Small, autonomous and backed by over 402,000 pounds of funding via KickStarter, ZANO has made waves in the world of nano drones.
The best part is that you’ll be able to take the best selfies in town with this model. But don’t worry, you’ll be able to do a lot more with this little toy.
The goal of the developers was to make a nano drone that’s extremely portable, yet create a drone that makes aerial photography and video capturing accessible to everyone. How is this done?
Extremely affordable pricing, no piloting skills needed and extremely durable construction. Has this tiny drone been able to live up to its expectations? Let’s find out!
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ZANO Specifications
- 5” x 2.5”
- Micro SD cradle
- 5 MP camera
- WIFI connectivity
- 10 – 15 flight time
- 25 MPH top speed
- IOS and Android ready
- Echo sonar
- 94 ounces in weight
Features
All of the specs in the world mean nothing until you see them in action. The ZANO boasts some amazing features that you won’t find anywhere else.
Autonomous Flight
The major selling point behind this drone is the autonomous flight feature. This will allow you to have a drone that flies on its own with no user interaction needed.
Using an invisible tether to your smartphone or tablet, you’ll be able to take selfies or action shots without ever needing to learn to fly your copter.
You can also use free flight mode for advanced flying options.
Obstacle Avoidance Technology
Worried about this little speed demon crashing? Thanks to obstacle avoidance technology, your drone will weave in and out of obstacles to ensure that it never hits them. This is done through advanced echo sonar.
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Through the use of sensors and tracking, the drone will stay close to you at all times.
Image Stabilization
Video and images are taken with a 5 megapixel camera. Digital image stabilization is built-in so that your pictures are as crisp and clear as possible. This same stabilization will be utilized when videos are being taken.
Failsafe Return Functionality
Sometimes, your battery will run low and you won’t be able to fly your drone back fast enough before it crashes. With ZANO, you’ll never have to worry. A spare battery is provided and a single charge will provide 10 to 15 minutes of flight time to the pilot.
If the drone has traveled too far away from the pilot or the battery is running low, it will fly right back to your mobile device.
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Users will need to pay special attention to this when taking action shots. If your drone goes out of sight, stopping and waiting for it to return is the ideal choice.
Free Flight Mode for Advanced Users
Want to experience all of the 25MPH speed this drone has to offer? Well, using your mobile device you can control ZANO yourself. Free flight mode is for advanced users that want to be able to take video without the virtual tether being used.
The mobile app, available for iOS and Android, comes with virtual joysticks for full control over the drone when you need it most. Take pictures and video or share your flight with your friends on social media.
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Instantly Share On Social Networks
A necessity in the drone world. Instantly send your pictures or video right to your friends via social media. Facebook and Twitter are fully compatible as well as other major social networking sites.
Features in Progress
There are a few features that the team behind ZANO are currently working on. These features include:
- Facial recognition
- Tracking
- Panoramic picture and video
- Image editing software
- Swarm capabilities
What Others are Saying
ZANO has become quite famous over the past few months. In fact, many news and media outlets have written stories about their drone and the team behind its creation. A few of the big names that you’ll certainly recognize include:
- BBC
- Softpedia
- NDTV
- NEOTEO
- Geeky Gadgets
Has anyone gotten to try this little dare devil out? No one aside from the manufacturers, but there is some exciting news coming straight from the team. All of the aesthetics have been complete and the manufacturing company that will handle the design has been secured. Now, the team has stated they have a full supply chain ready to go for the production of your own drone.
Currently, the team expects to be BETA testing their drone in March of 2015 with a production deadline of May of 2015.
Refinements are currently being made to the controlling app, and the team plans to further refine any functionality issues that ZANO may have.
Want to see ZANO in action? The team has recently posted a YouTube video showing just how far this project has come. Surpassing its funding goal by 400%, the video is stunning and shows just what a Kickstarter campaign can do.
