Companies turning to drones to boost their businesses are gearing up for a pubic relations battle to win over customers who might be leery of their ever-increasing numbers, technology news site Quartz reported.
Lady Gaga's Super Bowl light show – made up a swarm of light-emitting drones sponsored by Pepsi – is just one example, the website reported.
Chip manufacture Intel, the company that produced the software and drones behind the Super Bowl light show, also recently showed off a fireworks-like display of 500 drones in Germany and began staging nightly drone light shows at Disney World in Florida, Quartz reported.
While drone manufacturers and regulators wrestle with safety issues – including frequent crashes and poor flight training – companies hope the light show "stunts . . . will help sway popular opinion toward overlooking having swarms of drones overhead at all times," Quartz reported.
According to Quartz, some other companies involved in public-pleasing drone services include:
- Nevada-based startup Flirtey, which is currently delivering goods by drone in New Zealand;
- Domino's, which has started delivering pizzas by drone using Flirtey;
- Alphabet, which has partnered with Chipotle to deliver burritos to students in Virginia;
- UPS, which partnered with charities and delivery startup Zipline, to begin deliveries of medical supplies in Rwanda;
- Facebook, which wants to beam internet around the world, is looking at the use of laser-emoting drones; and
- Mercedes, which is working with drone manufacturer Matternet on concept cars.