Unpacking the message: visual cues to reduce bystander uncertainty about delivery drones in public spaces

As drones are deployed in public spaces for tasks such as package delivery, drones will encounter the public as bystanders passing by. The distinctive character of bystanders is that they are not the package recipients, so they lack prior information about the drone. Clear communication of drone intentions is essential to reduce uncertainty and improve public safety and trust. Limited research, however, has examined how a drone’s communication strategies affect bystanders. This online questionnaire study investigated how a drone’s visual cues affect bystanders' uncertainty about a drone’s intentions. Participants ( N = 150) viewed software simulated scenarios of drones delivering packages either by landing or by cable drop, each with or without visual interfaces (on-board lights, on-board