Designing Drone Interfaces to Assist Pedestrians Crossing Non-Signalised Roads

Zhang, G; Wang, Y; Hoggenmüller, M

Designing Drone Interfaces to Assist Pedestrians Crossing Non-Signalised Roads

Zhang, G Wang, Y

Hoggenmüller, M

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Publisher:: Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
Publication Type:: Conference Proceeding
Citation:: Proceedings of the 37th Australian Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, 2025, pp. 111-121
Issue Date:: 2025-11-29

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Zhang, G
dc.contributor.author	Wang, Y https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2610-1283
dc.contributor.author	Hoggenmüller, M
dc.date.accessioned	2026-02-05T01:12:50Z
dc.date.available	2026-02-05T01:12:50Z
dc.date.issued	2025-11-29
dc.identifier.citation	Proceedings of the 37th Australian Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, 2025, pp. 111-121
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/193007
dc.description.abstract	Recent research highlights the potential of drones to enhance pedestrian experiences, such as aiding navigation and supporting street-level activities. This paper explores the design of drone interfaces to assist pedestrians crossing dangerous roads without designated crosswalks or traffic lights, leveraging drones’ ability to monitor and analyse real-time traffic data. Inspired by existing traffic signal systems, the interface communicates safety information through permissive alerts, prohibitive warnings, directional warnings, and collision emergency warnings. These safety cues were integrated into drone interfaces using in-situ projections and drone-equipped screens through an iterative design process. A mixed-methods, within-subjects VR evaluation (n=18) revealed that drone-assisted systems significantly improved pedestrian safety experiences and reduced mental workload compared to a baseline without any crossing aid, with projections outperforming screens. The findings suggest the potential for drone interfaces to be integrated into connected traffic systems. We also offer design recommendations for developing drone interfaces that support safe pedestrian crossings.
dc.language	en
dc.publisher	Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)
dc.relation.ispartof	Proceedings of the 37th Australian Conference on Human-Computer Interaction
dc.relation.ispartof	Proceedings of the 37th Australian Conference on Human-Computer Interaction
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1145/3764687.3764700
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.title	Designing Drone Interfaces to Assist Pedestrians Crossing Non-Signalised Roads
dc.type	Conference Proceeding
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Computer Science
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.rights.license	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.date.updated	2026-02-05T01:12:48Z
pubs.publication-status	Published

Abstract:

Recent research highlights the potential of drones to enhance pedestrian experiences, such as aiding navigation and supporting street-level activities. This paper explores the design of drone interfaces to assist pedestrians crossing dangerous roads without designated crosswalks or traffic lights, leveraging drones’ ability to monitor and analyse real-time traffic data. Inspired by existing traffic signal systems, the interface communicates safety information through permissive alerts, prohibitive warnings, directional warnings, and collision emergency warnings. These safety cues were integrated into drone interfaces using in-situ projections and drone-equipped screens through an iterative design process. A mixed-methods, within-subjects VR evaluation (n=18) revealed that drone-assisted systems significantly improved pedestrian safety experiences and reduced mental workload compared to a baseline without any crossing aid, with projections outperforming screens. The findings suggest the potential for drone interfaces to be integrated into connected traffic systems. We also offer design recommendations for developing drone interfaces that support safe pedestrian crossings.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/193007