Drone with umbrella covers you from above, but it's too noisy

A drone that follows you around with a sun-blocking umbrella is only a prototype, but it has a major flaw: it's annoyingly loud.

Sure it's a convenient way to stay out of the sun and keep your hands free, but the Japanese company Asahi Power Service's "Free Parasol" concept still needs reworking.

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Demos of the device have been around for the past few years and even in the latest video (at the top of this post) that annoying hum and buzz renders the entire concept useless.

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Listen for just a few seconds and imagine walking around with that incessant buzzing for an hour -- that's how long the company wants to have the head-detecting drone last. The drone is expected to come to market in 2019, according to Tokyo-based SoraNews24. It's intended for golfers on sunny greenways.

Noisy drones are a known issue -- companies are always trying to improve drone sound levels to a tolerable hum --- which is why follow-me technology like this hasn't really caught on with small, head-level drones.

The 59-inch wide Free Parasol isn't waterproof yet, so it's only a sun umbrella. It currently lasts 20 minutes and weighs 11 pounds. Eventually, it's supposed to fly for an hour, protect you from sun and rain, and weigh only 2 pounds.

For an expected $275 a pop, it better quiet down.

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