This isn’t the first drone we’ve come across, but it’s certainly one of the coolest. AirDog ($1,295) is a collapsible quadcopter drone that holds a GoPro camera in its center, following you around via GPS. Imagine all the possibilities of having your own personal video camera following you on the trail mountain biking, off road in the desert, surfing, snowboarding, you name it. Or, maybe you just want to be that annoying guy that wants to have it follow you around the shopping mall. Don’t be that guy.
The AirDog operates all by itself, from takeoff to landing. With the controller on your wrist or helmet, select the altitude you want it above and get moving. The only downside is the meager 10-15 minute battery life, so charge up a few ahead of time. For RC fans, that’s a fairly typical battery life in comparison to remote control cars, helicopters and airplanes. AirDog uses a Gyroscope Stabilized Gimbal (the thing that holds the camera and allows it to move around) to ensure your videos are nice and stable.
The foldable design makes traveling with the AirDog a breeze. Although many of us got our first taste of it at CES, it was originally a Kickstarter project looking to raise $200,000. It smashed that goal with a total of $1,368,177.
The AirDog Kit comes with everything you need to get going, 1 AirDog, App, Battery, AirLeash, Manual, Gimbal, and Charger. Pre-order yours here, the next batch starts shipping later this year.