The team from the University of Oslo that built this beastly flying machine calls it Megakopter, and it just set a new Guinness World Record for the heaviest weight hoisted by a multicopter. It maxed out at an impressive 61 kilograms — just under 135 pounds — which is probably enough to lift some of the smaller students that worked on its design.
While the record is for weight lifted by a multicopter, Megakopter looks an awful lot like multiple multicopters working in unison. Each drone used in the build has six rotors, but they were all controlled by a single remote to perform the record-breaking lift. To claim the record, Megakopter had to keep its payload suspended at least one meter off the ground for at least 30 seconds. You can watch the attempt right here:
You might think that another team could simple pop a ninth drone in a similar configuration and snatch away the record, but the Oslo team should be able to fend of challengers. Megakopter is theoretically capable of lifting up to 149.9kg in total, so it seems to have enough muscle to defend its crown. Unless, of course, eHang wants to team up eight of its 184 drones (which can fly a 200-pound adult and 20 pounds of gear to and from work) and see if they can get more than half a ton off the ground. The Guinness folks will probably set up multiple weight classes before that happens, though.
source: geek.com