If you are a photography or science fanatic, you would surely have come across a few drones, Right?
Drones, Ah! The Quatro-propelled UAVs are now all the rage in the electronics market across the world. So much so that every major electronic producer produces one. Everyone, except Apple. But, this scenario might change in the years to come.
According to an article by 9to5Mac In the past year, Apple has submitted three patent applications for drones. Two of which came to light in the past couple of days.
Unlike the in-built drones that Vivo has opted to patent, this new iDrone(the probable name) will be a full-sized model UAV that can be used for various purposes.
Here’s more about the Apple Drone...
The News?
Apple is said to be developing new UAVs, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which are also called drones, as two patents suggest.
Apple typically submits patent applications to the US Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) as Apple is a subsidiary of the US.
However, these patents were first made in Singapore on May 20, 2020. The patents have now been filed in the US.
According to the first patent, Apple is currently testing methods for pairing drones and unpairing them from controllers. According to the patent, the innovation "relates to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and more particularly to a mechanism for pairing and unpairing UAVs to and from UAV controllers," according to patent.
Another patent was filed by the USPTO in February with the name "Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Tracking and Control." The patent is pertaining to UAVs in general, but more specifically to a method and system for controlling and tracking UAVs within a cellular network. "The invention relates to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and more particularly to a system and method for tracking and/or controlling of UAVs in a cellular network system," it explains.
In general, patents don't provide information relevant to the general public, which means that they could be created for internal use only.
Why is Apple Thinking of Drones?
According to reports, Apple is planning to make use of drones to monitor changes in the mapping data and make improvements as time passes. As always, users should take any of this information with a pinch of salt since patent filings may be made for internal use but the product might not appear in the days ahead.
There have also been some rumors stating that Apple is developing new virtual reality (VR) headsets over some time and that we could get the headsets on the market by the close of 2022.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Koo recently stated that a mixed reality VR headset will include Wi-Fi 6E to provide high bandwidth and low latency. A better internet connection would guarantee the VR experience to be lag-free.
Apple in 2016 began using drones for the purpose of data collection to improve the quality of Apple Maps. Apple's drones can record and update data on mapping quicker than minivans equipped with LIDAR, which Apple has been using to collect data on mapping since 2015.
Apple has, in the year 2018, participated in the pilot program that allows the company to operate drones within the limits that are restricted by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. Apple collaborated in 2018 with the North Carolina Department of Transportation in order to utilize drones for the capture of aerial map data.
In addition to using drones for mapping, Apple also sells popular drones from DJI in its Apple retail stores as well as online.
What is DJI?
SZ DJI Technology Co., Ltd. or Shenzhen DJI Sciences and Technologies Ltd., also known as the trademark DJI, which is a contraction of Da-Jiang Innovations, is a Chinese technology company with its headquarters in Shenzhen, Guangdong, with manufacturing facilities across the globe.
DJI produces commercial unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) to enable drones for aerial photography as well as videography. DJI also develops and produces cameras with action cameras, gimbals, flight platforms, camera stabilizers, flight control systems, and propeller systems.
In March 2020, DJI was responsible for about 70% of the global consumer drone market, and there was no other company with more than 5 percent.
Winding-up
It should be noted that this is simply a patent, and large tech corporations such as Apple have submitted hundreds of patent applications. Not all of them make it to the ultimate step of being a finished product. In the case of a drone, though, it would be reasonable for Apple to make its presence known.
For now, the Apple Drone is just a future for Apple which might or might not see the light of the day.
