Not a video yet. The scary little autonomous drone.
Added 2020-01-31 07:38:24 +0000 UTCThis little drone is both pleasing and terrifying. It's the new update on the classic flying ball type of toy, but this time it has intelligence and spatial awareness.
You turn it on by holding a single button, and when the light is green you simply toss it into the air. It then darts about in the room, pausing to rotate on the spot while scanning with three infrared detectors. One in front, one at the back and one underneath.
If you approach it a gun targets your forehead. Oh, wait, that's the military version...
If you put your hand near it the drone will take avoidance action as it also does with walls.
If it hits the ceiling and sticks to it with airflow it will gradually ramp down until it is in flight again. If it crashes or gets stuck it usually detects it and goes into standby.
If you grab it and turn it upside down it will stop.
But the best feature so far? Total software crash with two rotors spinning at full speed, not responding to the button - even the desperate long presses to try and reset it. It doesn't respond to the charge lead either in the hope that it might go into a charge mode, it just runs faster!
You literally have to hold the unit in your hand as it screams at full speed until the battery runs down and it cuts out, resetting in the process. If you try putting it down it cartwheels forcibly around the room. If I'd really been sensible I'd have filmed that feature. But that wasn't the first thing on my mind with an out of control drone in my hand.
Obviously I'm going to take it to bits. But I'm guessing it's going to be very minimalist inside. Which is awesome for a cheap toy that seems to have speed and angle sensing.
It recharges from a USB connector and runs for about 5 minutes after a long charge.
Comments
Cannot wait for the teardown, if it doesn't escape first!
Roland Roberts
2020-02-13 01:29:04 +0000 UTCIt's got very odd characteristics if yours is like mine. The way it just stops dead in the air and rotates on the spot.
Big Clive
2020-02-04 03:16:41 +0000 UTCWell, I have just had one delivered. It's certainly fun.
Neil Tonks
2020-02-03 18:34:05 +0000 UTCOn a windy day it could disappear into the first tree.
Big Clive
2020-02-03 05:49:00 +0000 UTCThis could be fun with a few improvements! Primarily inductive charging and better firmware, including "return to home base" akin to Roomba's self-docking.
N H
2020-02-03 03:09:13 +0000 UTCMade in China (the nation), caught and eaten by China (the cat!)
Stephen Eyles
2020-02-02 20:37:42 +0000 UTCHow far would it go if it was released outdoors? Never to be seen again I suppose but for that price it's worth trying... But I'd hate to think where it ends up and what chaos it causes on the way!
Stephen Eyles
2020-02-02 20:36:47 +0000 UTCive owned an early cheap little micro-quadcopter that used to have a software crash during almost every flying session. good times.
Phillip Cosgrove
2020-02-01 23:57:11 +0000 UTCCool. 😁 Same thing on Banggood, but with some sort of remote control gun jobbie: [£20.31]UFO Flying Ball Toy Mini Inductive Suspension Drone Flying Toys with LED Tool Accessories from Tools, Industrial & Scientific on banggood.com https://banggood.app.link/87RfRI9kI3
2020-02-01 03:59:47 +0000 UTCI want to see what China thinks about that thing. the cat, not the nation.
Jim
2020-01-31 23:42:09 +0000 UTCToss it into a big pot with a cabbage and make coleslaw!
2020-01-31 22:22:01 +0000 UTCShame you haven't got a cctv type setup, just for such an eventuality- I would have loved to have seen this.;)
Mike Hughes
2020-01-31 19:44:25 +0000 UTCAt least it can’t slice your fingers😉
Jeff LaHay
2020-01-31 18:55:44 +0000 UTCThey are great fun. Get about half a dozen of them in a room and some hyper kids to wave their arms about...
Shaun Runham
2020-01-31 17:39:51 +0000 UTCsounds like you may have to use a tether for indoor flying lol loads on amazon from around a tenner https://amzn.to/2OidOGd
2020-01-31 17:15:54 +0000 UTCDaughter bought Son one of those with the Ball under on his birthday, RED Flying ball in that listing https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-Drone-Quad-Induction-Levitation-UFO-Hand-Operated-Helicopter-Toys-For-Kids/183941248538
Robert
2020-01-31 16:27:01 +0000 UTChttps://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=mini+drone+quad+induction&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&_sop=15 Aim for a price of around $10.
Big Clive
2020-01-31 16:18:26 +0000 UTChttps://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=mini+drone+quad+induction&_sacat=0&LH_TitleDesc=0&_sop=15 Target price around $10.
Big Clive
2020-01-31 16:17:42 +0000 UTCIs the cage actually metallic, or just painted/colored that way?
Jeremy Impson
2020-01-31 15:53:01 +0000 UTCPurchase link please
Robert
2020-01-31 15:39:52 +0000 UTCI absolutely need an affiliate link right now to buy a few of these and turn my home into a dystopic nightmare. Edit: You might think that your description would be off-putting, but in the contrary. Some people just want to see the world buzzing with uncontrollable mechanical swarms.
Andreas Schuderer
2020-01-31 13:30:12 +0000 UTCSounds like the you need a drone containment Tupperware tub to join the explosive containment pie dish for when this thing goes haywire.
Matt Tester
2020-01-31 13:19:03 +0000 UTCI'd be tempted to put the biggest battery it can handle into it, charge it up and let it loose in a m̶a̶l̶l̶ park
Wim
2020-01-31 12:33:02 +0000 UTCI must purchase one of these! Where did you find it?
2020-01-31 09:32:32 +0000 UTCI was into building little custom "drones" (quadcopters) for a couple of years and then i lost interest in them. I think part of it was having an aversion to putting something I built at risk of destruction. The irony alone was off-putting. This thing looks like it needs to be released into the wild.
Michael Thompson
2020-01-31 09:20:16 +0000 UTCOh, this sounds hilariously amazing! I've had one of the tiny remote control drones for a few years and have been curious if I could 3D print a new frame, battery, and motors on it and use the tiny motor's power to drive a transistor to run much bigger motors.... I'm guessing it wouldn't work.... but may be a hilarious failure!
Brooks Andersen
2020-01-31 09:17:54 +0000 UTCSo cool, even with the crashing. I'd be tempted to add a button to disconnect the battery if this a regular thing.
Rob O'Donnell
2020-01-31 08:04:24 +0000 UTCYou obviously need to keep a butterfly net handy for when it throws a tantrum.
Mark Trombley
2020-01-31 07:56:08 +0000 UTCMy parents bought my kids these for Christmas, Totally amazing
Steve Lemon
2020-01-31 07:55:50 +0000 UTCThat sounds epic! NEED!
2020-01-31 07:46:28 +0000 UTCAnd yet I really really want one
Neil Tonks
2020-01-31 07:40:10 +0000 UTC
