Parrot has unveiled the AR.Drone, the first quadricopter that can be controlled by iPhone and iPod touch.
Thanks to the accelerometer in the iPhone and iPod touch that’s constantly detecting users’ movements, the AR.Drone is very easy to pilot by leaning the iPhone forward or sideways to corner or change direction. On the iPhone’s Multi-Touch™ screen, command buttons provide rise, down, rotate, back, forward, etc. AR.Drone is designed for flying inside and outside. Features include autopilot, Wi-FI, two cameras, ultrasound sensor and more.
Pilots see the AR.Drone’s camera output in real time on their iPhone and iPod touch screens.
Direct link via YouTube here.
The release date is listed as “2010” and no pricing information is currently available.
More info here.
MacDailyNews Take: The paparazzi are going to have a field day.
I shall now watch the video, and because I am a very enthusiastic and pretty experienced pilot of microscale vehicles and r/c planes, I may want one of these very badly. Just one thing: accelerometric control? Hmmm? (Anyone heard of X-Plane 9 for iPhone?) It needs to be included.
Actually, just watching that, I realised it does indeed have accelerometric control. Good. And a camera.
Excellent.
I want a fleet of these suckas
That thing is mine the day they go on sale.
Parrot is no fly-by-night outfit.
While working for an RC company (the very shite Ripmax) a year or so ago I visualised this very concept though a tri-copter to be precise. They weren’t interested. Just knew it wouldn’t be long before a more forward thinking company saw the potential. Win some lose some.
Will it blend?
˙∆˚
Amazing.
Can you even imagine Microsoft coming up with a product that would run an app like this?
I’ll take two! I hope it’s under a grand.
This cool setup also has augmented reality games included in the iPhone/Touch end, so for example, you can battle your friend if he/she has one as well by launching missiles at them that you can see on your iPhone. Very cool.
You can see other videos on their site.
I’m not affiliated to this company. I just saw the videos yesterday, then I sent links about this to MDN.
dan
How about a fleet of these sukas?
http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/153051
It has all the others beat, hands down!
OMG, that is so cool, but I don’t understand the WiFi part of it — that was way out of WiFi range…
iPhone is watching you ……
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wifi works with point of view so if its in the air it would have greater range as long as the router or wifi device is in view you would have good range. i defiantly want one i was going to buy a wowee rovio this income tax but now i have my eye on a new toy for income tax
dear santa….
Christmas in 2010 will be the day this arrives at my door!
Cool. I hope the quadricopter business takes off for Parrot. I believe Parrot has more than a remote chance. Hmm… those two sentences are similar. Did I just parrot myself? If so, good.
Peace.
They should have homing devices, too, for how many are going to be lost as soon as it dips out of line-of-sight and loses wi-fi reception.
If the copter had a GPS chip, it could be programmed to return to base if it loses it’s signal. This will come, I’m sure.
back yards are no longer safe for sun-bathers
WANT.WANT.WANT.WANT.WANT.WANT.WANT.WANT.
“wifi works with point of view”
ERRR TRY again..
Wifi is a radio signal, point of view is unimportant. Now if you were using some directional antennae this would change and a line of sight would be required, but that technology would not be a fit for this type of product.
Yes, using wifi in an great wide open space *May* and *Typically* does lead to the signal reaching farther, but sight has nothing to do with it. It is also highly susceptible to interference, everything from trees, water, PEOPLE, building construction, wireless phones, microwaves all these are sources of wireless interference.
Can you imagine thousands of these dropping bomblets on Islamists. Can’t wait!
This is going to be the ultimate geek toy. Plenty of people will shell out the cash for this.
Then as TT pointed out you’ll have the pervs looking for a cheap thrill.
Of course the military could love this – soldiers already have the iPhone so get them this or a car to check out surrounding areas for hostiles.
Make it strong enough to carry a gun or bomb and the intelligence agencies or terrorists would be all over this.
As the price goes down it could be finally be cheap enough for kids to buy.
Apple have to be truly congratulated on putting together a platform that could easily become ubiquitous and allow anyone to develop new apps or tools for it.
I don’t believe it. I call fake.