Preferred Distance in Human-Drone Interaction

Area of Science:

• Human-Computer Interaction
• Robotics
• Social Psychology

Background:

• Interpersonal distance regulation is a key aspect of human social interaction.
• Understanding preferred distances is crucial for safe and comfortable human-drone interaction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how drone characteristics influence preferred interaction distances.
• To adapt interpersonal distance regulation paradigms to human-drone interactions.

Main Methods:

• Two augmented-reality experiments were conducted.
• Experiment 1: Assessed preferred distances to a spherical drone model based on hovering height and approach angle.
• Experiment 2: Varied drone appearance (spherical vs. anthropomorphic) and ground attachment to explore influencing factors.

Main Results:

• Drone hovering height significantly affected preferred distance, with higher altitudes leading to greater distances.
• Preferred distances to drones were generally larger than those to human actors.
• Anthropomorphic drone features surprisingly increased preferred interaction distances.

Conclusions:

• Drone height and appearance, particularly anthropomorphic features, influence preferred interaction distances.
• Social aspects and perceived danger play a role in human-drone spatial behavior.
• Findings are critical for designing user-friendly and socially acceptable human-drone interfaces.