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Zano mini drone project shuts down following delays
The Zano mini drone project held a lot promise: not only was it supposed to make camera drones affordable, but it was Europe's most successful Kickstarter campaign to date. Unfortunately, though, all those hopes have just come crashing down. Torquing Group is shutting down the tiny UAV project and liquidating its corporate assets. Simply put, the company didn't have much choice between delays (Zano was supposed to ship in June) and internal strife -- its CEO had resigned a week earlier due to a mix of health problems and "irreconcilable differences."
Parrot's two-wheeled MiniDrones to jump and fly into the US in August
While the AR.Drone quadrocopter is still Parrot's most recognizable product, the company actually has other toy robots to offer. Take, for instance, the Jumping Sumo and Rolling Spider MiniDrones it showcased during this year's CES, which are both slated to hit US shelves in August. The Jumping Sumo, a two-wheeled phone or tablet-controlled robot that can, well, hop and jump like its name implies, will retail for $159. Rolling Spider, on the other hand, is a $99 machine that comes with rotors and removable wheels, so it can roll around, climb walls and ceilings and (in a very unspider-like manner) even fly. Both will be available for pre-order as soon as July, but if you're also waiting for Bebop, you may want to consider your budget first -- that one will retail for at least $300 when it comes out.
Live from the Engadget CES stage: Parrot's Yoni Benatar and Thomas Barse
We love us some toys, and thankfully so does Parrot. The company has wowed the audience at our stage with its AR.Drone for the past two years, and now it's time for something new. This year, the company announced two new 'bots: the wall-crawling Mini Drone and the terrestrial Jumping Sumo. January 9, 2014 6:30:00 PM EST
Parrot's MiniDrone climbs walls, rolls across the ceiling, is really, really small
Parrot's been offering up relatively small updates to its AR.Drone line each year at CES, and while the quadcopter is, without question, one of the most immediately recognizable in the space, we've been waiting to see a genuinely fresh take on the product. The MiniDrone delivers -- and then some. It's exceptionally small and light, so far as these consumer drones go. It's quick, nimble and fairly user-friendly thanks to on-board autopilot and myriad built-in sensors, controlled via smartphone or tablet via low energy Bluetooth. Size aside, however, the coolest thing about the product may well be the removable wheels, which let you drive the 'copter across the ceiling and up walls. And if the demos we got ahead of tonight's CES Unveiled event are any indication, the little drone is quite a bit more rugged that it looks. The MiniDrone will be available at some point later this year for an undetermined price. Nicole Lee contributed to this report.
