A recently awarded Google patent reveals a novel use for drone technology-- conferencing, with small quadcopters carrying the screen, video camera and audio equipment required for the task.
Simply titled "Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for Collaboration," the patent describes a system used for both normal telepresence and videoconferencing. It allows users to "interact and engage with the participants" by controlling a drone around the place. In other words it is an evolution of the conferencing robots we've seen previously, only the iPad-on-a-Segway is replaced with a quadcopter.
"A mobile telepresence system may be included on a robot which may be remotely navigated by a user, for example, throughout spaces in a work place," the patent reads. "Such a telepresence robot may be remotely navigated, for example, through corridors, into and out of offices, conference rooms and other work spaces, and the like. However, the size and energy-consumption levels of this type of telepresence robot may hinder its ability to effectively navigate complicated spaces with limited open floor space for the robot to traverse. Additionally, this type of telepresence robot cannot traverse stairs, and would require on-site human intervention to access a work space on a different floor using an elevator."
The patent describes 2 different conferencing drones-- one with a screen attached to one end showing the remote participants, and the other with a projection camera able to display an image below the device. Both cases include audio and video components aboard a quadcopter shaped like a letter "H".
Will Google actually start building conferencing drones? We have no idea, but the search giant does own a drone maker (Titan Aerospace) and is so involved in the space it was actually tasked to help the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) come up with drone regulation. And if Google does not come up with a conferencing drone itself, we're sure someone else will "borrow" the idea soon enough.
