desk
Share
News Topical, Digital Desk : As soon as the rainy season arrives, people first check their umbrellas to see if they're torn or if they need a new one. But now, perhaps people can be relieved of the hassle of carrying an umbrella.
A Hong Kong engineer named John Tse has created a flying umbrella that hovers above its owner and moves alongside them without the need to touch it.
This unique umbrella is based on drone technology. It is equipped with a time-of-flight depth camera that measures a person's distance and location. A Raspberry Pi computer processes this data and provides instructions to the flight controller. The umbrella then moves back and forth, centered above the user's head.
Umbrella made in two weeks project
John Tse initially started it as a two-week project. However, due to technical challenges, the project stretched over several years. The initial model was remote-controlled, but now it is fully autonomous.
This flying umbrella rests on a custom drone frame with folding arms. A standard umbrella is mounted on top, obscuring the intricate technology underneath. When not in use, it folds down to the size of a tripod. In final tests, the umbrella worked successfully even in heavy rain.
--Advertisement--
