Art has taken many different forms over the past century, with everything from styles, types, functions, and instruments evolving from one period to the next. While subjective, the intention of art has always been somewhat clear: provide an outlet for creativity and illustrate that creativity by any means necessary — meaning that innovation is, and always will be, welcome within the medium.
Almost half a decade ago, the street artist “Katsu” took to the skies with his first semi-autonomous “paint drone,” offering a small selection of creators the opportunity to reach (both figuratively, and literally) heights once thought impossible. In association with Tsuru Robotics, the drone has now been made into a marketable item for use within the artistic realm, providing up to ten minutes of sustainable flight time catered toward the creation of murals in out-of-reach places. On its exterior, the artist’s production-oriented Katsuru Beta is a barebones drone that operates semi-autonomously through manual control, whilst using advanced sensors and software to detect distance, height, and location in contrast to a vertical surface, allowing artists to control movement and paint application from hundreds of feet below. Preorders for the limited-run Katsuru Beta are open from now until January 1st for $2,500.
