China's Xiaomi shows off new $460 4K camera drone
The race to the bottom has reached the drone market, as infamous copycat Xiaomi on Wednesday revealed a pair of new camera-equipped drones that work with the company's smartphones.
The Mi Drone will come in two flavors, differentiated by the on-board camera. A version toting a 4K shooter will run ?2,999 ($460), while a 1080p model will come in at ?2,499.
Interestingly, Xiaomi will turn to crowdfunding for development of the lower-resolution edition, with a campaign beginning tomorrow. The company says the 4K version will skip that process and launch in limited beta later this summer.
Both models feature a three-axis gimbal which -- like many of the drone's other components -- can be replaced by the user.
A Mi smartphone will be required for control, and it will do double duty as a viewfinder for the camera. Xiaomi says that the drone's 5,100 mAh battery will be good for approximately 27 minutes of flight time.
As with competing products -- including those from fellow Chinese firm DJI -- the Mi Drone will be capable of automatically taking off, landing, navigating via GPS waypoints, and returning to the controller. It remains to be seen how these features will stack up with market leader DJI's in real-world use, given the extreme price difference between the two.
The Mi Drone will come in two flavors, differentiated by the on-board camera. A version toting a 4K shooter will run ?2,999 ($460), while a 1080p model will come in at ?2,499.
Interestingly, Xiaomi will turn to crowdfunding for development of the lower-resolution edition, with a campaign beginning tomorrow. The company says the 4K version will skip that process and launch in limited beta later this summer.
Both models feature a three-axis gimbal which -- like many of the drone's other components -- can be replaced by the user.
A Mi smartphone will be required for control, and it will do double duty as a viewfinder for the camera. Xiaomi says that the drone's 5,100 mAh battery will be good for approximately 27 minutes of flight time.
As with competing products -- including those from fellow Chinese firm DJI -- the Mi Drone will be capable of automatically taking off, landing, navigating via GPS waypoints, and returning to the controller. It remains to be seen how these features will stack up with market leader DJI's in real-world use, given the extreme price difference between the two.
Comments
They ain't copying Apple on this one.....
If that's not the case, then they will start selling this in the US soon.
Saw its not DED but AI staff.
-_-
Expected DED.
So, arguing a complete separate point is well, pointless.
If it's a different implementation, this is fine; otherwise it is not.
I'd pay up to $100 for a drone signal-jamming transmitter.
Push the button, signal is jammed, drone operator can't get their now-cliché hover shot.
Note: the jamming signal will only cause momentary loss of directional control, not crashing.
Net effect: drone operator thinks there's a defect and wants their money back (again and again.)
If I saw a drone hovering outside my window, I think that shooting it down is a valid response.
https://www.aclu.org/know-your-rights/photographers-what-do-if-you-are-stopped-or-detained-taking-photographs
And if I am in the right to fly it, what right do you have to interfere? As long as I am not over your property, below a certain height which I can't recall, I would be in the right. Although, etiquette says to stay away from places you should not be.
Well if every company does it it's because of nonchalant attitudes towards stealing like the one you're expressing here.
Last year, happened once that I know about; this year, so many times already that I've using my security cameras to count and ID them.
There are seemingly 3 dumbass culprits and I'm now trying to track them down.
I'm not going to stand having swarms of giant mosquitoes flying by!