Parrot’s AR Drone is not US Air Force Drone
By Matt at 8 January, 2010, 3:36 am
It might not be a US Air Force drone flying on the border of Pakistan, but the AR Drone is controlled via wifi and believe it or not it has two small cameras attached.
Essentially the AR Drone is a wifi controlled quadricopter, with a couple of cameras – the cool thing is that it’s controlled by an iPhone or iPod Touch and that’s also where you can see the video feed from the drone.
Parrot’s website also boasts:
Each flight with the AR Drone will be a new experience. Outside, the player will have to take into account the changing elements of the real environment, like the wind, the sunshine, the shading areas or any obstacles that appear.
Obstacles that appear? Are we allowed to fly that thing around church or alongside the car on road trips?
I do however, like the positive spin they put on ‘the changing elements of the real environment, like the wind…’. Wouldn’t I just be chasing that thing along the ground on a windy day? And then there’s the challenge of taking off on a rainy day!
Ok, I’m being too mean. This is a cool product and does push some tech boundaries for a toy: being controlled by an iPhone and sendin back a live video feed. The AR Drone’s spec sheet also lists some smart sensors and the controls on the iPhone are said to be very intuitive including leaning and touching the phone.
But aside from that, I just don’t understand the massive buzz that this product has had at CES and around the web.
More details available at the Parrot AR Drone website and rumor has it a Blackberry AR Drone may also be in the works so don’t worry berry fans.
The speculation is that the AR Drone will be expensive so you can always go with the RC UFO ($40):
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Man, u might not be impressed – but I love this thing. Am definitely getting one if I can afford it.
I agree with what you’re saying in your article, BUT… the AR Drone shouldn’t be compared to that flying RC UFO thingy…. That thing only goes up and down. The drone can go forwards and backwards – plus it can hover at a certain level… The UFO is either hitting the ceiling or the floor !
You are right – there are some smart sensors on the AR Drone to keep it hovering and the intuitive interface on the iPhone (and iPod Touch) controlling this thing are neat.
The thing that would have sold it for me, would be if it could move fast. Really FAST. Fast enough for it to go past a dog without it turning its head – Then it’s a different ball game altogether.
Also another important thing which I didn’t mention is battery life – both of the phone and the drone. Wifi even when not constantly connected can kill a battery quickly.
The iPhone and the Drone will constantly be connected as during navigation – that has to suck some juice.
This may seem to be an expensive toy, but it might be a very useful tool in some circumstances.
There are closed yards full of stolen cars in the middle east. Insurance investigators cannot get inside to check, so they are powerless.
One of these could hop the fence and read the codes on the windows …
I can see some uses (and there are really advanced military drones already) but if this thing was as fast as the golden snitch in quidditch – then it would be awesome.
You are right – there are some smart sensors on the AR Drone to keep it hovering and the intuitive interface on the iPhone (and iPod Touch) controlling this thing are neat.
The thing that would have sold it for me, would be if it could move fast. Really FAST. Fast enough for it to go past a dog without it turning its head – Then it’s a different ball game altogether.
I can see some uses (and there are really advanced military drones already) but if this thing was as fast as the golden snitch in quidditch – then it would be awesome.
I agree with what you’re saying in your article, BUT… the AR Drone shouldn’t be compared to that flying RC UFO thingy…. That thing only goes up and down. The drone can go forwards and backwards – plus it can hover at a certain level… The UFO is either hitting the ceiling or the floor !