Parrot‘s been offering up relatively small updates to its AR.Drone line each year at CES, and while the quadcopter is, without question, one of the most immediately recognizable in the space, we’ve been waiting to see a genuinely fresh take on the product. The MiniDrone delivers — and then some. It’s exceptionally small and light, so far as these consumer UAS go. It’s quick, nimble and fairly user-friendly thanks to on-board autopilot and myriad built-in sensors, controlled via smartphone or tablet via low energy Bluetooth.
Size aside, however, the coolest thing about the product may well be the removable wheels, which let you drive the ‘copter across the ceiling and up walls. And if the demos we got ahead of tonight’s CES Unveiled event are any indication, the little drone is quite a bit more rugged that it looks. The MiniDrone will be available at some point later this year for an undetermined price.
Parrot MiniDrone: A miniature drone piloted in Bluetooth Smart with a Smartphone or a tablet, that flies… and rolls from floor to ceiling.
Parrot Jumping Sumo: The first robot-insect, controlled in Wi-Fi 2.4 or 5GHz with a Smartphone or a tablet that spins, jumps up to 80 cm and takes 90 degree turns.
Source: engadget