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In 2017, drones are getting faster, more fun and easier to fix
Drones aren't new to CES, but it's only in the last year or two that they got their own dedicated area in the convention hall. But, drones are meant to fly free, not behind netting, so some bright spark invented the Drone Rodeo: an annual off-site event where the latest and greatest in UAVs could do their thing as nature intended. The event is back this year, and once again it provided a pretty good snapshot of what's going to be hot in the drone world in 2017.
Parrot's quirky toy drones are slowly growing up
There was a time when Parrot was the name in consumer drones. That's partly because, way back in 2010 when it launched the AR.Drone, the DJI Phantom was still some years away. Today, the landscape is a little different: DJI now dominates the skies, while its competitors can't seem to catch a break. Except Parrot. The French company remains unfazed by the large industry that has grown around it and continues to do what it's always done: make fun, accessible products.
DJI's Goggles put you in the cockpit of a drone
No, this isn't another VR headset. These are video goggles from DJI. Why would you want a headset from DJI? Because it connects wirelessly to the company's new foldable Mavic Pro drone, giving you a live, bird's eye view from the camera (in 1080p no less). The idea isn't new, in drone circles it's pretty common to see bespectacled pilots, especially in racing, where "FPV" (as it's called -- first person view), is the only way to fly the drones at such breakneck speed. DJI announced the goggles (actually called "DJI Goggles") at its big Mavic launch event last week, but they weren't giving demos. We managed to get a rare ride inside them, and it's a whole bunch of fun.
First-person-view drone flying is the closest thing to being a bird
Just moments ago, I was flying like a hawk. It wasn't a dream, or even virtual reality. It was a real, immersive experience fully under my control. Moments later, I'm very much on the ground, poking at some dense, tangled shrubbery with a stick. I had been operating a tiny camera-equipped mini-quadcopter, via video goggles that beam the drone's eye-view right into your peepers. It's known as "first-person view" (FPV) flying, and it's an incredibly fun out-of-body experience. Imagine being shrunk to the size of an ant and sitting in a virtual cockpit and you'll have an idea of where I'm going here. Why the stick, though? Today I went too high, got caught by a gust of wind and landed on a canopy of vegetation. I'm prodding at the knotted vines in the vain hope I might dislodge it. I've become so fond of my zen-time in the goggles that my stomach sinks at the thought of all that coming to an end. I'm not leaving until I find this thing.
Homebuilt UAV hunts down hydrogen balloons, shoots firework missiles (video)
Augmented reality is swell, don't get us wrong, but it's no substitute for the real thing -- especially when that thing is a badass tricopter equipped with a jury-rigged firework cannon to rain down miniature hell. Swedish R/C enthusiasts built this first-person flying contraption to carry out a single mission -- destroy a series of hydrogen-filled balloons -- which will hopefully be hard-coded into future automatons too. After all, balloons could serve as an excellent distraction when they inevitably come for you. Still, there's no need to worry quite yet, so kick back and enjoy the video above while you contemplate humanity's end.
