A content creator named Fan Xishen, a 30-something-year-old online artist from Sichuan Province in southwestern China, has successfully invented a flyable sword-shaped drone that can actually be ridden, similar to those seen in fantasy dramas and storybooks.
After uploading a video of himself sitting on the sword-shaped drone while wearing a dark outfit, he received over 3 million views and more than 200,000 likes on social media, becoming an internet sensation worldwide.
Fan grew up watching fantasy dramas, particularly "innovative fantasy storybooks," which made him passionate about sword-flying techniques. As a former hotel employee, he began his journey as an online content creator in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, primarily featuring sword combat content.
Later, he utilized knowledge from physics and chemistry to independently create special effects such as flaming swords, ice swords, and electric effects without using computer-generated imagery (CGI). He then expanded on this concept and began developing the flying sword drone project that could actually be piloted.
Because the sword shape is not like conventional aircraft, his team spent considerable time and effort working on stability in the air and control systems.
After multiple failures over more than 18 months, the sword drone that initially could only fly for around 10 seconds has now reached a stage where it can remain airborne for up to 3 minutes at a height of 2 meters above the ground.
Although the project is still in the testing phase and not yet ready for commercial production, it represents an innovative creation that uniquely combines fantasy storytelling imagination with modern technology.
Ref: Khaosod