Vahana 'flying car' passes first flight test

[UM-Bot]

The autonomous flying passenger drone has taken to the skies for the first time at a test site in Oregon.

https://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/news/315449/vahana-flying-car-passes-first-flight-test

[TripGun]

I'm no engineer but can we get some screen covers for these decapitators? 

[+Hammerclaw]

Too complicated, too many parts and too many critical points of potential failure. Seems more of a conceptual model than a working prototype. 

[paperdyer]

First - in a safety paranoid environment as the world id going to, if there is a 1 in a billion chance a decapitation can occur the plane needs to be "guarded".  Having said that, the more you idiot-proof something, the more people don't watch what's going on because "it's safe". The end product is a better idiot that will still find someway to have a decapitation.

 

Second - I don't care how safe these things will be touted to be.  I'm not ever getting in one unless I'm going to die otherwise for sure.  Then I'll take the chance and hope no one hacks the computer.

[Unusual Tournament]

this is just re-inventing the wheel. whats wrong with existing helicopters? whack on an electric engine, limit noise and cover the rotor blades. hey presto, you got yourself a flying car.    

[Timothy]

24 minutes ago, Captain Risky said:

this is just re-inventing the wheel. whats wrong with existing helicopters? whack on an electric engine, limit noise and cover the rotor blades. hey presto, you got yourself a flying car.    

A bit better to have a completely new purpose built design than trying to retrofit an old helicopter with an autonomous flight system and electric engine.

Not really designed for that purpose!