It aims to be a ‘car’ that can skip the annoying traffic jam, but Koncepto Millenya is basically a huge-ass drone that sits one and so, dancer/backyard inventor Kyxz Mendiola (who I pretty sure the first name isn’t his real name) decided to call his invention a ‘drone car’. Mendiola is the founding member of Philippines-based international dance group called Philippine Allstars and so, I am guessing no one would have thought a dancer would ever succeed in this ambitious endeavor which started six years ago. So yeah, Mendiola is a dancer-turn-amateur engineer.
This flying ride recently made its maiden successful flight where it flew 25 feet above the ground. From the video, which you can find embedded below, it looks like it is highly stable and maneuverable – something which many backyard flying contraptions failed to achieve. Koncepto Millenya is, as mentioned, essentially a giant drone that could accommodate a person (who is also the pilot). The concept is not much different from the many drone-inspired flying machines, including the commercial variety from Ehang. The major difference is, Ehang is a quad-rotor ‘drone’ while Koncepto Millenya is a multi-rotor, which perhaps explain why it is more stable.
Despite it being successful in its own right, Koncepto Millenya is not spared from what all other drones of such nature are inflicted with: battery life. The current build has a battery system that affords just 12-15 minutes flight per 2.5-hour charge. Well, if you are going to skip the traffic, I am sure you want to at least be able to make the destination without falling out of the sky. 15 minutes is not long, but luckily, there is a battery redundancy system in place that will enable the aircraft to continue flying even if one battery runs out.
But really, battery technology for full-size, rideable drone needs a lot of improvement in order to realize humans’ dream of ‘flying car’. Mendiola has gotten some help along the way from enthusiasts and entrepreneurs, and now, he is ready to take his vision of flying sports car to the next level, by mass producing Koncepto Millenya. But first, you beckon buyers and investors to come forward, so he could realize his goal of distributing this flying machine commercially.
Save for the dangerous swirling rotors, I think Mendiola’s flying ride might be ready. Personally, I think this may be the best looking home-brew rideable drone we have seen thus far.
Images: Koncepto Millenya.
Source: Nextshark.
