Science & Technology

Huge flying eyeball heralds new era of drones

By T.K. Randall
March 20, 2016 ·  13 comments

The new drone can display any image on its outside surface. Image Credit: Aerotain Known as Skye, the new drone, which has been developed by engineers at Aerotain, combines a large helium-filled balloon with the capabilities of a conventional aerial drone to create a safe and maneuverable platform that companies can use to promote their brand.

According to Aerotain co-founder Daniel Meier, the device is unique because, unlike regular drones, it is safe for people to touch and interact with due to its family-friendly balloon-like exterior.

"There is a computer on board which knows exactly how it's orientated in the world, and then it gives commands to the motors to actually align it to where you want it to be," he said. "And there are four motors on it which can rotate around their axis and with them you can precisely control it in any environment, basically."

Measuring three meters in diameter, Skye can stay airborne for up to three hours with fully charged batteries and can fly both indoors and outside at altitudes of up to around thirty meters.

A video demonstrating the device in action can be viewed below.


Source: Reuters | Comments (13)

Tags: Drone, Aerotain