As drones become increasingly integrated into our daily lives, it is important to gain a deeper understanding of the dynamics of human-drone interaction. And as drones begin to fly autonomously and to interact with more than one operator or user, personal space requirements and personal space infringements have to be researched. We investigated how the preferred distance between user and drone varies based on the drone’s hovering height during interaction. We report two laboratory studies in which we simulated drones in a real-world environment by means of augmented reality.
Our first initial study used a simplified spherical drone model approaching a stationary observer. Results showed that the accepted distance is not influenced by the direction of approach but is significantly affected by the height at which the drone is meant to interact with the participants. In an ongoing second study, we explore the impact of drones of different make and appearance on perceived personal space, as they approach airborne or anchored to the ground surface (similar to a traditional robot). We will present findings from both studies and discuss their implications for designing high-acceptance and user-friendly interactions with drones.