A team of researchers from Virginia Tech’s Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science (ICTAS) have shared a three-second video showing what happens when a DJI Mavic 2 Pro drone collides with the windshield of a vehicle at 100km/h (62.
5mph).
The project was done as a collaboration between ‘Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership, the College of Engineering, and State Farm to evaluate the risks of a drone collision with a moving car. ’
The area highlighted by the red ellipse shows the parachute pack on the back of the drone.
Specifically, the data gathered from the test enabled insurance provider State Farm to get permission from the FAA to fly drones over busy roads. State Farm uses drones to assist with inspections and insurance claims, but in order to do so over a busy road it requires FAA approval and the use of a parachute module, which you can see strapped to the top of the drone that was hurled at the vehicle.
Obviously, not all the data gathered from the impact has been shared, but based on the visuals, it appears as though the drone doesn’t cause any serious damage to the vehicle. The windshield flexes upon impact but deflects the drone up and over the vehicle without any noticeable cracks.
. dpreview.com2021-4-13 17:31