On Monday 25th September Dubai witnessed the first flight of a volocopter, an autonomous flying people carrying drone ! Dubai wants to become the cornerstone of a flying taxi service – an Uber of the skies no less !

Volocopters have 18 propellers driven by individual electric motors, which means any faults during flights can be isolated without any risk to safety. The motors are powered by nine independent batteries that can be quickly changed. Volocopters have a top speed of 100km/hr, much slower than traditional helicopters, and a flight duration of just 20-30mins and are extremely easy to fly. They are operated with a one hand joy stick that is aided by a flight control system made up of several independent units. Each unit contains positioning sensors that consist of pressure gauges, gyroscopes, accelerometers and magnetometers for all 3 spatial axes – roll, pitch and yaw. Take off and landing and adjustments to altitude are controlled with a thumb button, with semi-autonomous system ensuring landings are gentle.

Perhaps we need these in UK cities as an alternative transport for business to beat our traffic jams and ever increasing congested roads.

Hope you have a great month

All the best

Mike

Quotation corner:

“The Guide says there is an art to flying”, said Ford, “or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.”

Douglas Adams – Author

“On his seventy-fifth birthday a photographer said: ‘I hope, sir, that I will shoot your picture on your hundredth birthday.’ Churchill answered: ‘I don’t see why not, young man. You look reasonably fit and healthy.”

Winston Churchill

ps  If you have enjoyed the blog please forward to those who might be interested, many thanks in advance, Mike