Birds: Make Way for the Twitter Drone

Facebook has one, Google has one, and now there’s another cool Internet company developing a drone: welcome the Twitter Drone.  While Facebook and Google have grand plans to bring the Internet to all four corners of the world, Twitter has a simpler – and perhaps more immediately profitable – idea.

Social media giant Twitter has applied to the US Patent and Trademark Office for a patent on a “Messaging Enabled Unmanned Aerial Vehicle.”  The application was made in June; but the patent was published earlier this week.  The idea is a good one: why be limited to ground level pictures from a phone when you can show people your environment – or your super cool mountain bike ride, ski run, or surfing – from the air? The abstract makes the intent clear:

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) carries a camera, sends data from the camera, and receives commands. The UAV is connected to a messaging platform. Pictures or video clips received from the UAV are selected and placed in messages broadcast by an account associated with the UAV. Video footage from the camera is live-streamed in a card-type message. Account holders of the messaging platform may control the UAV with commands embedded in messages and directed towards an account associated with the UAV. Controllable elements of the UAV include UAV location, camera orientation, camera subject, UAV-mounted lighting, a UAV-mounted display, a UAV-mounted projector, UAV-mounted speakers, and a detachable payload. UAV control may be determined through democratic means. Some UAV functionality may be triggered through aggregated engagements on the messaging platform. The UAV may include a display screen and/or a microphone to provide for telepresence or interview functionality.

Figures in the application give a simple idea of the proposed drone’s capabilities; camera, controller, and the ability to send messages in real time.

In response to questions about the project, the company had only two words: “Drone Selfies.”  Enough said.