A new patent from Disney describes an untethered, flying robot for use in entertainment venues. Disney describes ground-based robots as oftentimes being fixed or on wheels, but not providing the type of dynamic entertainment that flying robots can provide.

Disney actually describes single-launch robots such as the Spider-Man Stuntronic that is currently in use in Avengers Campus in Disney California Adventure. Disney says that while single-launch robots are useful for some implementations, it wants to expand to self-propelled flying robots as the future of entertainment evolves.

In the patent, Disney describes a flying robot that uses a combination of air and water to create its own thrust to accomplish motions such as controlled deceleration when dropped from a significant height or even a hovering effect. Effectively, the robot would have an onboard reserve tank of fluid to provide a controlled deceleration when falling. Fans would also be used to create a controlled deceleration or hovering effect.

In the patent image below, the implementation is shown to include a projector that Disney says could project “a superhero, a movie character, or the like” to create a believable entertainment experience. As the robot falls, the projector tracks the robot as the onboard systems utilize pressurized water and air to control the fall and hover before landing on a landing surface.

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