Hover Camera is the selfie drone the world has been waiting for
If my Instagram feed is any indication, you can never take too many selfies. Whether it’s high resolution front facing cameras, the selfie stick, or LED encrusted cases to help users take the perfect photo of themselves — there’s big business surrounding the selfie. In fact, a company called Zero Zero Robotic just secured $25 million in funding to help launch a drone that follows users around and snaps photos of them.
No, this isn’t an April Fools’ joke. This selfie drone — officially dubbed the Hover Camera — folds up to about the size of a VHS tape (remember those?) for easy portability and can be fired up with a single button. Unlike most drones that have semi-exposed propellers, the Hover Camera is enclosed inside a carbon fiber grate, ensuring you — or the kids — wont lose a finger or eye if you bump into it. Inside the Hover Camera, a Snapdragon 801 processor handles all the computing, while an accelerator, gyroscope and barometer help keep the device running smoothly and level. At 240 grams, the drone is light enough that it doesn’t have to be registered with the FAA, so anyone can use it.
A 13MP camera on the front is capable of capturing 4K video and although the camera doesn’t have OIS, it does use electronic image stabilization to keep video less shaky. All the controls are done via a companion app that can also be used to transfer photos and video (albeit at a lower resolution 720p resolution) and the company says they have plans to introduce other features like gesture control and orbiting mode down the road.
Unlike most projects these days, the Hover Camera isn’t headed to Kickstarter or Indiegogo. Instead, the selfie drone will be available sometime this summer and while pricing is still being decided, Zero Zero Robotics says to expect the Hover Camera to launch below $600. Although it’s not the first time we’ve seen something like this (and certainly not the last), we have to admit we prefer the design of the Hover Camera over the Fleye we saw on Kickstarter last year. What do you guys think? Could something like this really take off. Heh.
[via Engadget]