Snapchat drone: the next Lily?

Snap is the company that owns one of the hottest social media apps Snapchat. But recently the company has worked on building its own Snapchat drone according to a report from The New York Times. It is said to have worked on a drone that would connect to the iOS and Android Snapchat app and let users take photos and videos from aerial angles and is believed to also have investigated and built a 360-degree camera. Details about the drone and any of its other capabilities remain under wraps, but the work is said to help Snap “bolster” its repositioning and rebranding as a modern-day camera company.

Business Insider reported that Snap has been in conversations with drone companies. Snap was interested in an acquisition with Lily Robotics which offers a drone that tracks and follows its owners and simultaneously shoots video, creating a hands-free recording experience similar to Hover Camera.

Let’s take a loot at Lily selfie drone firstly.

Shaped like a giant M&M with propellers, it measures 3 inches high (80mm) and roughly 10 inches square (260mm) and weighs 2.8 pounds (1300g) — and toss it in the air and its motors will kick in automatically as the drone takes flight. The body is completely sealed, too, so along with flying it in the rain or snow, you can actually toss it into water.

There is no radio controller for the Lily Camera drone, or at least it’s not a typical one with sticks and switches.

Out in front of Lily Camera drone is a built-in camera that uses the same 12-megapixel Sony sensor found in the GoPro Hero3and Ion Air Pro 3 action cams. Along with 12-megapixel stills, that camera can capture 1080p video at up to 60 frames per second or 720p at 120fps. Plus, the tracker has a built-in mic that’s synced with the camera, allowing you to capture audio from the ground.

It has a limited range. Altitude is set from 5 feet (1.75 meter) above you to a maximum of 50 feet (15m) with a minimum distance of 5 feet from you to a maximum of 100 feet (30m). It can reach a top speed of 25mph (40kmph).

Other issues are that it lacks gimbal and remote controller.

So is the Snapchat drone more innovative than the Lily drone? What can we expect from the Snap Drone? Would you buy a Snapchat drone? Let us know in the comments below.

 

 

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