Disney planning drone technology for use in entertainment at theme parks
by Tom Anstey | 26 Aug 2014
An image included in the patent features a marionette version of Disney character Jack Skellington
A number of patents, recently filed by Disney, suggest the company plans to use drone technology for entertainment purposes in its theme parks, with the advanced tech potentially able to fill the sky with a giant screen or bring marionettes to life using the drones.
Three patents filed by Disney in regards to the drones – Aerial Display System with Floating Pixels, Aerial Display System with Floating Projection Screens and Aerial Display System with Marionettes Articulated and Supported by Airborne Devices – suggest that among other things, larger-than-life puppets could be mounted with rods to fly through the air, bringing characters such as Jack Skellington (pictured) to life with greater control than previous airbourne characters which have simply been filled with hot air.
“This is a significant improvement over prior flying characters, which typically were provided in the form of parade or other blimps/balloons filled with hot air or other gases and that had little and/or awkward articulation of any movable parts,” reads the patent, which also indicates the drones could even potentially replace Disney theme parks’ fireworks with an aerial display system based on the floating pixel, or “flixel”, potentially turning the sky into a screen for which Disney could display anything it so desired.
According to the Disney patent, the drone technology application could also be used in the entertainment industry, “where it is desirable to provide an aerial display.” It touted examples such as presentations at a lagoon or other open spaces over which it is desired to present a display to entertain visitors, or for massively large aerial displays in sport stadiums or other large venues.
A number of patents, recently filed by Disney, suggest the company plans to use drone technology for entertainment purposes in its theme parks, with the advanced tech potentially able to fill the sky with a giant screen or bring marionettes to life using the drones. Three patents filed by Disney in regards to the drones – Aerial Display System with Floating Pixels, Aerial Display System with Floating Projection Screens and
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