Parrot Ar Drone

 
 

The Parrot AR.Drone is a RC quadricopter with cameras attached to it built by Parrot. It is designed to be controllable with an iPhone or an iPod Touch.

Specifications

It was introduced at the Las Vegas International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in 2010. It is made of plastic and foam and about a foot long. It connects to an iPhone/iPod touch/iPad using Wi-fi and has two cameras. One is used to calculate speed and maintain horizontal stability; the other broadcasts live video back to the iPhone (or the iPod touch or iPad) screen.

 

Sensors and inertial measurement unit

The AR Drone has several motions sensors located under the central hull: The AR Drone features a 6 DOF, MEMS-based, miniaturized inertial measurement unit. It provides with pitch, roll and yaw measures. Inertial measurements are used for automatic pitch, roll and yaw stabilization and assisted tilting control. They are needed for generating realistic augmented reality effects. An ultrasound telemeter provides with altitude measures for automatic altitude stabilization and assisted vertical speed control.

Batteries

The AR Drone uses a charged 1000mAh, 11.1V LiPo battery to fly for about 15 minutes. The Second generation AR Drone will have upto 45 minutes flying time, however this is currently under development.
 

 

Augmented Reality Games

Parrot demos the AR.Drone with 2 games, a virtual combat called "DRONE WAR" with solo and multiplayer mode and a "ROBOT" solo game demo against a virtual Robot. Parrot has launched ARdrone.org OpenAPI game development platform, to gather game studios and developers.

Awards

The Parrot AR.Drone received a 2010 CES Innovations award for Electronic Gaming Hardware.