SKYCALL
Reimagining UAV technology to help us navigate challenging situations and complex environments.
SkyCall is an autonomous flying quadcopter and personal tour guide that can efficiently locate, communicate with, and guide visitors around complex environments, specifically along predetermined routes or towards user-determined destinations. A custom SkyCall app was developed for human/UAV interface, enabling the visitor to make specific requests, and the UAV to both locate and wirelessly communicate with them. SkyCall instantaneously accesses the GPS location of the visitor’s phone and sends him the nearest available when the user calls for one. The autonomous flying quadcopter itself utilises onboard autopilot and GPS navigation systems with sonar sensors and WiFi connectivity to communicate with the user via the app. The UAV also integrates an onboard camera as both an information gathering system, as well as a manually-controlled camera. SkyCall is within a larger development program with the broader aim of exploring new, positive uses of UAV technology in the urban context.