Proposal of a New Performance Partner: “Soft Flying Robot”

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are used in many industrial fields and human–drone interaction (HDI) has seen increasing research attention in recent years. Their ability to fly divides UAVs from other robots and novel social robots are expected to be developed from UAVs in the future. However, touch interaction is critical in social robotics, and ordinary UAVs tend to be unsafe to touch. Furthermore, studies on whole-body interaction between drones and humans, including dancing, are far less common than those with traditional robots. Therefore, we developed “Soft Flying Robot,” a new type of flying robot for HDI research. Its flight uses helium gas and piezoelectric air pumps, making it blade-free and safe for humans to touch and interact with. In addition, it is equipped with touch sensors and light-emitting units to enable clearer and more immersive interaction. We evaluated Soft Flying Robot by introducing it to a group of performers, observing them use it in a dance workshop, and asking them for their impressions. Initial results indicate that Soft Flying Robot induces new behaviors in users and draws visual attention. This paper mainly discusses the results of the qualitative analysis of Soft Flying Robot’s potential in human–drone co-creation.