Remember the Parrot AR.Drone 2.0? The quadrocopter drone controlled via smartphone over WiFi was one of the craziest items to have landed on our desk in 2012, and even made it as our editor’s choice as his Super Random Awesome Thing of 2012. The AR.Drone 2.0 was not only an incredibly fun (and dangerous) device, it also quickly gained a following among amateur film makers literally looking for new perspectives.
Well, here’s some good news. Parrot has now announced a “black box” add on for the AR.Drone 2.0, which is a little add-on that plugs into the drone’s USB port. The “black box” features a GPS receiver bundled with 4GB of memory, which will allow users to map out the drone’s previous flight on a map.
In addition, Parrot will also update its app for the quadrocopter, which includes image stabilization and lens correction profiles, as well as options for controlling white balance and exposure. There is also a “director mode” on the app that allows users to pre-plan maneuvers for the next flight. Also, third party apps can also be used to pre-program a flight plan using GPS data.
Finally, Parrot has also announced a larger replacement battery pack for the AR.Drone 2.0. At 1500mAh, the larger battery pack increases flight time by six minutes to 18. Unfortunately, Parrot has not set prices nor launch dates for both the black box and battery pack.
(Source: The Verge)
