Forget about cameras, tripods and even selfie sticks: a miniature
drone will soon follow you wherever you go to capture that perfect
selfie or action shot. This coming spring, Zano’s portable unmanned
aerial vehicle (UAV) will be available to consumers and photography
aficionados worldwide. It looks like this “sky selfie” gadget will free
you from worrying about falling off the cliff when taking your own photo
on an adventurous trek. Plus, you can leave your dog at home – this
trendy little device will follow you around, so you’ll never be alone.
The drone,
called Zano, raised nearly £1 million ($1.5 million) on Kickstarter in
merely two weeks, far surpassing the £125,000 ($195,000) it was aiming
for. Zano,
which is a tiny, portable UAV that takes photos and videos, is turning
out to be one of Kickstarter’s biggest success stories – not far behind
the 10 highest-funded projects, which received $3.4 million to $10.3
million, according to Business Insider.
Behind Zano’s success is an Israeli company called OriginGPS,
which has developed a small GPS receiver with an integrated antenna.
The company recently announced that the Torquing Group – a British
corporation that provides unmanned aerial solutions mainly to the
defense industry – has integrated OriginGPS’ technology in Zano, in
order to provide location information for automated flights while acting
as a hands-free camera.
Challenging the competition with a $265 device
Zano’s
device will record HD videos and snap 5 megapixel photos, and will also
be capable of tracking the user from a distance of up to 30 meters. It
will sell for an estimated $265, a fraction of the price competitor
AirDog charges for its UAV camera – $1,295, according to AirDog’s
website. Torquing is expected to unveil its much-hyped drone on January
5, 2015.
According to OriginGPS, Zano’s location capabilities are made
possible through the 10mm-by-10mm GPS module developed in Israel. Thanks
to OriginGPS, Zano’s drone measures 65mm by 65mm and weighs only 55
grams, which fits in the palm of users’ hands. Its ability to fly
autonomously will provide new possibilities for users seeking to capture
images and videos. It connects directly with smart devices run on iOS
or Android via Wi-Fi to upload and share images or videos instantly.
With the help of OriginGPS, Zano is able to know exactly where it is in
relation to a smart device, even when powered off.
Gal Jacobi, CEO
of OriginGPS, said that “with the help of OriginGPS, Zano can draw on
extremely accurate positioning information to provide the advanced
controls that will delight its users while maintaining a small and sleek
exterior.”
Not only for military use
Zano is the
brainchild of Ivan Reedman and his team of engineers at the Torquing
Group. Over the past four years, they have worked to reduce the size of
UAV devices, without diminishing their capabilities. Initially targeting
the defense, industrial and law enforcement markets, the idea for a
consumer version of this Nano UAV technology was first raised in October
2013 at the weekly Torquing Group team meeting. The team decided to get
this technology out to the consumer and make aerial photography and
video capture accessible to anyone with a smartphone.
Talking
about the Israeli GPS technology behind Zano, Reece Crowther, head of
Sales and Marketing for the Torquing Group said: “To put it simply, Zano
would not exist without OriginGPS. The GPS feature of Zano is the heart
and soul of the product. Picking OriginGPS to power Zano was a
no-brainer.”
0 comments:
Post a Comment