Toyota wants to take companion drones from concept cars to the trails – Jalopnik

Many modern vehicles have numerous cameras all around them, which can stitch together different angles to simulate an overhead view from the outside. Toyota wants to take the idea one step further by using a drone to provide actual remote views as you walk the trails Reuters.

This news comes from a filing with the Federal Aviation Administration in support of a proposal that would do just that easing restrictions on the use of dronesin particular the current requirement that drones remain within the operator’s field of view. While the FAA proposal focuses mainly on longer-range options for companies like Amazon and Walmart to make drone deliveries, Toyota plans to keep its drones mainly closer to home. From Reuters:

The Japanese automaker said in a filing with the Federal Aviation Administration that the potential system aims to increase situational awareness in places where it is unsafe to leave the vehicle.
“By providing the driver with visibility of the local environment, including potential hazards around and below the vehicle, drivers can plan safer routes and improve vehicle control,” said Toyota’s letter, which said most drone flights would take place close to the vehicle. “Sometimes operators can fly a drone above the tree line to capture videos used for orientation or recording the terrain.”

As usual, Toyota doesn’t propose gadgety gimmicks to dazzle, but uses existing technology in new, practical ways. We’ve already seen deployable drones in concept cars like the Lexus LF-30 Electrified and Polestar O2, and Hyundai has built an Ioniq 9 that can launch a drone to reseed forests after a wildfire. Some YouTubers I watch like Vancity Vanlife And Matt’s off-road recoveryusually use drones to get great aerial footage, but I’ve also seen them use their drones to scout the general area to help them navigate, just as Toyota suggests.

While the idea is currently technologically possible, there are some regulatory hurdles that need to be cleared first, and not just out of sight. Since the drone is intended to help the driver see and navigate, it would likely be a highly automated system, allowing the driver to concentrate on driving. Could someone in the car have a license for recreational dronesor would this be Toyota’s responsibility? Would the automated drone be programmed to comply with applicable laws, or would the operator be liable for violations or property damage while relying on the drone to take care of itself? These questions are not specific to Toyota, as they need to be worked out for any company that wants to fly autonomous drones.

While Toyota is full of good ideas here, it currently has no concrete plans to push through with such a system. “Toyota is continuously working on new technologies in various areas, we have no product plans to announce at this time,” a spokesperson told Reuters. This gives the FAA and other companies looking to use drone delivery time to work out the details before Toyota gives off-roaders an eye in the sky to help them navigate and capture those beautiful aerial images for social media.