Paper Crane Drone Takes Off in Japan
It's name is Orizuru and it only weighs 1.1 ounce.
At first you think it is just a paper crane. A big paper crane, expertly folded and light as air. This crane is named Orizuru.
However, you would be wrong because NOPE it is actually a drone. Weighing in at 1.1 ounce and measuring 70 centimeters, the Orizuru has a 3D-printed skeleton and is powered by a microcomputer.
Created by LAPIS Semiconductor, a subsidiary of Japanese electronics manufacturer RHOM, this little drone has layers of paper added to it to enhance its avian form.
“The collaborative project celebrates the symbolism of the peace crane and the unique Japanese culture of paper folding,” says Rocket News, a Japanese-language news blog.
There’s no news yet whether the Orizuru will be available for public purchase, but the makers of the crane did say they will share the schematics online so others could build their own.
If you want to know more on the developer’s thoughts, and speak Japanese, you can go here.
The Japanese people have an uncertain relationship with drones, with most associating them with their government’s much-protested building up of military drones and the incident in April when a Japanese man landed a drone on the prime minister’s official residence carrying radioactive sand.
However, Japanese drone makers are confident that the popularity of hobby drones will soon take off. Using a crane — a symbol of peace — definitely makes for less ominous visual than the sort of flying objects we see in spy movies.
