The drone is surrounded by eight curved LED strips that spin rapidly during flight, creating
the illusion of a spherical screen.
Credit: NTT DOCOMO
Forget plane-pulled banners ― there may be a new way to advertise in the sky.
The Japanese telecom company NTT DOCOMO recently revealed what it claims is the "world's first spherical drone display." Although it appears to be a solid, globe-shaped screen while in flight, the display is actually an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV, or drone) inside a spherical frame with curved LED strips. The LEDs spin rapidly during flight, creating the illusion of a spherical screen. The drone display was showcased April 29-30 during the Niconico Chokaigi conference, a festival of Japan's internet culture.
Though the technology is not yet ready for commercial use, the company said it should be available by March 2019. These flying screens could be used for advertisements during a sporting event, or to display information at a concert, according to DOCOMO. [Photos from Above: 8 Cool Camera-Carrying Drones] https://www.livescience.com/58928-spherical-drone-display.html
