New Auto-Deployed Parachute Will Slow Crashing Drones

A major worry about the wild growth in privately operated drones is what happens when they fail in flight and fall from the sky? A new parachute product, though, may help make drones plummeting to the ground at fatal velocities much less of a worry.

DJI Innovations, a company that manufactures and sells what it calls unmanned aerial systems–or what the rest of us call drones–has announced an after market parachute system that can be affixed to unmanned drones that will deploy if the machine fails in mid air.

As more and more people begin to operate drones for fun and business, there comes a time when midair crashes or simple mechanical failures becomes a worry. What happens if a drone fails in mid air?  Some of these drones can weigh several pounds and that is a lot of weight to come crashing down all at once.

Now comes DJI’s new “DropSafe” parachute, a system that can be mounted to an unmanned aerial vehicle to slow its descent if the drone fails in midair.

DJI warns that the chute won’t necessarily save the drone from further damage when it does finally touch down, but at least the safety device will prevent the drone from plummeting to the ground at dangerous speeds.

This parachute device could save people from serious injury, prevent a falling drone from crashing through a car window, or lessen the dangers for other such calamities.

The company does not have the parachute system on the market just yet, but one would think this device would be a must for every drone enthusiast.

The use of drones by private citizens and companies is growing, but the whole idea is still somewhat in legal limbo. The Federal Aviation Administration still hasn’t issued definitive rulings on drone regulations causing entrepreneurs to put off plans to launch new businesses centered around drone usage.

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com.