Uber is using CES 2019 to showcase its vision for a future of on-demand air travel, and it plans to roll out air taxis, which appear to be a cross between a helicopter and a giant drone, by 2023. Designed by Textron’s Bell division, the Bell Nexus is powered by a hybrid-electric propulsion system in a bid for more efficient air travel. The Uber Air service will begin in the Dallas-Fort Worth area as well as Los Angeles in about four years, with an international market that has yet to be announced. Read more for another video from the CES 2019 show floor, pictures and additional information.
In case of a zombie apocalypse, or just any natural disaster, you’ll want to be in a 2019 Earth Roamer XV-LTS expedition vehicle, which is built on a four-wheel drive, turbo diesel, Ford F-550 chassis, powered by a 6.7L turbo diesel V8 engine. The camper is a one-piece molded design with no seams to leak or fail structurally, thus creating a stronger and more reliable living space. It uses non-polluting solar power and a large battery bank to power highly efficient appliances and lighting. Read more for a detailed video tour, additional pictures and information.
Elon Musk has officially unveiled The Boring Company’s first underground transportation tunnel, and invited guests to take some of the first rides ever on the tech entrepreneur’s solution to “soul-destroying traffic.” They boarded Musk’s Tesla Model S and were driven on Los Angeles-area surface streets about a mile away to what’s known as O’Leary Station, which sits smack dab in the middle of a residential neighborhood. The tunnel system consists of a wall-less elevator that lowers the car down a wide shaft, roughly 30 feet below the surface. Read more for the full drive through video and additional information.
It can be quite dangerous for manned crews to inspect a damaged building after an earthquake or fire, and that’s exactly why researchers from the Robotics and Perception Group at the University of Zurich and the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems at EPFL created a new kind of drone for the task. This innovative new design was inspired by birds that fold their wings in mid-air to cross narrow passages, and this drone can morph itself to fit through narrow gaps and then go back to its previous shape, all the while continuing to fly. Best of all, the drone can still hold and transport objects along the way. Read more for the video and additional information.
Matt Chasen, founder of uShip, has unveiled his new project, LIFT Aircraft’s Hexa, an electric, vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft that anyone will be able to rent and experience. It resembles a large drone with 18 sets of propellers, motors and batteries, with just one seat for the pilot. Since this weighs in at just 432 lbs, it qualifies as a Powered Ultralight by the FAA so no pilot’s license is required to fly. Electric multirotor aircraft fly using distributed electric propulsion (DEP), which allows an aircraft to be controlled simply by varying the speed of multiple electric motors, accomplished by flight control computers. Unlike traditional helicopters, Hexa can even fly with up to six of its eighteen motors out, has a ballistic parachute that autonomously deploys in the event of an emergency, complete with 5 floats to safely land on water, and can be controlled remotely by LIFT trained safety pilots in the event of an emergency. Read more for additional images from around the web.
Based on the Damen Yacht Support 6911, this 227-foot vessel has been fully customized and is perfect for a supervillain who just happens to be a worthy enough opponent to make your hero look good. Of course this person is also clever and accomplished enough that people must lend him begrudging respect, and this yacht is perfect, as it comes with a fully-equipped dive center, Saab Falcon remote vehicle, as well as a U-Boat C-Researcher submarine. Step out onto the deck, and you’ll find a fully-certified helipad with a hangar beneath made for an Airbus H130. That’s not all, it’s also certified for Arctic operations, with a max speed of 22 knots and room for a a crew of 22. Read more for more fascinating images from around the web.
SWAGTRON’s Swagger 5 City Commuter Electric Scooter can be collapsed for easy storage in car trunks, closets, beneath subway seats, as well as inside other compact spaces, and it’s being offered for just $270.99 shipped, today only, normally $399.99. Featuring a 250W motor, Bluetooth connectivity via iOS and Android app, and a phone mount that enables you to travel up to 18 miles per hour. You can personalize your riding experience by taking your pick of three gear levels to set your max speed, or feel the cruise control under your feet as you ride along using the ABS e-brakes or rear disc brakes. Use the free app to activate cruise control, track your location with GPS, turn on your headlight, measure speed, and lots more. It also includes a phone mount so you don’t have to reach into your pocket to check on your speed or other stats. Product page. Read more for a full video review, additional pictures and information.
Thrustcycle wants to make flying bikes a reality, starting with the Gyrodrone, designed by Clyde Igarashi, which uses two propellers for vertical lift-off, and two gyroscopes for stability. Its counter-rotating gyroscopes are powerful enough to keep the bike stable even when kicked, which means that high winds should be no problem. Read more for additional pictures and information.
The Boring Company is currently working on several high-speed underground transportation projects in Los Angeles, and they’ve just completed a 2-mile test tunnel located beneath SpaceX’s headquarters, as CEO Elon Musk shared a video on Twitter of its Godot boring machine breaking “through the other side.” This tunnel, dubbed the “Loop”, will be used as a proof of concept as well as a R&D testing site for the company’s future autonomous public transportation system, utilizing “electric skates” that carry up to 16 passengers at speeds of 125-150 miles per hour. Read More for the two videos he Tweeted and additional information.
Unlike its competitors, the UJET folding electric scooter was designed to include smart connectivity, and will be available in two different models with swappable suitcase-sized batteries that boast an estimated range of up to 43 miles or 93 miles respectively. Users can control the scooter directly with their smartphones, as the app allows its owner to lock / unlock and get step-by-step directions to find exactly where it’s parked. This app is voice controlled, enabling you to stream music, make phone calls, can use the front-facing HD camera to take videos, with ease. The scooter has a SIM card with 3G connection, GPS, WiFi, and Bluetooth. Expect to pay $9,900 for a top-of-the-line model when it’s released. Continue reading for two more videos, pictures and information.