'Flying hotel' helps tourists enjoy the sky

According to Tech Insider, with the new hotel design idea called Driftscape proposed by the company HOK in Toronto, Canada, each room is a glass compartment that can fly in the air.

The glass pods are connected to a fixed hub, which houses the main lobby, bar, lounge, and restaurant. However, they can also be detached, allowing visitors to fly around a location. The team at HOK calls Driftscape a “flying hotel,” according to lead architect Ian Rolston. Visitors can explore famous landmarks from above, such as fjords in Norway, glaciers in Argentina, and the Great Wall of China.

The hotel will consist of 10-15 “Driftcraft” pods. Using similar technology to drones, each 20-square-meter pod can accommodate two adults and is equipped with a bed, a bathroom and a desk. To accommodate larger groups, the pods can be connected together.

To pilot the capsule, guests will communicate with hotel staff to design a personal flight. The capsule then separates from the hotel and guests can follow their own route. The onboard artificial intelligence system will automatically follow the schedule, so guests can sit back and enjoy the scenery. At the end of the flight, the capsule will return to reconnect with the central station. Each capsule is also equipped with a control panel and a camera for guests to take pictures.

Driftscape is one of three finalists in this year’s Radical Innovation Award competition, which seeks innovative hotel concepts. The top prize will be announced in October. If Driftscape is commercially viable, Rolston estimates that a night’s stay at the hotel would cost about the same as renting a luxury car.

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