The A.R. Parrot Drone quadcopter was already quite a cool little contraption when it was first released. The latest improvements to the device make it all the sweeter.
Being able to pilot tiny little airships is certainly something that a select group of people have made quite an interesting hobby out of. Small robots that can take the the air and be controlled by a pilot on the ground are nothing new, remote control helicopters have been around for quite some time but the 21st century has seen these devices change for the better. A robot that can actually transform into a small helicopter and fly around is one thing. The A.R. Drone was released as a completely different kind of remote control flying device who’s biggest draw is that it can be controlled not just with an included handheld device but also with the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad.
When the AR Drone was released the company said that devices on other platforms and now there is an announcement that the Drone will be able to be piloted by Android devices using a free app that will be available in the Android market next month. The good news for fans of the AR Drone is that with the release of the Android platform there are also a whole new slate of games and activities that they can put their drone through. Of course, one of the big drawbacks for those same users is that these games will only be available for those who are using iOS devices to pilot their crafts. Of course the Drone has only been out on the market at all for a little over a year and the games that are now being able to be played on the iOS devices will almost certainly be made available for Android devices as well sooner rather than later.
In addition to the new platforms and the new games is the announcement that there will actually be national contests for piloting the AR Drone. These contests which will be announced officially on June 24, July 8 and July 22 will be held by having users send in their videos of them piloting the Drones. The 14 best pilots will then be chosen and will participate in a final faceoff in Paris in October.
