This week's top Flying Car News: Airbus pursues autonomous pilotless airplanes, a hybrid octocopter is set to fly in Las Vegas, a British flying car company is accepting preorders, and more!
Flying cars will be a significant part of the future of transportation. Recent advancements in drone technology, electric VTOL aircraft, and autonomous systems have paved the way for an aerial transportation revolution. We created the Udacity Flying Car News Series, to ensure you stay up-to-date on all the latest Flying Car and Autonomous Aircraft stories!
Pilotless AirplanesAirbus is hoping autonomous technology will help cut costs for carriers by reducing the amount of pilots needed to operate commercial aircraft, with the ultimate goal of replacing pilots entirely.
"We're pursuing single-pilot operation as a potential option, and a lot of the technologies needed to make that happen have also put us on the path towards unpiloted operation."
AcquisitionVolvo's parent company buys flying car startup Terrafugia.
"The team at Terrafugia have been at the forefront of believing in and realizing the vision for a flying car and creating the ultimate mobility solution," Geely's founder and chairman Li Shufu said in a statement."
OctocopterThe SureFly octocopter is set to make its first manned flight in January in Las Vegas.
"Billed as being "the world's first personal electric hybrid octocopter," the 1,100-lb (499-kg) SureFly has four propeller arms with two fixed contra-rotating propellers on each one, along with a gas combustion engine that generates electricity to run the eight electric motors."
Flying CarBritish flying car NeoXcraft is accepting preorders now. Get yours by 2020!
"The futuristic 'NeoXCraft' will use four high-powered fans to reach speeds of up to 210mph (320kph) and could take off from right outside your home. If you don't fancy flying to your destination, these fans will fold down to become wheels for land-based driving."
ConservationSan Diego Zoo Global partners with Northrop Grumman to deploy autonomous drones for Polar Bear Conservation.
"The partners say the autonomous UAS will be used to provide a more detailed, finer-scale view of sea ice habitat. Importantly, it also offers the potential to observe polar bears without disturbing the animals or posing a risk to humans."
If you're interested in joining the pioneering generation of engineers who will build the smart transportation systems of the future, discover Udacity's Flying Car Nanodegree Program today!
And stay tuned for more Flying Car News!
Source: Flying Car News, December 2
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