After two successful Kickstarter campaigns — PowerUp 3.0 and PowerUp FPV — PowerUp Toys is now back for a third campaign. And from the looks of the backers’ pledge, PowerUp Dart may be the third feather in their cap. At press time, the amount has exceeded the $25K goal at $808K with 16 more days to go.
Also, if you pledge via Kickstarter, you are eligible for special bundle rewards and special edition add-ons such as the airplane desk stand and the accessories kit with landing gear and special paper template offered to Kickstarter backers only. Head there now to pledge from as low as $29 or read on to see what it is all about.
For the uninitiated, the PowerUp products are basically RC paper airplanes. In 2014, PowerUp 3.0 was launched on Kickstarter and successfully garnered over $1.2mil pledge with over 21K backers. In 2015, PowerUp FPV was launched on Kickstarter, soaring paper airplanes to greater heights with First Person View (FPV) flying. And now, in 2017, PowerUp Dart will loop, spin and roll into your living room just in time for Christmas. How the PowerUp Dart came about was explained in the entertaining video above.
So, how is PowerUp Dart different? In a nutshell, it performs aerobatic stunts: barrel roll, flip, loop, Lazy 8, Wingover, spin, Hammerhead, etc.
Flying the DART is as simple as folding your jet to whichever style you want. Some of the styles include F-18 which is great for speedy turns, the Sully for best cruising, the Silver Bullet best for crashes and many more. After folding your desired jet, attach the DART module and connect the airplane to the smartphone via Bluetooth. When it is in the air, you can do aerobatic stunts with flicks of the wrist.
The DART is made of durable material — carbon fiber rods, nylon reinforced with glass fiber and Polypropylene plastics and a rubber bumper — able to withstand some crashes. Care should be taken when flying it though as it is not invincible. Smooth surface is preferable for longer lifespan.
Another fun part we learnt is that you can fly the Dart with friends. Yes, race it, zoom it or perform an air show. You can fly as many DARTs as you like because the Bluetooth signal does not interfere with each other.
I, for one, am looking forward to a Harry Potter reenactment of paper airplanes zipping around delivering messages in the office. The office will never be the same again.