Disneyland has been planning to have humanoid robots fly across stages posing as famous Marvel, Star Wars, or Pixar characters. Walt Disney Imagineering in Burbank, California, have been developing robots known as ‘stuntbots’ for a number of years now and is now close to coming into fruition.
The stuntbots could also be used in live theatre performances at Disney owned resorts and themed parks. Autonomous Stuntronics are self-correcting aerial performers able to make on-the-go corrections during a high-flying stunt, to ensure that they land safely.
Imagineering have made significant advances in the field of animatronics. Animatronics are static, lifelike robots that already entertain crowds at Disney theme parks and resorts. Disney’s Imagineers (engineers) are innovating and making strides within animatronics and robotics by building humanoid robots designed to perform aerial stunts. These stuntbots can adjust their position in mid-air while holding the perfect superhero flight pose, all with the help of built-in accelerometers, gyroscopes, and laser guiding.
There’s no definitive plan as to where the stuntbots will be placed yet. That said I’m looking forward to seeing a superhero flying about our heads at a Disney theme park or resort.