Scientists from Seoul National University of Science and Technology (SeoulTech) have developed a flying platform for moving cargo without contact with the floor. When moving loads on a flat horizontal surface, a trolley on wheels is in no way inferior to a platform, but when going up or down stairs, the new product clearly wins.
Image source: SeoulTech
«The platform is designed with a spacious top flat surface for easy loading of cargo, and is complemented by a rear-mounted handle, similar to a shopping cart, according to an article about the design. “Flight path control is achieved by the human operator squeezing the handle and applying forces and torques in space, maintaining stable cargo transportation with zero roll and pitch throughout the flight.” Simply put, a person pushes and tilts the cart so that it moves in the direction he wants.
The Palletrone flying platform is based on a multi-rotor drone housed in a protective lattice frame. The drone’s software keeps it at the same height at human chest level, keeping the platform horizontal. A person can tilt the cart within a small range in the direction he needs to move, but each time the software tries to return the platform to a horizontal position. The reaction speed of the program and the drone is such that it does not prevent the operator from moving step by step with the cart to where he is going.
The platform presented by Korean scientists is far from perfect. It can carry no more than 2.93 kg of cargo at a time and suffers from relatively short battery life. Scientists plan to make the device more advanced so that it can be used in warehouses, shops and offices. The developers themselves consider it promising to use a flying cart for filming videos. This will allow you to save on expensive equipment by simply installing the camera on the cart and even equipping it with an autopilot. They also intend to create a system for charging the cart’s batteries in the air.