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About

Viviane Herdel is a pioneering researcher in human–drone interaction, specializing in how people perceive and emotionally connect with flying robots. Her work lies at the intersection of affective computing, anthropomorphism, and aerial robotics, exploring how drones can be designed as socially intelligent agents. Herdel’s most influential paper, “Drone in Love: Emotional Perception of Facial Expressions on Flying Robots” (2021, 60 citations), broke new ground by demonstrating that drones equipped with facial expressions can evoke complex emotional responses from humans, challenging traditional assumptions about non-humanoid robots. She further advanced this field by developing frameworks for measuring anthropomorphism and affective perception in aerial robotics (2024, 10 citations), and by introducing the concept of “emotion appropriateness” in human–drone interactions (2024, 9 citations; 2025, 4 citations). Herdel’s research has practical implications for delivery drones, social robots, and public acceptance of autonomous aerial systems. Notably, she has critically examined the OCC model of emotion for robotic applications (2024, 3 citations), bridging cognitive science and engineering. With a growing citation record and a clear trajectory toward shaping how drones integrate into human social spaces, Herdel is establishing herself as a key voice in affective robotics and human–robot interaction.