Crashing Drones Into Test Dummies for Safety
A 50-pound flying robot can be lethal. As drones swarm the U.S., regulators need convincing before they give Amazon, Google, and others permission for expanded use.
Crashing Drones Into Dummies, for Safety's Sake
Hank sat impassively on a Virginia Tech athletic field, ready to take it on the chin for the future of drone commerce.
About 30 yards away, an eight-rotor unmanned copter hovered, buzzing like a swarm of bees. The 21-pound drone tilted forward, accelerated sharply and slammed into Hank’s head, smacking the crash-test dummy’s neck backward and embedding shards of shattered propeller in his plastic face.