Putting a Leash on Technology - 06/08/18

Referring back to mine and Andrew's lengthy discussion about setting the boundaries on technology,  today we tested out playing with tethering the drone with fishing wire. Therefore if the drone does fly off course and I struggle to bring it back under control just using my movements, I can pull on the fishing wire and (theoretically) it comes back.

Upon testing it out... that didn't happen. As the drone has ultrasonic sensors that maintain its position, when I pull at the fishing wire, the drone pulls against it in order to remain in that position. The pull of the drone is actually quite strong, and so by using the fishing wire, we hoped it would enable us to bring the drone back under control, when what actually happened was the opposite effect, it seemed to make the drone stronger and therefore more uncontrollable as it fights against me to try and remain where it is. 

Then there is of course further consequences of this. As the drone pulls on the tether, the propellors and motors of the drone work harder to try to maintain their position, therefore providing a further strain on battery life. And so putting a leash on technology didn't quite set the boundaries that we are hoping for, instead it encouraged the drone to further push through those boundaries. 

Admittedly, there are still ways in which this tethering effect could be useful. For instance the drone could look as though it is pulling me out of control, perhaps I'm the one being put on a leash. Yet because so much tension builds up on the fishing wire, if that were to snap or if I let go, the drone flies away and there is no stopping it, potentially causing damage to surrounding equipment, the drone itself, or an unexpecting audience member. So I'm not sure if I want to entertain that level of risk in my piece.

I feel as though the theme of my piece has adapted in such a way that I'm now more interested in human and drone eventually working together and interacting. Rather than having the drone and I as two complete separate beings, I hope for us to work as one, however getting the drone to do so is taking a lot more time than expected and is proving to be very challenging. I'm discovering that I'm constantly having to reduce my ideas and narrow them down, which Andrew warned me of at the very start, so I should of been more expectant of it. Its just finding that one thing that works, and then perhaps the whole piece will unfold out in front of me. One can only hope.