Drone-Powered Umbrella by Canadian Engineer Goes Viral

A Canadian inventor has created a drone-powered flying umbrella that automatically hovers and follows its user, requiring no hands to operate. The invention has gone viral online.

Credit: I Build Stuff

Engineer John Tse built the device, which features a quadcopter-style drone system, sensors, and onboard computing beneath a standard canopy. He designed the umbrella as a do-it-yourself engineering experiment for hands-free rain or sun protection.

Mr. Tse, an engineer, filmmaker, and maker based in Canada, is known for his YouTube channel, "I Build Stuff." There, he documents experimental projects involving robotics, software, and accessible hardware.

Credit: I Build Stuff

The flying umbrella is an ambitious build that developed over several years. It evolved from an early manually controlled prototype into a largely autonomous system.

The umbrella functions as a quadcopter drone hidden beneath a standard canopy. Four propellers provide lift and stability, supported by a lightweight internal frame made from 3D-printed components.

An onboard computer processes sensor data and communicates with the flight controller. This allows the umbrella to adjust its position in real time and stay centred above the user.

The system uses depth-sensing and proximity technology instead of solely GPS to identify and follow a person. A time-of-flight depth camera creates a three-dimensional map of the user’s position.

This allows the umbrella to follow at walking speed while maintaining a safe vertical distance. The design keeps fast-spinning propellers well above head height.

Earlier iterations of the project required manual remote control, which limited their usefulness. The latest version operates autonomously, eliminating the need for constant steering or adjustments.

This autonomy resulted from months of trial and error, including tuning flight stability, reducing vibration, and rewriting tracking software. These adjustments followed multiple failed attempts.

The flying umbrella is currently a prototype with limited battery life, typically lasting 10 to 15 minutes per charge. This duration is similar to small consumer drones.

Wind can affect its stability, and heavy sideways rain may reduce coverage. For safety, the system hovers several metres above the user to minimise risk.

Clips of the umbrella circulated widely on X and other platforms, attracting praise for creativity and doubts about its everyday usefulness. Some see it as a preview of personal robotics.

Others consider it a novelty best suited for experimentation. The umbrella is not for sale and is not intended to replace conventional designs.

It demonstrates how do-it-yourself robotics and consumer drone technology allow individuals to build autonomous machines. These machines once belonged only in research laboratories.

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• Canadian engineer John Tse invented a drone-powered, hands-free flying umbrella.

• The autonomous device uses a quadcopter system, depth-sensing, and proximity technology to track its user.

• The prototype has a limited battery life of 10 to 15 minutes and can be affected by wind.

Source: TIMES OF INDIA