ZANO, a Nano Aerial Drone
An intelligent, extremely small high flyer with HD-capturing and autonomous flight abilities
For everything from the film and recreation to action sport industries, personal drones have greatly stretched the limits of remote filming in recent years. And, now that they’re getting smaller, more affordable and more nimble, they’re even becoming attractive to amateur enthusiasts looking to up the ante of their own GoPro-fueled videos. The latest entry into the market, and perhaps the smallest, is ZANO, an ultra-portable drone capable of capturing some pretty awesome video and images. With weeks still to go (at the time of publish), Torquing Group Ltd and Lantronix have already far surpassed their Kickstarter goal and raised well over $1 million. With interest in personal drones at an all-time high, ZANO sports two highly desirable attributes: it’s autonomous, and the onboard xPico Wi-Fi Module directly connects both the drone and the HD camera to both iOS and Android smart devices. It also fits into the palm of user’s hand.
For something so sophisticated—with obstacle-avoiding sensors and a virtual tether—from the moment it is removed from the box, it activates and is ready to capture. The drone is controlled from smart devices, either by way of a virtual joystick or tilting the actual phone or tablet. The image streaming and capture also functions from the phone. There’s no training required to fly the ZANO. It can fly and follow a user from fixed distances, and even return home automatically. It’s intelligent enough to fly with minimal or no guidance, but also allows for maximum control for those seeking complete creative direction. It’s micro nature also means that maneuverability is high; opening up options for indoor filming. And, for the first time, ZANO will make its public debut at 2015’s CES Digital Experience on 5 January 2014. The capabilities of aerial photography and video keep expanding exponentially—and right now ZANO is at the pinnacle at this price point.
You can still snag a ZANO on Kickstarter for £164 with expected delivery in June 2015.
Images courtesy of Torquing Group Ltd
