Japan’s ‘flying umbrella’ is ready to free your hands

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A Japanese company has developed a drone-powered flying umbrella aiming to free people’s hands and protect them from the sun in the future.

The prototype umbrella, made of meshed canopy, can be stabilized in the air via wind generated from the drone’s propeller.

Powered by an artificial intelligence (AI) camera, it can hover above the user’s head and follow their steps as they walk or move by tracking the real-time position of the user.

Based on the idea that "it's bothersome to open an umbrella when your hands are full," according to the Asahi Power Service Co., the "Free Parasol" is expected to enter the market by 2019 with a retail price of 30,000 yen (273 US dollars), and be put into use as early as the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.

However, due to the tight regulation of unmanned aircraft systems in Japan, the drone cannot be freely used in public places due to safety concerns, so initial testing will take place indoors. But the company has the intention to market their product to golfers who need shade while taking shots.

"Although there are some regulatory obstacles, we'll proceed with development of the drone umbrella with hopes that one day, it'll be a common sight in city streets," the 40-year-old company’s CEO Kenji Suzuki said.

According to SoraNews24, the current prototype measures about 150 cm in diameter (59 inches), weighs about five kilograms (11 lbs), and has battery power supporting 20 minutes of flying.

The umbrella’s final version is expected to lengthen the flight time to one hour and be totally human-free, considering that the current one still needs the touch of a person under certain circumstances.

[Top image via Asahi Power Service Co.]