Staaker drone uses AI to get perfect shot

It has been clear now for a while that people participating in extreme sports are an important part of the drone consumer market. Drones finally enable these users to record themselves over long distances, but it has taken a while for automation technology to catch up. Some drone makers have cropped up to cater specifically to this market and Staaker is the latest.

At $1,200, Staaker is certainly not the most affordable drone on the market, but it comes close to hitting all the right notes for people who want a drone that can record a video of themselves while participating in sports or other activities. Rather than using a traditional remote control, Staaker is controlled by a device that the user wears on the arm, which is what Staaker uses to keep track of a specific individual. This arm-worn device also enables Staaker to use artificial intelligence to predict what the wearer is going to do and adjust its position accordingly to record from the best angle. Or at least the angle that Staaker's AI considers best. The drone's propeller arms and landing gear also fold up, making Staaker much more portable.

Depending on how a person wants to be recorded, the user can set different modes: follow, circle, compass, hover and scenery. Most of these do exactly what it sounds like. Follow will follow along behind a user. Circle will circle around someone as he or she strikes a dramatic pose or looks contemplatively into the sunset. Compass will make sure to always keep the same scene in the background. Hover, of course, keeps Staaker hovering above the user, and scenery allows people to take control of the drone and shoot specific scenes that they want.

Staaker is currently taking pre-orders, after which the price will increase to $1,800. Perhaps the company's biggest competitor in this area is Lily, which raised $34 million in pre-orders in January. Lily got a lot of press for this accomplishment, but it has been plagued by shipment delays. Its website still has it up for pre-order for $900. TechCrunch noted that Staaker does not have collision avoidance, which is something DJI added to its Phantom 4 to much excitement this year. That is probably thedevice's biggest failing, as TechCrunch's unit crashed into a bird and on a highway.

Automation could be the most promising new feature in drones these days as well as the most difficult to pull off well. Startups do not have the money to burn that DJI has. Smaller China drone makers for the most part have not started adding in this functionality. Those who desperately want that action shot of them doing flips on ski slopes will have to opt for more expensive drones. Fortunately, many photography drones come with high-quality cameras these days, but some of them might require a friend to help out.