Airbus has successfully conducted the first test flights of the Vahana, an electric, pilotless flying vehicle that it hopes will be able to ferry people around cities, the company announced on 2 February.
The test flight conducted on 31 January at a test range in the US state of Oregon lasted just under one minute, with the aircraft lifting up five metres from the ground and landing without control from a pilot.
Propelled by eight rotors that allow it to take off and land vertically, Vahana completed a second test flight on 1 February, and additional testing is slated including forward flight.
The aircraft, which Airbus has been developing for less than two years, is designed to carry one passenger and fly autonomously.
Airbus said: ‘Vahana aims to democratise personal flight and answer the growing need for urban mobility by leveraging the latest technologies in electric propulsion, energy storage, and machine vision.’
Autonomous driving technology has made considerable progress in recent years with high-tech firms and established automakers putting test vehicles on the roads, while a handful of inventors and start-ups have developed flying cars.
As the dynamics of aerial combat rapidly evolve, Chinese scientists have engineered a sophisticated air separation drone model that can fragment into up to six drones, each capable of executing distinct battlefield roles and challenging the efficacy of current anti-drone defences such as the UK’s Dragonfire laser system.
Advancements in air defence technologies have begun to reshape aerial combat dynamics in the Middle East, as illustrated by recent events involving the Israeli Air Force and Hezbollah.
Both sides of the Russia-Ukraine war have been using UAS for effective low-cost attacks, as well as impactful web and social media footage. Thousands more have now been committed to Ukrainian forces.
The US Army has intentions to develop light, medium and heavy variants of the Robotic Combat Vehicle (RCV) as part of the branche’s Next Generation Combat Vehicle family.
DroneSentry-X, a cross-vehicle compatible, automated 360° C-UAS detect and defeat device, can offer 360° awareness and protection using integrated sensors. According to its manufacturer, it is suitable for mobile operations, on-site surveillance and on-the-move missions.
Funded by the country’s former president, the new C-UAS systems will be sent to the frontline where they have already been tested against Russian invading forces.
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