Multi-rotor drones have many advantages, without any doubt. However, that does not mean that the drones are completely flawless. For example, the rotating blades are a great source of noise, it also consumes a lot of energy, and the blades rotating at a great speed could also be potentially dangerous. Addressing some of these problems, a Japanese company, NTT Docomo, has launched a bounced airship-shaped drone that uses an ultrasonic propulsion system.
Although many companies have equipped their drones with sophisticated obstacle avoidance algorithms and sensors to keep people, animals, and other objects safe, in contrast, some companies have wrapped drones in collision avoidance cages. However, the Japanese company Docomo plans to eliminate the blades altogether. The new drone design is basically a balloon with helium that ensures that the drone keeps flying high. The camera is situated at the bottom of the drone. Moreover, the drone is also equipped with colored LEDs.
The fact that Docomo’s drone does not have blades, makes the drone quieter. No sound of the blades also means that the video captured by the drone will not be spoilt by unnecessary sound. Moreover, the drone also consumes less energy than any industry-standard drone, ensuring that the drone offers an extended flight time. However, the company failed to mention the exact flight time of the drone.
On both sides of the helium-filled balloons, there are two small ultrasonic modules that generate tiny vibrations. These vibrations lift the drone up by creating disturbances in the air. The drone can be moved anyway, left, right, forward, back, up or down, the user wishes to. The Japanese company is planning to commercialize the drone design by March 2022, and it might come to the market worldwide sometime after that. NTT Docomo has not revealed anything about the pricing range of the drone.
