Drone LED Light System

Abstract

The aerial drone system includes a first drone (14), a second drone (14), and an electronic media tether (36) coupled to the first drone and the second drone, wherein the first drone (14) includes a first drone body and a first propeller system configured to propel the first drone through the air, and the second drone (14) includes a second drone body and a second propeller system configured to propel the second drone through the air, and the electronic media tether (36) includes a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) (37) and is configured to transmit power to the plurality of LEDs (37).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to the field of amusement parks. Specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods and equipment utilized to provide an amusement park experience. [Background technology]

[0002] This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present technology, which are described and / or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. As such, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.

[0003] Amusement parks often include attractions or experiences that use fireworks, drones (e.g., unmanned aerial vehicles), and / or video to entertain and delight park guests. For example, a light show may be performed by a fleet of drones that can independently align themselves into various aerial formations. In some light shows, it may be desirable to display the light show in a more complex manner to cover a wider area of ​​the sky. The more complex the light show, the more drones are required to form the aerial image. In fact, a light show may require the use of hundreds or even thousands of drones to form a cohesive aerial image in the sky. However, displaying a light show using many drones can be challenging due to, for example, the number, cost, equipment availability, and complexity of drones available to form the aerial image in the sky. Therefore, it is desirable to improve the generation of light shows using drones to provide simplicity, efficiency, and / or a more desirable interactive experience. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The following provides an overview of some embodiments disclosed herein. It should be understood that these aspects are merely intended to provide the reader with a summary of some embodiments and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. In fact, the present disclosure may include various aspects that may not be set forth below.

[0005] According to one embodiment, an aerial drone system includes a first drone, a second drone, and an electronic media tether coupled to the first drone and the second drone, the first drone including a first drone body and a first propeller system configured to propel the first drone through the air, the second drone including a second drone body and a second propeller system configured to propel the second drone through the air, and the electronic media tether including a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) and configured to transmit power to the plurality of LEDs.

[0006] According to one embodiment, an aerial drone system includes a mesh of electronic media lines. The mesh of electronic media lines includes a plurality of LEDs extending along the mesh. The aerial drone system also includes a plurality of propeller drones configured to fly through the air and coupled to each other via the mesh of electronic media lines. The aerial drone system further includes a control system including a memory storing instructions and one or more processors, the instructions being configured to, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to command the plurality of drones to fly in a pattern that forms a desired shape with the mesh of electronic media lines.

[0007] According to one embodiment, a method of operating an aerial drone system includes determining a flight pattern based on a desired shape of an electronic media tether and a desired stereo placement of speakers positioned along the electronic media tether; flying multiple drones coupled to each other via the electronic media tethers through the flight pattern; and controlling power through the electronic media tethers to operate light emitting diodes positioned along the electronic media tethers and speakers positioned along the electronic media tethers.

[0008]

[0013] The following summarizes certain embodiments commensurate in scope with the originally claimed subject matter. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter, but rather to provide a brief outline of possible forms of the subject matter. Indeed, the subject matter may include a variety of forms that may be similar to or different from the embodiments set forth below. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an aerial drone system according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first drone, a second drone, and an electronic media tether according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fleet of drones forming a shape with an electronic media tether, according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electronic media tether including a first drone, a second drone, and a mesh, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a drone fleet forming a shape including a mesh-like electronic media tether, according to aspects of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fleet of drones coupled together via an electronic media tether and a speaker positioned along the electronic media tether, according to aspects of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] One or more specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described below. In the interest of brevity in describing these embodiments, not all features of an implementation may be described herein. It should be understood that the development of any such implementation, as in any engineering or design project, requires numerous implementation-specific decisions to achieve the developer's particular objectives, including compliance with system- and business-related constraints that may vary from implementation to implementation. Moreover, it should be understood that such a development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.

[0011] When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present disclosure, the articles "a," "an," and "the" are intended to mean the presence of one, two, or more of the element. The terms "comprising," "including," and "having" are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Furthermore, references to "one embodiment" or "an embodiment" of the present disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also contain the recited features.

[0012] Light shows at amusement parks are becoming increasingly popular, and various amusement parks are utilizing drones to create unique visual experiences for park guests. As light shows become more popular, the need for reusable light-carrying drones is likely to increase because they are safer, quieter, simpler, and more customizable than other options (e.g., fireworks). Displaying more complex aerial images, such as those formed from numerous light points (e.g., a single drone with built-in lighting), can require a large number of drones. Because there is typically a one-to-one ratio between the number of light points and the number of individual drones, increasing the desired lighting (e.g., light points) for a particular display can be costly. Additionally, it can require more time to set up and fly the drones. For example, programmers may need to spend more time programming various movements for many drones than for a smaller number of drones.

[0013] In light of this, the present disclosure relates to an aerial drone system for creating aerial displays using drones. This aerial drone system reduces the number of drones required to create complex aerial images while reducing the costs and complexity associated with implementing drone light shows in amusement parks compared to traditional operations. The present disclosure describes various embodiments, including an aerial drone system that can include multiple drones with an electronic media tether containing multiple light emitters (e.g., LEDs) attached to each drone. A control system can command the multiple drones to move to aerial positions while taking into account characteristics (e.g., media tether positioning, media tether articulation, and light emitter and / or audio emitter positioning along the media tether). In this manner, the electronic media tethers attached to each drone can be used to create light-point-based aerial formations (e.g., shapes, designs, etc.) within aerial and / or audio landscapes. Thus, the light effects of the electronic media tether can enhance the appearance of the light show, provide simplicity of execution, and create a unique experience for amusement park guests. Additionally, audio features can be employed to promote a more immersive viewer experience. Further details regarding the aerial drone system and embodiments in which the aerial drone system can present aerial light shows and audio to amusement park guests are provided below.

[0014] 1 is a block diagram of an aerial drone system 10 according to the present disclosure. The aerial drone system 10 can include a fleet of drones 14 (e.g., single-rotor drones, multi-rotor drones, quadcopters, etc.) and a drone control system 12 configured to transmit commands to the fleet of drones 14. In the illustrated embodiment, the fleet of drones 14 includes three drones 14a, 14b, and 14c, which may represent any number of drones. The fleet of drones 14 and the drone control system 12 include communication circuitry (on-board communication circuitry 16 and off-board communication circuitry 18) such as antennas, wireless transceiver circuitry, and signal processing hardware and / or software (e.g., hardware or software filters, A / D converters, multiplexer amplifiers), or combinations thereof, which can be configured to communicate over wireless communication paths via infrared (IR) wireless communications, satellite communications, broadcast radio, microwave radio, Bluetooth, Zigbee, Wi-Fi, UHF, NFC, etc.

[0015] Additionally, one or both of the drone fleet 14 and the drone control system 12 may include memory devices (e.g., onboard memory device 20 and / or offboard memory device 22) that store instructions executable by one or more processors (e.g., onboard processor 24 and / or offboard processor 26) to perform the methods and control operations described herein. A processor may include one or more processing units, and memory may include one or more tangible, non-transitory, machine-readable media. Memory may include volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM), and / or non-volatile memory, such as read-only memory (ROM), an optical drive, a hard disk drive, a solid-state drive, or any other non-transitory computer-readable medium that contains instructions. For example, the drone control system 12 may be accessed by an operator interface 28 (e.g., a computer-based workstation or a mobile device) and / or may include an input / output interface 30 and a display 31. In one example, the display 31 may be a touch display capable of receiving input from a user. It should be understood that drone control system 12 may be implemented as one or more devices separate from drone fleet 14, although some functionality disclosed as part of drone control system 12 may also be implemented within drone fleet 14, in addition to or instead.

[0016] As shown, the drone fleet 14 may include at least one drone controller 32 that controls the execution of the drone fleet's flight plan or flight path. In terms of controlling the execution of the flight plan or flight path, a single drone (e.g., drone 14a in the illustrated embodiment) may include the drone controller 32 to manage additional drones (e.g., drones 14b, 14c) that do not have their own drone controllers. For example, in one embodiment, drone 14a may be a master drone having communications circuitry 16, memory 20, and processor 24 and may send commands to drones 14b, 14c (representing any number of drones) to execute the flight plan. This configuration may be facilitated by communication between drones 14a, 14b, 14c via electronic media tether 36 that communicatively couples drones 14a, 14b, 14c to one another. However, in different embodiments, each drone 14a, 14b, 14c in the drone fleet 14 may include its own version or configuration of drone controller 32 to facilitate coordination among drones 14. Specifically, for example, each drone in the drone fleet 14 can include a version or embodiment of a drone controller 32 having communications circuitry 16, memory 20, and processor 24, each capable of independently executing a flight plan and communicating with each other. The flight plan can be communicated (e.g., in real time) from the drone control system 12 or can be preprogrammed and stored in onboard memory 20 and / or offboard memory 22. Furthermore, in some embodiments, real-time operator input can be implemented to generate the flight plan and / or operator input can override previous flight plan instructions. The drone controller 32 controls the operation of the motors 34 and other flight components of the drone fleet 14 to execute the desired flight plan.

[0017] The aerial drone system 10 may also include an electronic media tether 36, which may include an electronic media tether, electronic media line, cable, cord, power strip, or LED strip coupled to each drone (e.g., drones 14a, 14b, 14c) in the drone fleet 14. The electronic media tether 36 may facilitate electronic communication with and between the individual drones (e.g., drones 14a, 14b, 14c) in the drone fleet 14. In the present disclosure, the electronic media tether 36 may include an LED and / or a speaker. The electronic media tether 36 may be a single unit coupled to each drone or multiple units designed to couple each drone to another drone. In some embodiments, the electronic media tether 36 may include multiple rigid segments attached in series to each other via articulating couplings. In other embodiments, the electronic media tether 36 may be flexible to allow for additional range of motion and shape formation. The electronic media tether 36 may include multiple LEDs capable of emitting various and / or varying types of light (e.g., a steady light, varying light characteristics, or flashing light of the same or multiple colors). Additionally, the electronic media tether 36 may be coupled to a power source 40 configured to provide power to the drone fleet 14. For example, the power source may be an electrical connection to a power source 40 external to the drone fleet 14. Each drone may include its own power source 41, such as a battery, that operates independently or receives power (e.g., from the power source 40) via the electronic media tether 36. In addition to providing power, the electronic media tether 36 may also facilitate communication between members of the drone fleet 14 via a communications bus, thereby improving communication timing and reducing latency. In some embodiments, the electronic media tether 36 may also include speakers for providing sound, such as stereo sound, including surround sound, to amusement park guests.

[0018] The drone fleet 14 may also include telemetry and / or position circuitry 38 (e.g., a position sensor) that provides navigation or guidance information to the drone control system 12 for use as feedback to determine whether the aerial display is displaying as intended. Thus, the drone fleet 14 may use position information determined by the telemetry and / or position circuitry 38, such as GPS information accessed from a GPS chip, triangulation information from wireless communications, and / or feedback from one or more cameras, position sensors, or proximity sensors on the drone fleet 14. For example, the telemetry and / or position circuitry may be used to determine that a drone in the drone fleet 14 is in an incorrect location based on the drone's geographic location or GPS coordinates and therefore is not displaying the correct aerial image. The telemetry and / or position circuitry 38 may also provide feedback to keep the drone fleet 14 outside of certain boundaries to prevent guest interference with the drones.

[0019] In some embodiments, the aerial drone system 10 can include a fleet of drones 14 coupled together via an electronic media tether 36 in the form of a mesh (e.g., an interwoven or intertwined material). The mesh can include a plurality of LEDs extending along the material. The drone control system 12 can command the fleet of drones 14 to fly in a pattern that forms a desired shape with the mesh. In response to the commands, the fleet of drones 14 can fly according to the pattern that forms the desired shape and creates an aerial display. In this manner, more complex and dynamic shapes can be formed while utilizing fewer drones than conventional operations.

[0020] In some embodiments, the aerial drone system 10 can include a drone fleet 14 with an electronic media tether 36 coupled to each drone, the electronic media tether 36 including an LED and a speaker. The drone fleet 14 can be commanded to fly flight patterns based on a desired shape to provide guests with a desired sound landscape (e.g., surround sound). Thus, in response to commands, the drone fleet 14 can fly according to patterns that form a desired shape and use surround sound to provide guests with a more immersive experience.

[0021] The aerial drone system 10 can execute instructions from the drone control system 12 or drone controller 32 to define a first aerial position and then a second aerial position based on a desired shape of the electronic media tether 36. For example, the aerial drone system 10 can arrange the drone fleet 14 to provide a square-shaped media tether 36 (first aerial position) and then a triangular-shaped media tether 36 (second aerial position). The aerial drone system 10 can include position circuitry 38 (e.g., a first positioning sensor on the first drone and a second positioning sensor on the second drone), and the drone control system 12 and / or drone controller 32 can operate based on the instructions to identify desired positions for the first drone and the second drone, define the first aerial position and the second aerial position based on the desired positions, and confirm that the first drone and the second drone are in the desired positions based on feedback from the first positioning sensor and the second positioning sensor. As can be appreciated, this operation can be applied to any number of drones. For example, a third drone may be coupled to the first and second drones referenced in this example to facilitate further shape forming options.

[0022] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a first drone 14a, a second drone 14b, and an electronic media tether 36. The first drone 14a and the second drone 14b can include propellers 54 coupled to a body 56 by struts 58. The electronic media tether 36 can be coupled to each of the first drone 14a and the second drone 14b via a respective coupler 60 (e.g., an offsetting rigid connection or a component of the drone's body). The articulatable coupler 60 (e.g., can include an articulation joint and a controlled actuator for actuating the joint) can allow extension to create a distance between the drone and the electronic media tether 36 that can prevent entanglement. In some embodiments, the coupler 60 (e.g., an offsetting rigid component) can extend away from the first drone body 56 in a direction transverse to the axis of rotation of the propeller 54 of the first propeller system. As disclosed herein, the electronic media tether 36 includes a plurality of LEDs 37 and / or a plurality of speakers 64. As shown, the electronic media tether 36 is positioned on the underside of the first drone 14a and the second drone 14b. However, other orientations are contemplated. Indeed, in embodiments having an articulatable version of the coupler 60, the orientation can be dynamic (e.g., changed before or during flight). It should be noted that any of the drones described herein may include some or all of the same components as the first drone 14a and the second drone 14b.

[0023] In some embodiments, an operator can couple and detach the electronic media tether 36 to each drone in the drone fleet 14. For example, the first drone 14a and the second drone 14b can be fully modular, allowing an operator to remove the electronic media tether 36 and other components (e.g., controller) from the first drone 14a and the second drone 14b and replace it with another electronic media tether 36. In another embodiment, the first drone 14a and the second drone 14b can be partially modular, with a controller (e.g., controller 32, see FIG. 1 ) housed within the base 62 of the respective drone (e.g., the first drone 14a or the second drone 14b) and the coupler 60 being removable and replaceable. In yet another embodiment, the electronic media tether 36 can include multiple LEDs and multiple speakers 64. In some embodiments, one or more drones (e.g., the second drone 14b) can be designed to detach from the electronic media tether 36 during flight or operation. For example, drone 14a may maintain connection with electronic media tether 36 while drone 14b may detach from media tether 36, causing media tether 36 to drop, to achieve a particular desired visual effect.

[0024] As shown herein, the drone fleet 14 can operate to execute a flight plan that provides a coordinated aerial display at a desired location and at a desired time. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the drone fleet 14 (e.g., 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d, 14e, 14f, 14g) forming a shape 72. The drone fleet can include an electronic media tether 36 coupled to each drone in the drone fleet 14. The electronic media tether 36 can be a single electronic media tether line that can couple each drone in the drone fleet 14 to each other at a predetermined distance along the length of the single tether. In some embodiments, each drone in the drone fleet 14 can be coupled to two or more drones in the drone fleet 14. Thus, each drone in the drone fleet 14 can have a single electronic media tether 36 coupled to a coupler 60 or multiple electronic media tethers 36 coupled to a coupler 60. When commanded, the drone fleet 14 can form an aerial display that can be of various shapes, configurations, structures, or sizes. In some embodiments, the shape 72 formed by the aerial formation of the drone fleet 14 can be two-dimensional (2D). In other embodiments, the shape 72 formed by the aerial formation of the drone fleet 14 can be three-dimensional (3D). In the illustrated example, the shape 72 is a 3D cube in the sky visible to amusement park guests. The shape 72 is formed by an electronic media tether 36 coupled to each drone in the drone fleet 14. The electronic media tether 36 can each include multiple LEDs capable of emitting various and / or changing types of light. For example, the multiple LEDs on the electronic media tether 36, which can be arranged to form the shape 72, can each be a first color (e.g., red). The multiple LEDs on the electronic media tether 36 can then transition to a second color (e.g., blue) when commanded by the drone control system 12. Additionally, the electronic media tether 36 can emit a steady light, a transitioning light, or a flashing light of the same color or multiple colors.In this manner, amusement park guests can experience aerial displays of various colors and effects, and drone fleet 14 can operate in a similar manner to that described in FIG.

[0025] As disclosed herein, each drone in the drone fleet 14 can move in any direction to form an aerial display. The drone control system 12 (FIG. 1) can determine the desired position of each drone in the drone fleet 14 and send commands to a single drone or each drone in the drone fleet 14 to execute a flight plan. A single drone can have a drone controller 32 and manage the execution of a flight plan or flight path for a drone fleet 14 that does not have its own controller. Alternatively, to facilitate coordination among the drone fleet 14, each drone 14a, 14b, 14c, 14d, 14e, 14f, and 14g in the drone fleet 14 can include a respective version or aspect of the drone controller 32. In some embodiments, the drone fleet 14 can be commanded to form a first shape and then change its aerial formation to form a second shape. In some embodiments, the drone fleet 14 can be commanded to fly using the aerial formation to form multiple subsequent shapes. In this manner, the drone fleet 14 can transition into various shapes and / or configurations, and the LEDs can display different colors to form an aerial display. The drone control system 12 can use telemetry and / or location circuitry 38 (FIG. 1) to verify that each drone in the drone fleet 14 is in the proper location and therefore displaying the aerial imagery as instructed based on the geographic location or GPS coordinates of each drone in the drone fleet 14. Additionally, the electronic media tether 36 can be coupled to a power source 40 (FIG. 1) configured to provide power to the drone fleet 14. The control system 12 has or generates a mapping relationship between the drone fleet 14 and the electronic media tether 36. The control system 12 takes this mapping relationship into account when commanding the drone fleet 14 to maneuver in a manner that avoids entanglement and interference between the electronic media tethers 36, between the individual drones in the drone fleet 14 (e.g., drones 14a, 14b, 14c), or both.

[0026] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the first drone 14a, the second drone 14b, and the electronic media tether 36. The electronic media tether 36 is coupled to the first drone 14a and the second drone 14b via a coupler (offset rigid coupler) 60. As disclosed herein, the electronic media tether 36 can be in the form of a mesh and can include multiple LEDs (FIG. 2) and / or multiple speakers 64 (FIG. 2) extending along the mesh. As shown, the electronic media tether 36 is positioned on the underside of the first drone 14a and the second drone 14b. However, other orientations are also contemplated. Note that any of the drones described herein can include some or all of the same components as the first drone 14a and the second drone 14b. In some embodiments, an operator can couple and undock the electronic media tether 36 to each drone in the drone fleet 14.

[0027] The drone fleet 14 can operate to execute a flight plan that provides a coordinated aerial display at a desired location and at a desired time. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the drone fleet 14 forming a shape 90. By way of example, the shape 90 can represent a cone or a pyramid. The drone fleet can include an electronic media tether 36 coupled to each drone in the drone fleet 14. During operation, the drone fleet 14 can use the electronic media tether 36, which can include a mesh, to form an aerial display that can be of various shapes, configurations, structures, or sizes. It should be noted that the drone fleet can operate similarly to that described in FIG. 1.

[0028] The drone fleet 14, when in operation, may include an electronic media tether 36 coupled to each drone. The drone control system 12 (FIG. 1) may command each member of the drone fleet 14 to fly to a respective aerial location (e.g., move from a first aerial location to a second aerial location) to form a shape 90 in the sky using the electronic media tether 36, which may include a mesh. The drone fleet 14 may fly to extend the electronic media tether 36, which may include a mesh, into various shapes and configurations (e.g., move from a first aerial location to a second aerial location, and then to a third aerial location). In the illustrated example, the drone fleet 14 is commanded to fly to form a cone shape. In some embodiments, the drone fleet 14 may include peripheral drones coupled to the periphery of the mesh of the electronic media tether 36. Additionally, at least one drone 14 in the drone fleet 14 may be a central drone coupled to the center of the mesh of the electronic media tether 36. As disclosed herein, the LEDs extending along the electronic media tether 36 (which in the illustrated embodiment includes a mesh) can emit a steady light, a transitioning light, or flashing lights of the same color or multiple colors. In some embodiments, the drone fleet 14 can be commanded to form a first shape and then change its aerial formation to form a second shape. Additionally, the drone fleet 14 can be commanded to fly to a particular aerial location to form multiple subsequent shapes using the aerial formation. In practice, the drone fleet 14 can transition into various shapes and / or configurations, and the LEDs can display multiple colors to form an aerial display using the electronic media tether 36, which can include a mesh. Using telemetry and / or location circuitry 38 ( FIG. 1 ), the drone control system 12 can verify that each drone in the drone fleet 14 is in the appropriate location based on the geographic location or GPS coordinates of each drone in the drone fleet 14 and therefore displaying the aerial image as commanded.

[0029] 6 is a perspective view of a fleet of drones 14 coupled to one another via an electronic media tether 36 and a plurality of speakers 64 disposed along the electronic media tether 36. As shown, each drone in the fleet of drones 14 is coupled via an electronic media tether 36 that includes a plurality of LEDs and a plurality of speakers 64. The electronic media tether 36 that includes the plurality of LEDs and the plurality of speakers 64 can be coupled to a power source 40 (FIG. 1) configured to provide power to the fleet of drones 14 and the plurality of LEDs and the plurality of speakers 64.

[0030] The aerial drone system 10 may execute instructions from the drone control system 12 or drone controller 32 to define a second aerial position after the first aerial position that establishes a stereophonic arrangement configured to provide stereophonic sound from the plurality of speakers 64 to an observation location. The flight pattern may be defined based on the desired shape of the electronic media tether 36 and the desired stereophonic arrangement of the speakers 64 disposed along the electronic media tether 36. For example, the aerial drone system 10 may position the drone fleet 14 to form a circular shape around the guest 98 (first aerial position) and then a square shape (second aerial position) that provides stereophonic sound to the observation location of the guest 98.

[0031] In operation, the drone control system 12 ( FIG. 1 ) can send commands to the drone fleet 14 to move to an aerial location that can provide an aerial display and surround sound speaker arrangement 96 to guests 98 at an observation location. In this manner, the drone fleet 14 can provide an aerial display to guests 98 while simultaneously providing audio to the guests 98. In some embodiments, the audio produced by the plurality of speakers 64 and heard by the guests 98 can be a composite of sounds produced by various speakers in the plurality of speakers 64. That is, each speaker in the plurality of speakers 64 can be instructed to produce a different sound that, when combined with sounds produced by other speakers in the plurality of speakers 64, can form a surround sound audio environment or a particularly desirable soundscape. Additionally, the plurality of speakers 64 can be configured to produce audio in a manner that provides custom audio to each guest 98. To achieve a desired soundscape (e.g., surround sound), this embodiment can utilize tracking devices (e.g., GPS, cameras, RFID) to track the location of guests 98 and control the positioning of individual drones in the drone fleet 14 taking into account the positioning of speakers 64 between the individual drones and along the electronic media tether 36.

[0032] The technology shown and claimed herein refers to and applies to tangible objects and specific examples of a practical nature that will materially improve the art, and thus are not abstract, intangible, or purely theoretical. Furthermore, if any claim appended at the end of this specification contains one or more elements designated as "means for (performing) ... (function)" or "step for (performing) ... (function)," such elements are to be construed pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 112(f). Conversely, for any claim containing elements designated in any other manner, such elements are not to be construed pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 112(f). [Explanation of symbols]

[0033] 14 Drone Squad 36 Electronic Media Tether 37 LED 64 speakers 96 Surround Sound Speaker Placement 98 guests

Claims

1. 1. An aerial drone system, comprising: A first drone; A second drone; an electronic media tether coupled to the first drone and the second drone; Equipped with the first drone includes a first drone body and a first propeller system configured to propel the first drone through the air; the second drone includes a second drone body and a second propeller system configured to propel the second drone through the air; the electronic media tether includes a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) and is configured to transmit power to the plurality of LEDs; An aerial drone system characterized by:

2. a control system including a memory storing instructions and one or more processors, the instructions being configured, when executed by the one or more processors, to cause the one or more processors to command the first drone to move to a first aerial location and to command the second drone to move to a second aerial location; The aerial drone system of claim 1 .

3. the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, are configured to define the first airborne position and the second airborne position based on a desired shape of the electronic media tether. The aerial drone system of claim 2.

4. a first positioning sensor on the first drone and a second positioning sensor on the second drone, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, Identifying desired locations of the first drone and the second drone; determining the first position in space and the second position in space based on the desired position; determining that the first drone and the second drone are at the desired location based on feedback from the first positioning sensor and the second positioning sensor; The aerial drone system of claim 2 , configured as follows:

5. a third drone including a third drone body and a third propeller system configured to propel the third drone through the air; an additional electronic media tether coupling the third drone to the first drone; The aerial drone system of claim 1 , comprising:

6. a third drone including a third drone body and a third propeller system configured to propel the third drone through the air, the electronic media tether coupling the third drone to the first drone; The aerial drone system of claim 1 .

7. the electronic media tether couples the third drone to the second drone. The aerial drone system of claim 6.

8. the electronic media tether includes independent tether segments configured to removably couple to the first drone, the second drone, and / or the third drone; The aerial drone system of claim 7.

9. a control system including a memory for storing instructions and one or more processors; the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, are configured to define a first in-air position and a second in-air position based on a desired shape of the electronic media tether. The aerial drone system of claim 7.

10. the electronic media tether includes a plurality of rigid segments attached in series to one another via articulating joints; The aerial drone system of claim 1 .

11. the electronic media tether includes a plurality of speakers and is configured to transmit power to the plurality of speakers; The aerial drone system of claim 1 .

12. a control system including a memory containing instructions and one or more processors, the instructions being executed by the one or more processors to: causing the one or more processors to command the first drone to move to a first aerial location and command the second drone to move to a second aerial location; defining the first and second aerial positions to establish a stereo arrangement configured to provide stereo sound from the plurality of speakers to a viewing position; The aerial drone system of claim 11 , configured as follows:

13. the stereo arrangement is configured to provide surround sound from the plurality of speakers to the viewing position; 13. The aerial drone system of claim 12.

14. the electronic media tether includes an LED strip configured to receive power from the first drone, the second drone, or both, the power being transmitted from a power source; The aerial drone system of claim 1 .

15. a plurality of drones coupled to one another via segments of the electronic media tether, wherein a single drone of the plurality of drones is configured to communicate via the electronic media tether to control a flight pattern of the plurality of drones, and the first drone and the second drone are part of the plurality of drones; The aerial drone system of claim 1 .

16. the first drone includes a stiffness offset coupled to the electronic media tether, the stiffness offset extending away from the first drone body in a direction transverse to a rotational axis of a propeller of the first propeller system; The aerial drone system of claim 1 .

17. 1. An aerial drone system, comprising: a mesh of electronic media lines including a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) extending along the mesh; a plurality of propeller drones configured to fly through the air and coupled to one another via the mesh of electronic media lines; a control system including a memory for storing instructions and one or more processors; the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, are configured to cause the one or more processors to command the plurality of drones to fly in a pattern that forms a desired shape with a mesh of electronic media lines. An aerial drone system characterized by:

18. The plurality of drones a peripheral drone coupled to a periphery of the mesh of electronic media lines; at least one central drone coupled to a central portion of the mesh of electronic media lines; 20. The aerial drone system of claim 17, comprising:

19. 1. A method of operating an aerial drone system, comprising: defining, via a control system, a flight pattern based on a desired shape of the electronic media tether and a desired stereo placement of speakers positioned along the electronic media tether; Flying a plurality of drones coupled to each other via the electronic media tethers in the flight pattern via the control system; controlling, via the control system, power through the electronic media tether to operate a light emitting diode disposed along the electronic media tether and the speaker disposed along the electronic media tether; A method comprising:

20. using one or more processors to command the plurality of drones to fly in the flight pattern based on the desired stereo placement of the speakers; using the one or more processors to instruct the speakers to provide stereo sound from the speakers to a viewing position; 20. The method of claim 19, comprising:

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