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Qualcomm, Intel among companies lending technology to start-ups
January 14, 2015
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Source: Trace
The International CES show is one of the preeminent coming-out parties for new technologies and products. There have been several advanced-capability consumer drones on display, many of which may be of interest to buyers and drone manufacturers. While many of the drones differ in detail, there are several firm trends:
• Drones tend to be quadcopters, having four sets of rotors for maximum stability and maneuverability• The drones tend to have specialized software applications installed on smartphones• Small size and can be worn or carried easily• High-resolution cameras capable of streaming video• Target markets are typically focused on extreme sports enthusiasts• Short battery life – 30 minutes of flight is typical
There are some interesting ideas taking shape within the drone-making community, however, that may be of note:
• One quadcopter from the University of Pennsylvania is less of a commercial product and more of a way to try to jump-start the industry. Using an Android phone and navigation technology licensed by Qualcomm, the creators, graduate students at the university, hope to publish the schematics openly in order to allow other manufacturers and home 3D-printing enthusiasts to build their own quadcopters and use the control scheme.• Finally, the Nixie, mentioned on this site before, is a tiny wrist-based drone envisioned as a way for mountain climbers to take “selfies” easily, with a flick of the wrist. While such climbers are a key target for the company, there is no reason that other early adopters would not try to use these as a novel way to get a picture of themselves. The drone itself fits on the wrist and is no larger than a watch when worn.
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