Imagine a future where you don't have to hold an umbrella while trying to text or carry your groceries. Instead of the flying cars we anticipated, we now have an innovative flying umbrella that follows you around. While it might not be what we envisioned for tomorrow, it's undeniably fascinating. Who wouldn't appreciate a hands-free solution to stay dry in the rain?
The concept was brought to life by YouTuber I Build Stuff, who initially conceived this flying umbrella two years ago. At that time, it was more of a fun experiment than a practical tool, as it required a remote control to keep the umbrella positioned overhead. This setup demanded both hands and significant focus, which was not much better than simply holding a traditional umbrella. However, I Build Stuff didn’t let go of this idea and recently returned to refine it into a more user-friendly version.
The revamped flying umbrella employs a computer vision algorithm that runs directly on board. This technology enables the device to recognize the top of the user's head, allowing it to autonomously maintain its position above that point. When it's not in use, the entire mechanism neatly folds up, resembling a standard umbrella, making it easy to bring indoors.
To bring this vision to fruition, I Build Stuff created a central hub using 3D printing, which connects to the umbrella's pole. From this hub, four arms extend outwards in all directions. Each arm is equipped with drone motors and propellers positioned just outside the umbrella's canopy. Notably, these arms can fold down when the umbrella is not in action, saving space and enhancing portability.
On the technical side, a Pixhawk flight controller integrated with a Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4 was chosen for this project. It works alongside an Arducam Time-of-Flight camera, which emits light to capture images of the owner’s head from below, rather than simply relying on ambient light. This is particularly useful because regular cameras struggle to take clear pictures in the dim lighting typically found beneath an umbrella during rainy weather. The Raspberry Pi processes these images with an algorithm designed to pinpoint the location of the head, directing the movements of the flying umbrella via the flight controller.
While we may still be waiting for those flying cars to materialize, at least we now have an autonomous flying umbrella to keep us dry. Check out the video below to witness this incredible invention in action.
