Drone-mounted streetlights

Direct Line have developed drone-mounted streetlights that can be requested from a smartphone and follow users to light their journey.

We recently wrote about drones used for home security systems and this small selfie drone that fits into a phone case. The latest development in drone technology is Fleetlights.

Developed by UK insurer Direct Line, Fleetlights is a user-requested, drone-mounted streetlight designed to make people feel safer and potentially save lives in unlit areas. Users request lighting from the app using their smartphone, and their request is then relayed to an operator who dispatches the airborne streetlight to the user’s location. The machines arrange themselves in a formation ahead of the user to make sure their way is properly lit. Once users have arrived at their destination, they confirm on the app and the service is complete. The concept is still in beta testing but the first trial took place in Petworth, a town in the UK well-known for its dangerous unlit, countryside roads.

Direct Line have used open-source technology in developing the innovation, allowing developers to build on the software. Direct Line envisage the devices being used by both search and rescue teams and individuals walking home from work in the dark. In what other situations could this technology be applied to provide light in dark areas?