Drones

Heavy-lift drone could carry a person

The Griff 300 is claimed to be able to lift 225 kg (496 lb)
Griff Aviation
The Griff 300 is claimed to be able to lift 225 kg (496 lb)
Griff Aviation

When it comes to industrial copter-type drones, it's easy to think that there are just two varieties: little ones that carry Amazon-type small packages, and full-sized unmanned helicopters. Griff Aviation, however, recently announced an aircraft that sits somewhere between the two. The Norwegian company's Griff 300 weighs 75 kg (165 lb) on its own, and can reportedly lift a payload of up to 225 kg (496 lb).

The Griff 300 is an octocopter, meaning it has eight propellers each powered by a separate motor. Depending on how much it's carrying, one charge of its battery pack is good for a claimed flight time of 30 to 45 minutes.

It's manually flown from the ground using a radio remote control, although users can also opt for a custom helicopter-cabin-like mobile control station in which they fly it by first-person view.

Buyers can of course saddle it up with whatever cargo carriers, sensors or other gear they wish, although specific payload options are available as extras. These have been designed for users such as the armed forces, law enforcement, fire fighters, and search and rescue teams. There's also a package aimed at wind turbine maintenance, along with one designed to facilitate straight-up cargo-carrying.

There's currently no word on price, although an even burlier model is on the way – the Griff 800 will reportedly be able to carry a payload of up to 800 kg (1,764 lb). Models with even higher capacities are also planned.

In the meantime, you can see the Griff 300 in flight below.

Source: Griff Aviation via SUAS News

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8 comments
guzmanchinky
And what would prevent someone from strapping on a harness and flying themselves around?
unklmurray
The only thing stopping me from making a harness and flying.........The article does state that they offer a pod where by you can fly it as though you were actually flying it...........Let me git one and I'll hook the pod to the copter and Vwalla.....Flying it myself!!!!LOL :-}}
riczero-b
Unklmurray you'd be right to want something between your body and those eight hungry rotors...
JPAR
How about co-ordinating 4 of these such that they each support a corner of a 'passenger pod' sat in the centre of them? 4* 225kg = 900kg. Enough for two people and perhaps some range extending (emergency back-up?) batteries. And if one fails, should be enough power in the remaining 3 to bring the passengers safely down to ground. The passenger pod could also use a vertical parachute as a safety mechanism, given that none of the drones needs to be directly above it.
Bigbrother Iswatchingu
Common sense is all that is required to prevent you of such foolish decision.
habakak
So many uses for something like this. Bravo. But for carrying humans, it will be the exception. Hopefully humans will get over the 'driving' and 'flying' and being in control of things in the next few decades. It will be much safer. Humans taking to the sky in the hundreds of millions won't work until it's fully automated.
zr2s10
This is similar to the snowboarding/drone in the article yesterday. As I mentioned in the comments there as well (to one person's chagrin), I think this could make a great alternative to a helicopter in rescue situations where a chopper is unavailable, or cannot go. Even large Fire Departments likely can't afford a helicopter, but one of these would be affordable enough to make them widely available. Stranded climbers/hikers, flood victims, etc. This could really save lives, and should not be brushed off as a gimmick. If I could afford it, I would buy one for a local VFD that does alot of water rescues at a popular waterfall/tourist destination. There was an incident a few years ago where both the rescuer and victim drowned. Something like this could have prevented that.
Towerman
Awesome !