Game of Drones – Backerjack

The UFO Drone abducts a clever design and 360° video

Most drones on the market now feature designs that use large, unprotected propellers in order to generate the kind of force necessary for flight. This is supplemented by a camera or two along with what usually is a hefty price tag. The UFO Drone flips this standard on its head.

The UFO Drone is a lightweight, three-pound drone that reverses the usual design of a drone by housing its six propellers directly within its strong, carbon fiber-reinforced plastic body. This provides the appearance of an old film reel and the potential to resist more damage in the long run. The addition of a parachute that can be deployed in the case of a particularly rough landing extends its longevity further. But this is not simply a more rugged drone. The UFO Drone is equipped with a pair of 15MP dual cameras that together can record 360° 4K video, perfect for sporting events, outdoor parties, or just a good time at the park. With a 23 minute hover time, pilots will have to make every minute count.

Carbon Flyer rugged drone can dive-bomb into anything and live to tell the tale

Everyone enjoys some good old-fashioned drone action, until the drone in question is located in about three different spots on the ground. Although most people fly their drones in open areas, the danger of having it succumb to the environment is ever present due to unknown geography, user error, or just plain bad luck.

Renowned crowdfunding star Trident Design, LLC bills the Carbon Flyer as the “ultimate tech toy”, perhaps rightfully so. The paper plane look-alike is anything but: its 100% carbon fiber construction down to its carbon fiber infused bonds affords it a level of strength and resistance others drones dream of. Long range Bluetooth connects it to an iOS or Android smartphone at distances of up to 240 feet and allows users to control speed, altitude, and steer it, documenting it all with the onboard 640×480 camera.

A rugged plastic nose cone does double duty by both protecting and balancing the unit out, although it won’t have much time to with the Carbon Flyer’s embarrassingly useless three minute run time. The camera also doesn’t support streaming, but may be able to with future upgrades. Instead, the Game of Drones offers Go Pro possibilities along with indestructibility, but is nowhere near as sleek or affordable as the $99 Flyer. Expected ship date for the unit is August 2015 provided a fully-funded campaign of $50,00o before then.