Drone Painting

Drone painting; is it the new art form of the future?

In the year 2013 the first drone was created and able for the public to use and buy, but to further understand the use of drones we have to go back a few more years. Drones were created by the U.S military to gain advantages over their rival without risking the life of a single solider. Although drones were created for military reasons, drones are now used by nearly anyone for any reasons. Some people use drones to provide a wonderful vantage point for capturing breathtaking aerial video footage or even used to film a game of any sport. The possibilities are endless when it comes to drones, but how far can we push it?

Currently drones are hyped for delivery, entertainment and racing but now there is a company that plans to release a drone that can paint the inside of your house. This emerging field is gaining traction and showing how drones can potentially reduce death in any dangerous occupations. The team Apellix that engineered this painting drone has come up with a group of drones designed to work on painting skyscrapers, bridges, tanks and any other large-scale jobs that endanger a worker. This painting drone will be known as the Worker Bee.

The Worker Bee drone can be connected to a mobile base station via an umbilical cord on the ground. The drone has a spray wand to paint walls, while the base station houses the paint reservoir, air compressor and power source whilst reaching up to three stories high. Flying while administering paint presents unusual technical challenges as it could affect the layer of paint sprayed. Yet Apellix tinkered with the size of the drone’s spray wand and propeller blades along with the distance it should keep from the walls. This allows the drone to have an even layer of paint on the wall.

Another issues faces by Apellix are the software behind the drone. The software and data pick up sensors such as accelerometers, barometers and GPS to help the drone compensate for wind when spraying as it can move the drone around quite a bit.

If I were to create a digital artefact I would want to create a series of works on canvas made by drone painting. Although Apellix have created a drone that can paint houses, I would use a drone to create a series of works that could possibly reach out to the public. Some works can be simple yet creative, other works could even be inspired by certain landscape or people. Yet it’s a work that could be creative with an audience.

I could create an instagram account and ask the public what they would want to see. This could include the colours used or a viewer could suggest a location or actor that has inspired them.

Another element that would compliment the work is filming the work being created. I could go to a public area within Wollongong or Sydney. All I have to do is create the software for the drone. This will allow the drone to move in certain ways with the paint creating a completely random work. The aim of filming this in a public area is to get the audience involved with the work. Some people may just walk along, some people may stop and ask question about the work or the drone. If I capture this on camera I could upload sections onto an instagram page.

Some uploads on the instagram page could be the work being made by the drone yet just fast-forwarded, as short clips engage the viewer better then longer clips. I could even film people interacting with the drone; the limit is endless with this work.

Although drone painting is the way of the future for certain business, why should it stop right there? We have this amazing technology in our hands, why waste it all on certain business that can paint buildings or bridges when we can use drone painting to create something beautiful or even something interactive. I know if I was walking to work or uni and saw a drone creating an artwork it would make my day. I want to branch out the Worker Bee for something new and creative. Even though the logic behind the Worker Bee by Apellix is incredible, how far can we push this little drone?

References:

Stone, Z. (2018). Bye, Bye Brushstrokes — Drones Are the Future of Painting. [online] OZY. Available at: https://www.ozy.com/fast-forward/put-down-your-brush-drones-are-the-future-of-painting/79198 [Accessed 21 Mar. 2018].

Inside Unmanned Systems. (2018). Air Brushed: New Drones Make Painting Easier – Inside Unmanned Systems. [online] Available at: http://insideunmannedsystems.com/air-brushed-new-drones-make-painting-easier/ [Accessed 21 Mar. 2018].