For drones to really be useful, they’ll need to be able to manage the world around them. That could mean harnessing advanced sensors and sophisticated computer vision to help drones detect and avoid obstacles. Or it could mean turning them into flying beach balls and letting ‘em bounce around willy nilly.
That’s the idea basic idea behind the GimBall, which recently won $1 million in a drone competition sponsored by the UAE. Created by Swiss startup Flyability, it’s designed to find victims in disaster areas. The flying parts are suspended inside a flexible carbon fiber cage, which lets the drone keep flying even after minor collisions. Instead of trying to avoid debris, the GimBall just sort of bumps into it and keeps on going.
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