The video shows the orange-and-black drone buzzing through the skies, claw-like grips clacking open and closed in anticipation as it sights its prey – a metal patio chair.
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Prodrone, a Japanese UAV company, has taken the wraps off its new PD6B-AW-ARM, a drone that contains a pair of robotic arms for grasping items from the air, among other things. With the ability to fly for 30 minutes at a time, this drone can carry unsafe materials or transport cargo to remote locations.
And it was revealed at the global Drone Conference and Exposition in Las Vegas that the flying machine’s arms are capable of carrying weights of between 10 – 20kg, as well as fly at just under 40mph for an hour on one charge.
The new model, called the PD6B-AW-ARM, was unveiled at the InterDrone conference on September 7-9. And a reassuring stat for those concerned about aerial kidnapping attempts – the robot arms’ maximum payload is only around 10 kg (22 lbs). It can also adapt to different shaped cargo more easily, or can be used as a tool to cut or attach cables, turn dials or switches, or carry buoys for rescue missions.
The UAV has been developed for commercial use to carry a maximum payload of approximately 10kg (22lb) and can fly up to 30 minutes at high altitudes in areas deemed too risky for humans.
‘We are firmly focused on the future of commercial drones and on being world pioneers in developing “task oriented drones,”‘ says Prodrone CEO Masakazu Kono.
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Only time will tell what this drone and others will do with their new technology.
