The magical world of Disney is reportedly looking into operating unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to bring the magic up a notch during performances.
Stitch Kingdom says that Walt Disney Imagineering has put out some patent applications for three different ‘aerial display systems’: one involving ‘floating pixels,’ another with ‘floating projection screens,’ and the last with ‘marionettes articulated and supported by airborne devices.’
According to the report, Disney is looking for a more effective way to put on its nighttime spectaculars on the water; the company currently uses screen-like fountains to display imagery.
The “Fantasmic!” performance at Disneyland, for example, displays on the water a lively aerial animation of a cartoon Mickey Mouse before the real mouse appears and takes over the show – fireworks included, which, the report says, can be too unpredictable.
UAVs, on the other hand, could be controlled more easily, either through manual operation or through computers. Each could carry, for example, lights, imaging, puppets or anything else that might more easily enhance the aesthetics of a show.
Read the full Stitch Kingdom article here.
