It's the hands-free experience you never knew you needed—a Japanese company has developed a drone-powered parasol it says can hover over users, protecting them from the sun.
The drone-powered sunshade—being developed by Asahi Power Service—should be released next year, and will initially target those in need of a hands-free head covering wider than your average hat, like golfers.
The potential headaches posed by crashes, and regulations governing autonomous aircraft, mean the company expects the product will initially be used in closed private spaces, like golf courses.
"I decided to develop it as I don't like to hold an umbrella," company president Kenji Suzuki told AFP.
At 150 centimetres (60 inches) wide, the parasol prototype weighs five kilos (11 pounds), and so far can only fly for five minutes on one charge.
Asahi Power Service is hoping to quickly extend flying time to at least 20 minutes, partly by making the device lighter, Suzuki said.
"The first prototype we made was just a drone attached to a regular umbrella," he said.
"We are now testing the third-generation prototype and trying to overcome (the technological challenges of) hovering in a stable manner above the head of the user and then chasing the user."
The drones are fitted with cameras that help the parasols track their owners and stay over the correct head.
The company expects the device to have a price tag of about 30,000 yen ($275), a hefty investment for a parasol that isn't yet able to protect its users from the rain.
For now, the devices are not waterproof.
"Eventually, we aim to develop it into an umbrella," Suzuki said.
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daqddyo
5 / 5 (2) Jun 06, 2018Can you imagine this device above you fighting the wind as you are trying to shoot, causing flashes of sunlight on the ground around you, and all the while you are wondering if it is going to run out of juice over your head and injure someone?
ZoeBell
Jun 06, 2018ZoeBell
Jun 06, 2018carbon_unit
1 / 5 (1) Jun 06, 2018I CAN'T HEAR YOU OVER THE NOISE OF YOUR UMBRELLA FIGHTING THE WIND!!
ZoeBell
Jun 06, 2018carbon_unit
1 / 5 (1) Jun 06, 2018I DON"T SEE A POSSUM!
ZoeBell
Jun 06, 2018TheGhostofOtto1923
5 / 5 (1) Jun 06, 2018-Put guns on it and it can protect you from bad guys.
carbon_unit
1 / 5 (1) Jun 06, 2018Ghostt
1 / 5 (3) Jun 06, 2018Ghostt
1 / 5 (2) Jun 06, 2018TheGhostofOtto1923
5 / 5 (1) Jun 07, 2018Here's to the late great FPSRussia
https://youtu.be/SNPJMk2fgJU
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Thorium Boy
not rated yet Jun 08, 2018