Jun 16
If you’re an aviation buff and like the idea of being able to control your own remote flying machine with your iPhone or iPod Touch, today is your lucky day. Parrot announced the AR.Drone, a carbon-fiber quadricopter with four propeller-driven brushless motors that can fly indoors or out. The AR.Drone broadcasts its own Wi-Fi signal, so you can fly it anywhere.
The built-in camera lets you see exactly what the AR.Drone can see, making it perfect for neighborhood spy missions. If you’re in the mood for something a little more advanced, you can also purchase two additional games from the App Store. The first, AR.Dronegate ($2.99) has a sci-fi exploration theme that calls upon the player to defend their base from enemies.
The second, AR.FlyingAce ($2.99), allows the player to get in on some old-fashioned World War II air combat action. Both games add a virtual reality element to flying the quadricopter, and when combined with streaming video from the unit’s built-in camera the experience promises to be immersive.
The basic AR.FreeFlight application required to pilot the quadricopter is free in the Apple App Store, and it works with the iPhone’s built-in accelerometer to control the direction of flight. The app includes both a beginner’s mode and an ace mode so that everyone can get on the fun–as long as they can afford it. The Parrot AR.Drone will be available for $299 from select retailers in September.
Want to see it in action? Check out Lance Ulanoff’s video after the jump.
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