Most unmanned aerial vehicles are intended for government use. 3D Robotics’ new drone comes preassembled, can survive multiple crashes, and won’t cost you $7.4 million. The 3DR Iris, (full disclosure: 3D Robotics was founded by former Wired Editor-In-Chief, Chris Anderson), …
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3D Robotics has made it pretty clearly that it’s all about the maker community. But what about those who can’t tell their Arduino from a Raspberry Pi? The Chris Anderson-run company today announced the release of Iris, an out-of-the-box, user-friendly quadcopter experience. The drone can be controlled with an Android device (iOS coming soon), including single button takeoffs and landings. There’s an ARM Cortex-M4 processor and a built-in data radio on-board, the latter of which will help you check out flight paths in real-time. There’s also a spot for a GoPro Hero3, though that, naturally, will cost you ($400) extra. The configurable copter starts at $730. It’s set to ship on September 16th.
Filed under: Robots
Via: Quadcopter
Source: 3d Robotics
“If you’re in this room, you’re the best of the best,” Chris Anderson addressed the audience with his customary flair for the dramatic. Complimentary, sure, but not without merit — the former Wired editor-in-chief was speaking to a classroom full of UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) developers, a number of whom had been flown out on his company’s dime to take part in DroneCon, the kickoff event for the SparkFun Autonomous Vehicle Competition held in Boulder, Colo. Anderson’s 3D Robotics organized a packed schedule of talks on the subject of UAVs, commencing with his own opening address. He closed his remarks by introducing the concept of the Dronecode Consortium, an attempt to create a governing body of sorts to help create standards for the platforms on which these commercial and hobbyist vehicles run.
Still in its early stages (with only his own company on board, really), Anderson was purposely vague about the not-for-profit pursuit, though the initial stated goal is the creation of a support structure for developers and the “creation of a sustained operating system” and a “framework for deciding which hardware to support.” When we spoke to him after the speech, however, he admitted that “operating system” might ultimately be a little less accurate than “platform” and “ecosystem.” That said, Android is certainly a fair analogy in some respects, given the sort of oversight roles commercial organizations play in both open software scenarios. And with the standard, comes the potential for both commercial and personal projects to build atop it.
Filed under: Robots
We’ll be discussing the history and near-future of robotics with luminaries from Willow Garage, Boston Dynamics (yes, the people behind Big Dog) and 3D Robotics. Our editor-in-chief, Tim Stevens, is orchestrating proceedings and we’ll be liveblogging the whole event right here… in just a few minutes.
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Top honchos of 3D Robotics, Willow Garage and Boston Dynamics (yes, of BigDog fame) join us — and some mechanical pals — to discuss the past, present and future of robotics.
For a full list of Expand sessions, be sure to check out our event hub.
Filed under: Robots
You’ll likely miss 3D Robotics on first pass. The company’s San Diego R&D facility is headquartered in an unassuming building amongst similarly nondescript offices in a maze of a business park. Enter through the back and you’ll find yourself in the middle of a small manufacturing assembly, where industrial Pick and Place machines buzz loudly and a handful of women are QAing finished product. Until earlier this month, the site was mostly off the radar, save for a devoted group of online enthusiasts. Then, Wired editor-in-chief Chris Anderson announced he was leaving the magazine in order to head up the company.
Anderson’s off grabbing lunch as we arrive — like us, just off a flight from the East Coast for a brief visit before jumping on yet another plane. He’s in transition at the moment, as the head of both Wired and 3D Robotics, trying out his keycard for the first time as we set up our film equipment to interview the newly minted executive for an upcoming Engadget Show segment. Anderson’s ties to the company go back to its inception, however, co-founding 3D Robotics with Jordi Muñoz, a 19-year-old living in Tijuana when the two first met through Anderson’s DIY Drones online community.
Continue reading 3D Robotics’ Chris Anderson discusses a drone-filled future (video)
Filed under: Robots
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