eMotionSpheres: A New Design for Human-Friendly UAVs

Here we present a new design for humanfriendly UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles). Contrary to conventional UAVs like gyrocopters or quadrocopters, the so called eMotionSpheres feature high process stability, long endurance and furthermore allow for a safe human-machine interaction. Since these features are essential for UAVs used in a production environment the eMotionSpheres will open up new applications of UAVs in the future. Each flying object consists of a helium filled ballonet and is driven by eight small propellers, which are attached to the outer shell. The propellers are a novelty when it comes to flying objects. They consist of a laser-sintered rigid outer frame which is spanned by a thin foil. This design, inspired by the dragonfly wing, results in a light-weight drive, which is adaptive and most interestingly supplies the same efficient thrust in a forward and a reverse direction. One or several of the eMotion-Spheres can move in an autonomous or coordinated manner within a defined space. Therefore the flying objects communicate via active markers with a camera system. The cameras reconstruct a 3D space and together with a central master computer specify the flight paths of the spheres. Since the camera system is easy to install and calibrated in few minutes it offers, together with, but also without the spheres, several interesting applications in guidance and monitoring of the networked factory of the future