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A German company is exploring the future of flight, hoping its prized gadget will one day function the same way as a family car – only in the air, New York Daily News reported.

The tech-savvy team of E-volvo has completed what it calls the world's first manned flight with an electric multicopter, a helicopter-like machine with 16 propellers.

Video shows Thomas Senkel powering up the device – which is operated with a joystick – and maneuvering it above a field, staying in flight for one minute and 30 seconds.

The multicopter runs on lithium batteries and can sustain trips up to 30 minutes.

It is ideal for aerial photography or inspecting wind turbines and pipelines or an air taxi, for sightseeing flights or even as an air ambulance.

（点击美国《纽约每日新闻》查看原文）

德研制载人遥控飞行器

       据美国《纽约每日新闻》报道，德国一家公司研发了一种未来飞行器，希望其将来某一天能走入寻常百姓家，用作“空中飞车”。

       这种新型飞行器名为E-Volo，研发队伍称，这是世界首架载人电动直升机，由16个水平旋翼组成。

       视频中，德国工程师托马斯•森科尔亲自坐在该直升机上操作操纵杆进行试飞，飞行时间为1分30秒。

       该飞行器使用的是锂电池，最多能飞行30分钟。

       它可被用于航拍作业、风力涡轮机和管道系统检测、空中观光出租车，甚至是空中救护车。

(China.org.cn November 8, 2011)