Startup revolutionises drone control interface

The ability to control a drone with just one hand could be a reality, thanks to an Australian startup.

Spotted: Drones have, quite literally, taken off in the last few years, with innovative developments happening at a rapid rate. A new system can charge a drone mid-flight, allowing them to fly farther and higher than before. They are carrying out a wider range of tasks than ever before, even going so far as to deliver individual coffees. Now, an Australian startup is taking a new approach to making drone control easier for the everyday user.

Tekuma have put their skills into tackling issues with standard drone controllers. Co-founders Annette McClelland, CEO, and Michael Griffin, CTO, sought to reinvent tactile control. They believe that traditional controllers are fragile and confusing. It can take months to learn how to use them, which rules out complex drone flights with other time demands. In contrast, Tekuma’s controller seeks to be easy to learn from and intuitive to use. In doing so, the design reduces the time, cost, and personnel needed to complete a drone task. “Anyone can pick it up and use it to control a drone, robot or other device with one hand,” says McClelland. This means that the user can also control cameras, delivery mechanisms, or other auxiliary tools in connection with the drone.

The controller interacts with devices via Bluetooth, WiFi, PPM, or serial connections. This allows it to work with drones, robots, underwater rovers, or any other remote mobility machine. One controller could potentially function for multiple devices. For this reason, Tekuma could licence their technology across a variety of markets simultaneously.