Japanese engineers invented unmanned umbrella
Engineers from the Japanese company “Asahi Power Service” invented a convenient anti-sun device - an unmanned umbrella called "Free Parasol".
According to the President of the company, Kenji Suzuki, he was pushed to develop an innovation by the discomfort of the hands occupied by an ordinary umbrella, which limits freedom of movement.
The usual umbrella-drone with a diameter of one and a half meters and a weighting of 5 kilograms is equipped with a special camera and software, which allow to coordinate the position over the user's head and hovering mode.
Of course, inventors have to do quite a bit to make their product fully functional.
First, while such a soaring umbrella is not able to protect from rain, but there is promise to make it waterproof. The manufacturer advises to use the device, for example, on Golf courses.
Second, work continues on improving battery life. Now one charge is only enough for a five-minute flight. Inventors hope to increase the time of use to 20 minutes, and eventually, up to an hour by reducing the weight of the umbrella to 1 kilo.
Asahi Power Service plans to start production of the drone umbrella “Free Parasol " next year at a starting price of $275.
