Augmented Reality Chopper Controlled by iPhone Out in September, $299

Pete Mortensen ()

The iOS device-controlled AR.Drone quadricopter from Parrot, last seen terrorizing my co-workers, will finally reach the consumer market in September for $299. The crazy vehicle, which can do things that no flying thing should be able to, for lack of better words, uses cameras, WiFi, and the iPod touch, iPhone, or iPad to look through a live video feed, steer around blind corners, hover, bank, and generally act amazing.

Oh, yeah, and you can hold augmented reality dogfights with your friends. An Android client will ship eventually, but for now, this thing is for Apple users only. Check it out!

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About the author

Petemortensen

Pete Mortensen is a design strategist for consulting firm Jump Associates and the co-author of Wired to Care: How Companies Prosper When They Create Widespread Empathy, a book and blog that are significantly more interesting than you might initially think. Pete's particular Apple avocations are both around design--interface and industrial. Follow him on Twitter!

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Posted in iPhone & iPod Accessories |

  • Mauricio

    That is NOT augmented reality, do some research

  • Pete Mortensen

    Do some research yourself! It inserts animated characters (like killer robots) into the real world environment on your screen and shows explosions in the real-world environment. It shows stuff that isn’t there on a video camera. How is that not AR?

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parrot_AR.Drone

  • ivan

    It has camera? So it can be used as spy drone, yes?

    What is remote control range using iPhone? What is payload weight limit?

    No, I am not Russian spy. You must trust me.

  • Christopher

    I think Mauricio’s point was that the first term used in the headline is not substantiated in the body of the article (but is in the link).

  • Ed

    Didn’t I see a larger version of this in T3, just before Judgement Day?
    Be afraid… be very afraid!

    ;o)

  • Andy

    Cool! Not for that price, but cool!