When it comes to immersive flying, FPV (First Persion View) systems have long been the standard by which everything else were compared against. Now things are going to become even more exciting with the introduction of virtual reality in drones.
Meet FLYBi — the world’s first drone to feature virtual reality and a fully automated battery swapping system.
At the center of the FLYBi’s VR capability is its head-tracker VR goggles which are essentially pimped up FPV goggles with a built-in gyroscope used to track the pilot’s head movements.
As the goggles track the pilot’s head movements, it simultaneously beams all that tracking information to the FLYBi’s onboard 1080P camera which will mimic the pilot’s head movements. Flying the FLYBi with its VR goggles guarantees an immersive flying experience almost as if you’re hanging at the bottom of the drone yourself, facing down and surveying the landscape below you very much like how an eagle would.
The FLYBi’s camera also features on-board memory, wifi and the ability to snap 12MP still photos. Videos can be shot at 1080P at 60fps and 720P at 120fps.
Another unique feature of FLYBi is its Helideck landing pad which makes it possible for the drone to autonomously swap batteries when it’s low on power. When the Helideck is set in place, the FLYBi is capable to locate it via GPS whenever it needs to replace a battery.
The battery swap is done automatically when the drone has landed on the Helideck and no user intervention is required. Once it gets a freshly charged battery installed, the FLYBi will just take off and continue flying as before. With its battery swapping mechanism removed, the Helideck can also double as a carrying case.
The FLYBi’s goggles features FPV with a VR twist to it.
One more feature worth mentioning here is the FLYBi’s obstacle avoidance capability. The FLYBi is equipped with sensors that can detect objects in its flight path and allow the drone to safely reroute itself. On top of that, the FLYBi is also capable of waypoint navigation and other flight features via its smartphone app.
The FLYBi is now on a fundraising campaign at Indiegogo with 17 days remaining. Pledging at least $495 will earn you the FLYBi Early Bird Beginner Flight Set which comes with a FLYBi remote control screen and FLYBi drone with free shipping. Take note that this package does not feature the VR goggles.
For the full VR experience, you need to pledge $729 for the Early Bird Flight Set where you’ll receive the drone, VR goggles and remote control with free shipping.