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Frequently Asked Questions

I would like to book a drone light show for my event. Am I in the right place?

We used to have a 100-drone fleet and a dedicated light-show team that performed at events several times per year. We stopped pursuing that as a business model, and we don’t currently have a large swarm of drones. You cannot book a full-service large-swarm Spaxels performance at the moment. However, if you want to operate your own drone/robot performances (i.e. are prepared to invest in a fleet) and need a swarm platform and expertise in the field, or if you are interested in developing new ideas for swarm performances and need an experienced partner, we would love to hear from you!

Is swarmOS open source?

At this point, swarmOS is closed-source. If we decide to make such a complex system open source, we feel that we need to be certain we can provide a particular kind of guidance and community support so that someone who uses it without our direct involvement can still get the best out of it. If you (as an institution or private person) are able and willing to help us to support an open source community, we would be happy to hear from you!

Can you do a Fluxels performance for my project?

The Fluxels are a robot swarm owned by our partner NTT that may be available for particular research projects. It’s also possible to produce a new fleet for and with you. If you are interested in the concept, contact us – it may become a great new adventure for the Fluxels…

Can I try/purchase swarmOS?

We definitely want swarmOS to be available for people developing swarm projects. That said, swarmOS is not a product, but a research platform. If you are interested in trying it out, let’s connect and find out what your needs are. If swarmOS fits your scenario, we can get a version of Ground Control to you to try out, and, if it works for you, decide on a way to license all swarmOS components.

Are you currently interested in new projects or research partners?

Absolutely. If you have an idea for a swarm project, are doing research in a related field or are interested in working with us in some other way, we’d be happy to hear from you. Please note that we do not get any fixed funding, so all work that we do must be financed by a client or research grant.

Are you hiring?

Please check out the careers page on the Ars Electronica Website.