Sky traveller: The drone has four arms and eight propellers and can fly one passenger. — AFP
There were over 100 new drones at CES, among them was one that could fit a human.
The age of the drone is here and CES 2016 was a testament to that fact – over 100 new drone models were on display at the show.
Here are the ones that caught our attention.
EHang 184
Some believe this to be the future of transportation.— AFP
The drone will be able to carry a single passenger for 23 minutes at a speed of 96kph, it claims.
However, the passenger will not be able to control the drone – once you input the destination, the drone is in charge of the flight path.
The company feels this is the safer choice as it wants to eliminate human error.
The drone, which is 1.37m tall and weighs 199.5kg, is reported to cost between US$200,000 (RM885,000) and US$300,000 (RM1.3mil).
Yuneec Typhoon H
Krzanich with the collision-avoiding drone. — AFP
Here is a drone that can even fly on its own. Yuneec’s Typhoon H uses Intel’s RealSense 3D cameras for sight which helps it fly and avoid collision in real time.
Intel CEO Brian Krzanich showed a demo at CES where the drone pursued a biker while avoiding fake trees.
It didn’t lose sight of the biker even when he made unexpected turns, and it easily navigated around trees that collapsed.
The Typhoon H uses six rotors so that it will still be able to land in case one or two motors malfunction.
The camera is mounted on a 360° gimbal so you can shoot 4K videos and 12-megapixel still images from all directions.
This Typhoon H is expected to sell for US$1,800 (RM8,000).
DJI Phantom 3 4K
This drone can stay up in the air for 25 minutes. — AFP
If you are looking for an affordable 4K drone then you should set your sights on the DJI Phantom 3 4K, the first 4K drone to cost under US$1,000 (RM4,400).
However, the company chose to use WiFi instead of its LightBridge technology which reduces the range but this shouldn’t be an issue for amateurs as it still can go as far as 1.2km.
It flies at the speed of 56kph and can stay in the air for 25 minutes.
Lily Camera
The Lily Camera is a throw-and-shoot drone. — AFP
Lily Robotics isn’t even calling its device a drone, preferring the term “flying camera” and for good reason.
To activate the Lily Camera, you throw it in the air – it will then fly and record a video of you in 1080p at 60fps (frames per second).
The controller straps on your wrist, allowing you to “tell” it to follow, lead, circle or fly up.
The waterproof Lily Camera won the Innovation Award at CES.
Parrot Disco
The Parrot looks more like a plane than a drone.
Parrot has done away with the quadcopter look and gone for a miniature plane design with the Disco.
This drone has a rear propeller that allows it to fly at a top speed of 80kph. Like the Lily Camera, it starts up when thrown into the air.
The drone is fitted with a 14-megapixel camera and its battery lasts 45 minutes.
The Disco is smart too, as it will use the built-in GPS to get itself home if it gets lost (and has enough power). There is no word on pricing yet.
Parrot Bebop 2
Parrot have also created a drone for newbies. — Reuters
Parrot has also created a drone for first-time users called the Bebop 2, and it’s even designed to fly safely indoors.
The drone travels at 60kph and can stay in the air for up to 25 minutes. It has a 14-megapixel fish-eye camera with digital stabilisation and records video in full HD.
The drone costs US$549.99 (RM2,400) but the optional Skycontroller which extends the WiFi range will cost extra.
