Drones are all fun and games but the quadcopters can also do some serious damage in accidents. A team at Aalborg University’s Drone Research Lab in Denmark has created a simulation of what happens if a drone crashes into a human in their lab, which is devoted to testing drone technologies.
The researchers used a motorized three-meter-long (9.8 ft) catapult and high-speed camera, which captures 3,000 frames per second, to show exactly what could happen if a drone hits a person. In their experiment, a small hobby drone comes into interaction with a pork roast.
“The objective is to examine the consequences when different kinds of drones hit people, animals, cars, glass panes and other obstacles they may encounter in their path,” reads a university release. “With a high-speed camera and precise measurements of both the speed and the force of the collision, it is possible to assess the damage that may occur, says Anders la Cour-Harbo, director of the drone lab.”
But la Cour-Harbo also stresses that it’s too soon to draw conclusions. The findings from the university do; however, help people understand the potential danger of drones. “The university is thus working with Aalborg University Hospital to conduct experiments that can help us better understand how dangerous drones really are,” says the team in a press release.
