Neil Hughes
A newly announced iOS-compatible camera drone ditches controllers entirely, making it as simple as tossing the device into the sky to begin recording high-quality aerial footage.
The Lily is a self flying drone that pairs with a small, wearable beacon it follows to capture footage. Users simply configure Lily from the puck-shaped accessory, toss the drone into the sky to begin flight, and then commence the activity.
Lily is also waterproof, as demonstrated in a promotional video shown by the company behind it, in which a user simply tosses the drone into a river and the device floats before automatically taking off. It's also small enough to fit in a backpack.
The drone's camera can take still pictures at 12 megapixels, record 1080p video at 60 frames per second, or capture 120-frames-per-second slow-motion at 720p. Shooting modes for Lily include follow, lead, fly up, side, and loop.
The tracking device also features an integrated microphone that records high-quality sound around the person holding it. The drone's system automatically synchronizes audio from the tracking device with the video that it records.
Lily's tracking device also includes a waterproof case that can be worn on the wrist.
Lily will also offer iOS connectivity when it ships, streaming low-resolution live video to a companion app that will help users to frame shots.
The official Lily app will also enable users to change camera settings, create custom shots, and edit and share content from the device.
The drone has a max speed of 25 miles per hour, and can fly up to 100 feet away from the user, or as close as 5 feet from them. Flight time for the drone is said to be about 20 minutes, and the battery is not swappable because of its waterproof design.
Lily is available for preorder now at the device's official website at a special introductory price of $499 plus shipping. Once it launches, the price will go up to $999.
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37 Comments
Now extreme sports people that don't have any friends can get in on the "watch me do stuff" action.
Might be an interesting cycling training aid. though that 20 minutes flight duration is sort of low.
It's a fascinating device, particularly for outdoor sports. But alas, its focus on one wearer confirms my suspicion that our era will become known as the Selfie Generation.
Aerial cam, plus local audio recording--sounds really useful, actually.
I've been thinking seriously about buying a drone camera set up. This looks pretty nice, although I need programable courses rather than just follow, lead, etc. because I want to take video of inaccessible areas.