Indoor Friendly, Contact-Safe, Videography and Lighting Display Unit in One

DoCoMo has released an update on their prototype bladeless balloon drone for high-resolution video and photography that now includes full-color LED lighting that lights up the envelope. The drone relies on helium for loft, and propels itself with ultrasonic vibrations. Docomo bills it as a solution to "surrealistic standalone attractions", aerial videography, or use profiles that preclude the use of traditionally rotor-driven drones. 

The blade-free drone is composed of a circular balloon envelope, ringed with 3 propulsion units, small, rectangular units that gently drive air through vibration units, with the bottom unit carrying a high definition video camera and LED lighting suite with various colors. While limited to certain outdoor weather circumstances, the drones provide enhanced close-quarters safety for indoor filming, able to close in with bystanders without threat of injurious contact. The long uptime boasts much higher operation time when compared to traditional quad-rotors, allowing for drones to remain on station for some time prior to recording.

The LEDs provide a helpful identifier, locator, and singular color component for large outdoor displays of coordinated drone constellations, allowing the creation of multi-colored imagery with sufficient numbers. An early example of the drone appeared to be built with traditional reflective mylar, which some noted could open an interesting series of possibilities when used as a makeshift dome mirror for security purposes or temporary area monitoring. DoCoMo has shown some expertise in airborne internet connectivity in the past, which, payload permitting, could see the balloon drones act as a cornerstone of signal relays over wide, urban areas or times of increased network congestion. 

NTT Docomo has been one of Japan's fast-movers in drone development in recent years, creating spherical display drones, connectivity solutions, and individualized designs that stray from the rest of the industry in form and purpose. With projects touching on automation, driverless operation, networking, and inspection in their portfolio, they have time and again been an interesting addition to a newswire seemingly filled with myriad variations of drone delivery systems. Their newest addition could prove to be a fun addition to future outdoor events similar to night time drone shows in years past, without the sound, and with higher resolution. 

FMI: www.nttdocomo.lco.jp