Aerial drones have exploded in popularity over the past few years with the market only expected to swell moving forward. Right now, Chinese manufacturer DJI is arguably the dominant consumer player but that could change over time as newcomers like CyPhy's LVL 1 drone take flight (pronounced sci-fi).
Consumer drones in general have finally come down in price enough that most can now afford one if they wish. Actually being able to fly a drone, however, is no easy feat which is where the LVL 1 strives.
Its six-rotor design allows the drone to fly smoothly without ever tilting through a technology called Level-Up. This makes it easier to fly and ensures that photos and videos will always be stable although the feature can be disabled for more advanced pilots.
The CyPhy LVL 1 also uses geo-fencing technology which allows you to create a virtual playground for the drone in which it won't stray from. This sounds like an excellent feature to use when learning how to fly for the first time and to avoid any potential legal issues.
CyPhy is a robotics startup led by Helen Greiner, co-founder of iRobot which as you know, has found tremendous success with its Roomba line of robotic vacuum cleaners. The company has turned to Kickstarter to fund development of its LVL 1 drone and has already raised more than $76,000 of its $250,000 goal.
A pledge of $445 (the $395 early bird special is sold out) is all that's needed to guarantee you'll be among the first to try out CyPhy's latest creation when it ships early next year.