A few years back Disney filed three patents, with the US Patent and Trademark Office, for the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in their theme parks for entertainment and commercial purposes. They have submitted blueprints of UAVs, or drones as they are better known, that can be used as light projectors. Disney’s futuristic vision has paved the way for entertainment industries and theme parks around the world to use drones for security or entertainment purposes.
Managing large crowds in amusement parks is a monumental task and that is where drones can be successfully utilized. Drones are versatile aerial vehicles operated remotely to keep a protective eye on all corners of the park. A drone can fly around the park capturing real-time footage which can be viewed from a control room.
A drone can fly as close as 30-feet from the ground to several hundred feet above the ground, providing different viewpoints. Drones can assess any security situation that may arise in the park and provide authorities with important information to handle the situation better and faster. The risk to privacy and safety is a major concern among the public which is why different governments have many restrictions in place for drones. One such restriction is using drones in crowded areas only for safety concerns.
The versatility of a drone’s flight technique enables it to maneuver around tough corners and approach unreachable areas easily. Routine inspections of theme-park rides at high altitudes, like roller coasters, can be carried out by drones equipped with necessary meters and instruments. Using drones to inspect rides negates the need for humans to risk their lives to assess the conditions of rides. Artificial Intelligence can be used in conjunction with drones to efficiently assess the condition of rides at amusement parks.
A lot of fireworks are set off at amusement parks and live concerts. Pollution-free fireworks are the need of the hour and drones are the perfect solution to this. Intel has already shown the world an alternative to fireworks with their 500 drones light show which was a spectacle to behold. Drones fitted with LEDs can be programmed to move in a synchronized pattern to create the illusion of fireworks. Even the LED can be controlled remotely.
Instead of cameras, a drone can be fitted with a projector that can produce images on a screen hanging from the drone. Live concerts can lead the way by using drones to form a giant screen to project the performance. Extravagant light shows are an integral part of many concerts and drones can be used with better effect and lower costs.
Drones can be specially modified to produce sound effects and other visual effects in horror houses to endow the atmosphere with an uncanny feel. A recent show of Cirque du Soleil used drones rather innovatively by hanging lampshades from them to give the impression of floating lamps. Drones disguised as ghosts or floating heads and bodies can be used to create bone-chilling effects at fun houses or horror houses at different theme parks.
Barring military use and aerial photography, the real prospect of drones has largely remained untapped in many countries, which according to global surveys have the potential to rule the global drone market in years to come. Drones are still seen in a negative light in many rural areas as well as conflict zones, which is quite understandable given their long-term reputation as an advanced weapon of war. However, it is high time the perception changed and they are used for purposes other than the military.
This technology is still in its embryonic stage and startups dealing with drones can now fly them in regulated airspace, barring sensitive areas like International borders and wildlife sanctuaries . Even though it is now legal to fly drones in many parts of the world, properly framed guidelines still need to be drafted keeping in mind the safety and security concerns of the citizens without reducing one of the most versatile technological advancements into a sitting duck. Only then, we can see drones being effectively used in amusement parks and other public places.
