(테크놀로지) 중국 이항社의 유인(有人) 무인기(드론) <184> 미국에서 실험허가 받다

출처: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-36478614

Human 'drone taxi' to be tested in Nevada

• 8 June 2016
 
• From the sectionTechnology

Image copyrightAP

Image captionThe personal minicopter was shown off at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas (minicopter: 사람 태우는 드론)

A human-carrying drone has been given approval for test flights in Nevada, the first of its kind in the United States.

The autonomous drone - dubbed 184 - can carry one passenger and was developed by Chinese company EHang. 일인탑승 드론 184는 중국 이항社(번체億航/간체亿航/발음 억항)가 개발한 제품.

A prototype was shown off at this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, with the company hoping to sell the drones later this year.

Experts were divided over whether such a system would have mass appeal. 이 제품이 진짜 대중에게 어필할 수 있는가를 놓고 전문가들 사이 의견이 갈림. (have mass appeal: 대중에게 어필하다)

Officials from the Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems granted permission for the drone to be tested and offered to help EHang submit the results to the Federal Aviation Administration in a bid to win further approval.

It is not clear whether the drone will carry a passenger during tests.

"I personally look forward to the day when drone taxis are part of Nevada's transportation system," the institute's business development director, Mark Barker,told local the Las Vegas Review Journal.

The prototype drone is over 4ft (1.2m) tall, weighs 440lb (200kg) and has eight propellers. 키는 1.2미터 이상, 체중은 200키로, 프로펠러는 8개.

It can carry a single passenger for 23 minutes at 60mph (96km/h). 승객 한 명을 23분간 시속 96키로 속도를 태울 수 있음.

Passengers enter their destination on a 12in (30cm) touchscreen in front of their seat, and the drone's on-board computer works out the best route.

There is no passenger over-ride function, meaning the user cannot take control in an emergency. (over-ride: 무시하다) 단점: 탑승자가 비상時 수동작동 불가.

In the event of a malfunction, the drone would land in the nearest available area.

It is likely to sell for between £140,000 ($200,000) and £200,000. 가격대는 20만불(2억원) 이상.

Big leap 큰 도약 (leap: 뜀, 도약, 뛰다, 도약하다)

Regulation of commercial drones has proved tricky in both the US and Europe, and some doubt passenger drones will ever get off the ground.

"It feels like it is a long way off," said Douglas McNeill, a senior analyst at consultancy Macquarie. "有人드론의 상업화는 아직 갈 길이 먼 거 같다."

"Drones will first have to prove their worth in less people-facing roles such as deliveries of small cargo. "(왜냐하면) 화물의 배송과 같이 사람을 덜 직접 상대하는 일부터 먼저 자신의 가치를 입증해야 하기 때문이다."

"The other question is whether people will be willing to fly in a pilotless aircraft, and that seems like a big leap. 또 다른 문제는 사람들이 무인기를 과연 타고 싶어 할지 여부이다.

"People are sensitive to reduced journey times, and if drones could do that it would be a big plus - but I'm not sure that they can. 대개 사람들이 여행시간 단축에 예민한데, 과연 유인무인기(드론)가 그런 시간단축문제를 해결할 수 있는지 장담할 수 없다.

"Consumers are led by what regulators say are safe. And if they say these drones are safe, people might be more willing."

Dr Mirko Kovac, director of the Aerial Robotics Lab at Imperial College London, said: "Passenger drones have huge potential.

"They can decrease congestion, offer flights in challenging environments and in developing countries where the road infrastructure is not as developed.

"We don't even think about large aircraft flying over large cities on autopilot.

"Yet people are afraid of drones, some of which may use similar robotic technology.

"I think society will overcome this once the technology is more proven."