Exploring Human Reactions to Telepresence Drones: A User Study on Safety and Trust Using A Simulated Drone in a VR Environment

Telepresence using drones is a promising technology. This paper presents a user study within a simulated Virtual Reality (VR) remote collaboration system to shed light on users’ perceived safety and trust regarding telepresence drones. We manipulated drone operation variables, including failure of drone, speed of flying, and distance restriction, to assess their impact on user perceptions. Quantitative and qualitative analysis shows that drone failures significantly reduce safety and trust for both local and remote users. Flying speed affects safety and trust for local workers but only impacts safety for remote experts. Distance restrictions enhance both safety and trust.