A “clawed” drone that can perch like a bird and pick up objects is the latest addition to the crowded market for unmanned aerial vehicles. The PD6B-AW-ARM makes a whole new range of tasks possible, and I am confident that nobody else could have made it. Prodrone, a Japanese drone company based in Nagoya, has unveiled the new model to allow controllers to take advantage of the versatility of a bird of prey’s talons. They’re calling it the PD6B-AW-ARM. With a maximum payload of 20kg, the drone can fly up to 60km an hour for roughly a half hour, and according to Prodrone, fits a growing need for “hands-on” drones that can accomplish complicated, or perhaps, hazardous tasks. In a statement Prodrone CEO Masakazu Kono said his company is “firmly focused on the future of commercial drones and on being world pioneers in developing ‘task-oriented drones.’” According to the company, these tasks could include attaching or joining things together, cutting cables, turning dials or switches, retrieving hazardous materials or acting as a flying lifeguard by carrying and dropping buoys. The PD6B-AW-ARM was first unveiled last week in Las Vegas at the International Drone Conference and Exposition, and it has captivated social media since. Trouble viewing the video? Click here
Prodrone, a Japan-based drone company, has launched a clawed drone that will allow users to handle objects and carry out manual tasks. The company says the claw is designed for use in construction or as part of an industrial robot arm. Prodrone CEO Masakazu Kono stated that he's focused on developing “task-oriented drones” to be able to cut cables, turn dials and switches as well as retrieve hazardous materials among other tasks.