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[00:00.42] South Korean researchers have developed a drone designed to stay level when transporting goods over many kinds of surfaces.

[00:12.37] A team at Seoul National University of Science and Technology built a prototype, or test model of the drone.

[00:23.26] The team recently demonstrated the aircraft for reporters from Reuters.

[00:29.64] The prototype has a transport carrier attached to a drone structure.

[00:36.28] It is supported by several propellers and rotors that control its height, speed and direction in the air.

[00:46.37] The aircraft has a handle workers can push to guide it where it needs to go.

[00:53.28] Members of the development team showed how the drone can keep itself level while floating, even when transporting goods up or down stairs.

[01:06.03] Leaders of the research say the drone is programmed to predict human actions for effective interactions.

[01:16.65] Lee Seung-jae is a professor of mechanical system design engineering at Seoul National University of Science and Technology. He was a leader of the project.

[01:32.06] The research results appeared in a study in IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters.

[01:40.83] The publication is part of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, based in New York.

[01:50.65] Lee told Reuters tests of the drone showed it could transport objects up to 3 kilograms.

[01:59.95] He admitted this weight restriction likely limits the drone’s use cases for many businesses.

[02:08.18] But he noted that the transporter’s design and operating equipment could be used to create a series of other kinds of drone vehicles.

[02:20.40] Lee said one example would be to use the transporter to carry sensitive or breakable materials.

[02:29.43] The technology could also be used to develop “flying taxis” to transport humans, he added.

[02:38.20] When used in a flying taxi, Lee said the drones could be used to change batteries while still flying in the air, instead of having to return to a ground station for recharging.

[02:53.87] In general, experts say drones with multiple propellers are easier to control and move in many different settings.

[03:04.76] But they are also slower and cannot travel as far on a battery charge.

[03:12.20] Drones with multiple rotors have already been used to transport small amounts of goods, food and medical supplies.

[03:22.56] But experts say it is difficult to widely expand use of such drones for commercial purposes.

[03:31.59] This is because such activities would require larger batteries a smaller aircraft could not support.