Parrot ARDrone
I know this falls a little outside the normal scope of this blog but it’s Friday and this was too good to pass up. The Parrot ARDrone is being billed as the “First iPhone-Controlled Quadricopter Drone”. There’s no need to go much further than that for me, but add a camera to the helicopter and camera-view mode to the iPhone and I’m sold. The most amazing part of it all is the craft’s ability to right itself automatically using it’s built-in array of sensors (not to mention the potential for augmented reality applications given the manufacturer’s third-party development scheme) . It’s not out yet — the site says “coming in 2010″ — and no word on pricing but I can’t imagine it will be very cheap. I think I’d be willing to splurge on something like this as long as it was cheaper than the iPhone itself. For more info check out this hands-on test of the ARDrone.
While the Quadricopter and it’s iPhone interfacing abilities are pretty incredible, I wish they had made an airplane version (although not sure the WiFi range would be sufficient for that), small R/C helicopters seem like they’re mostly for bothering dogs and tooling around your living room, not really as suited toward outdoor flight as the video suggests. When I worked at BKWLD with Dusty we got a couple of R/C planes and would fly them at lunch in the open spaces of Roseville. I loved those things, I don’t know why but R/C never seems to get old, I think I was about as excited every time I took that thing out as I was the first time I got an R/C car for Christmas. Since I moved to San Francisco I haven’t been using it; I think it’s in a closet somewhere. I bet the batteries are shot but I might get some new ones and take it for a spin at the park this weekend.
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04/26/10 - 
January 8th, 2010 at 12:52 am
I will buy one of these immediately. I challenge anyone to a duel and guarantee my aerial superiority.
January 8th, 2010 at 1:01 am
So cool. I just watched the video three times.
January 8th, 2010 at 1:10 am
I wonder how many RC vehicles there really are out there controlled by the iPhone? I suppose the phrase “the first quadricopter remotely controlled by your iPhone” does sound exceptionally nonpareil.
January 8th, 2010 at 2:25 am
That’s the most amazing gadget-combo I’ve ever seen! I wonder how far you can move from the actual unit, before it disconnects… Also, it would be nice if they worked on noise reduction. I can just image the coolest videos one could cature with this thing! Wow… Just wow…
January 8th, 2010 at 5:05 am
Hi, YES this gadget is absolutely incredible and a MUST HAVE, too !!! Feel free to join us at Twitter
http://twitte...DroneBattles
and / or
Facebook
http://www.fa...26730?ref=ts
We start local (and later nationwide) battles respectively combats
Can’t wait for its release!
Plz spread the word and join us…
January 8th, 2010 at 6:57 am
This is badass!
January 8th, 2010 at 6:58 am
This thing is awesome! I can’t imagine it will be cheaper than an iPhone though. I’m going to guesstimate it being closer to the $500 – $700 range. Whatever it costs, I want one!
January 8th, 2010 at 11:30 am
Excellent, well that is my xmas 2010 christmas list sorted!
January 8th, 2010 at 11:38 am
That thing looks like a good way to get into a lot of trouble.
January 8th, 2010 at 3:31 pm
Cnet says it’ll be in the ballpark of $500 for a 15 minute flight on a 1 hour charge. Looks awesome but definitely not in the normal “hey I think I’ll buy that” category.
January 8th, 2010 at 3:59 pm
Droid Doesn’t Do that
January 8th, 2010 at 4:39 pm
Great post Scott – that thing is awesome!
By the way – your music has been used on a national TV ad here in Australia… check it out:
http://www.jn...edu.au/media
January 10th, 2010 at 6:58 am
This is so bad ass. I agree with you they really need to make an airplane version.
January 10th, 2010 at 7:51 pm
This guy’s big brother: draganfly.com
January 11th, 2010 at 7:39 am
I want one of those!
hey scott look at this http://www.vi...ideo/3568757
the main character has one of your tshirt design, that video is one of the 25 Best Videos of Vimeo in 2009. Great.
January 12th, 2010 at 10:58 am
AMAZING!
RC’s are a must for anyone waiting on renders! I’ve got a whole fleet of cars/trucks, from a 1/36th micro that’ll run almost 50mph to 1/16th that is, well entirely too fast for the studio!
Gonna snatch up one of these!