first to pilot an interesting craft – a so-called electric multicopter with 16 rotors.
With a single seat placed in the center of those blades, the 80-kilogram (176-pound), all-electric vehicle may look a bit frightening to the risk-averse eye.
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