College students in Cambodia have produced the prototype of single-passenger drone they hope to develop for eventual use as air taxi transportation and an aerial asset for firefighters. Though only backed by limited funding, the aspiring engineers say their project was driven by the simple desire to solve a few of society’s problems.
The recently tested prototype single-passenger drone was produced by students at the National Polytechnic Institute of Cambodia (NPIC) on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. The group of aspiring engineers took three years to develop the craft, working with a tight budget of around $20,000. Despite the pluck and determination that went into its production and trial flight, the not illogically dubbed “NPIC Human Carrier Drone” won’t be causing executives at Volocopter, Lilium, or Joby to bolt up at night in cold sweats just yet.
For now, the trial vehicle can carry an individual weighing up to 132 lbs. a maximum distance of just over…
