Now, Your Own Pet Drone

Yes, forget cats and dogs - now you can own a pet DRONE! A Zurich startup has designed a simple quadrocopter to take aerial photos of places and events without making people feel uneasy because it's tethered. 

Unlike more complex ‘professional’ drones, the Fotokite prototype can be launched and working in under one minute. And because the aircraft is tethered to a leash, it can be classified as a kite and therefore skirt laws governing the use of drones, according to the company. For some, drones represent a frightening future where people will be constantly surveyed. But Fotokite thinks small, unmanned aircraft should be seen as approachable and has even positioned them as flying pets that can be taken for a walk on a leash. There are strict rules governing where drones can be used and by whom, but keeping a drone on its lead could side step safety and some privacy concerns. 

The Fotokite quadrocopter does not rely on GPS, machine vision or even a compass for navigation, which should decrease the chances of crashes. Sergei Lupashin, the Zurich-based roboticist behind the innovation says ‘Should something happen, the leash gives a robust fail safe - the vehicle reduces thrust and it automatically comes back to the operator.’ 

Unlike more complex ‘professional’ drones, the Fotokite prototype can be launched and working in under one minute and can be flown by people with no experience of operating complicated systems, radios and complicated aircraft.