Onago camera drone auto-follows operator

There is no shortage of quadcopters on the market at this point, and after a while they all start to look similar. The latest exception is Onago, which stands out from competing products via the inclusion of an auto-follow feature, which is sort of like autopilot for camera drones. With auto-follow, the drone will lock on to a subject and follow it around while recording, allowing independent users to record their own shenanigans without having to manually operate the drone.

Onago, then, is a suitable camera drone for athletes or similar users who want to record themselves in action — meaning the drone is going to have to be able to follow them around without being manually controlled. There's simplified smartphone control, with the related app offering commands like "Take off" and "Return".

The drone includes a gimbal for the camera, and an option in the app for live streaming footage from it. The drone itself weighs a little under a pound and has a top speed of 55km/h. The controller range is up to 1,000 meters, and sensors onboard are used to track the position and detect obstacles.

The folks behind Onago are looking to raise $80,000 USD on Kickstarter, where they have just gotten started with about $3,000 USD in pledges and 30 days remaining. The Early Bird Pack, which includes the drone and a 2D gimbal and app is priced at $499 USD and is estimated to start shipping in October. The eventual retail price is $829 USD.

SOURCE: Kickstarter