What happens when computers, mobile and augmented reality meet? Video games become real. Yes, Parrot’s AR.Drone is the best thing to happen to mankind since the advent of Nintendo Wii. This quadricopter, a helicopter with four propellers for elevation and flight control, is a remote controlled bundle of joy. If you are still not convinced that the iPhone is the king of cool, it’s time to revaluate. As the aircraft creates it’s own WiFi network, allowing you to control the drone via a handy app installed on your iPhone or iPod Touch.
Whoever is responsible for marketing this baby realised that the best way to do so is to demonstrate how cool it is through a video that can only go viral.
The motion sensors built into the phone, coupled with the inertial guidance system of the drone, make flight as simple as tilting and rotating the phone in the direction you want to go. Furthermore, the aircraft has two cameras on-board, providing both bird’s eye and POV views. On the mobile app, this translates into a real-time video feed from the cameras, that you can use to guide the drone around corners - or play pranks on your colleagues - when out of site.
Now comes the really cool part, because you are receiving a live video feed, the iPhone app can integrate the feed with augmented reality. And what is better than turning your quadricopter into a virtual robot fighting war machine? That’s right, you can re-enact Star Wars in your living room, using augmented reality to blow up other virtual drones and even battle your friends. Mobile App developers start your engines, because products like these are opening up a whole new realm of possibilities.
The only potential drawbacks I can see with the AR.Drone are its 15 minute battery life and potential price tag. As the official release date and price of the unit is yet to be announced, we shall have to all wait in eager anticipation. But for now, get your fix with a Flight Demo of the AR.Drone:
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