Panasonic has developed a prototype of the BalloonCam with an eye toward using the entertainment drone at sporting events including the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The BalloonCam was the subject of a demonstration experiment when it was displayed for the first time outside of Japan last month in Dubai, as Panasonic looks to bring the camera drone with large, “soft, friendly” balloon to the market.
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Organizers can use the BalloonCam to shoot live, high-resolution aerial footage. The drone is inside the balloon for safety, and the system can be equipped with a camera, LED and projector so that it can light up and display information on signage from the inside or outside.
“Intended mainly for live event, concert and sports coverage, it has interesting applications for narrative film as well,” Panasonic vice president Masaki Arizono told Gulf News, adding that technologies at the event had the 2022 World Cup in mind.
The balloon body is designed not only to be safe to fly near people, but also for audiences to touch while in flight mode, as the soft appearance is supposed to “create an interactive excitement,” according to the Panasonic.