A Japanese company develops a hands-free "flying umbrella", East Asia



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OYAMA, JAPAN (YIMIURI SHIMBUN / ASIA NEWS NETWORK) – An information technology company is developing a "flying umbrella" drone that users do not have to hold [19659002] Essentially a small unmanned aircraft, the umbrella uses

The technology is the work of Asahi Power Service, a company based in Oyama, Tochigi Prefecture, which develops telecommunication systems, among other services . upgrade of a prototype during domestic test flights, with the aim of putting the product into practice as early as the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo.

Kenji Suzuki Company President, 40 years old, proposed the project three years ago. "boring to open an umbrella when hands are full."

Under the Civil Aeronautics Act, drones must be kept at a distance of at least 30 meters from people or buildings in cities and other public places. As a result, the company expects the flying umbrella to be initially used in private environments.

The company successfully piloted a prototype using lattice materials for canopy, allowing the wind to cross the canopy and stabilize the air

Last summer, the company has began developing a system that recognizes users and follows them by installing an artificial intelligence camera in an umbrella

. The current prototype, which measures approximately 1.2 m in diameter and weighs approximately 5 kg, can only fly for five minutes. Plus, the prototype can not automatically track users unless they are walking very slowly. It can also be used as a sunshade rather than rain umbrella as it is made of mesh.

"Although there are some regulatory hurdles, we will proceed with the development of the drone umbrella with the hope that someday it" Mr. Suzuki said:

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