If you've ever wanted to pilot your own aircraft but don't have the license to do so (or, say, a fear of heights), PowerUp Toys' latest drone, a livestreaming paper airplane named the PowerUp first-person-viewing (FPV) drone, might be just what you're looking for, now that it's raised the necessary funds to put it into full-blown production via Kickstarter.
Designed by PowerUP and partnered with the drone developer Parrot USA, the PowerUp FPV features a super-wide lens rotating camera and a headset apparatus — a Google cardboard viewer — which attaches to a typical smartphone. Users can design their own paper airplane structures to make the UAV soar up to 300 feet through the camera with a free downloadable app that is compatible with both the Android and iOS platforms. The drone also has recording capabilities and can capture audio and photo stills.
While the Google cardboard viewer seems like the optimal choice for first-person-viewing and flying, drone pilots can also control the PowerUp FPV in gamepad mode, using manual touch controls. Users can also go full-on autopilot or use autopilot assist, which prevents the drone from taking sudden dives, spiraling, stalling or crashing, and aids in both takeoff and flying in windy conditions.
With 37 days to go in the campaign, PowerUp has raised over $300,000, far surpassing its original goal of $100,000, and raising $140,000 within four hours after their Kickstarter page was posted, according to a PowerUp press release sent to Tech Times.
As per the company's campaign timeline, the shippable end products should be available by June 2016.
Learn more about the livestreaming paper airplane drone PowerUp FPV in the video clip below.
Via: Kickstarter
