Aerial robotics researcher and entrepreneur Sergei Lupashin visited State Street's Dublin offices as part of the Ted "salon" series of talks, addressing staff and participants in the NDRC Fintech programme.

Originally from Russia, Swiss-based Mr Lupashin is the inventor of the Fotokite, a tethered robotic camera that is designed to ease some of the privacy fears surrounding unmanned "drones" by attaching it to a leash, similar to one you could use for a pet.

Designed to be easy to use, the tethered camera cannot fly too far from the photographer and is intended to allow those around the device to easily see who is operating the camera.

Although there are many different uses for the technology, Mr Lupashin sees a particular application for the Fotokite in the media, allowing photographers and videographers to get birds-eye views of action as it happens.

The Fotokite shown at the talk is still a prototype, with 3D printed components that were specially made for the Ted talks to demonstrate the device.

The device was fitted with a standard GoPro camera. It is not yet known when it will become commercially available.