![]() The Beacon also has the ability to trigger different trick shots, though if you want the full range of those you'll need to head back into the app. Maximum speed has increased with this second-generation, to 36 mph, and the Beacon's controls are easy enough to adjust while you're on the move and have the drone swing around you for the sort of tracking shots that would usually demand a reasonably-skilled pilot. ![]() Releasing it leaves it to hover in place. If you don't like how the autopilot positions itself, you can double-tap and hold a button and use the Beacon as a magic wand to drag the drone around the sky. Within about a minute I had Skydio 2 in the air, set to follow from a mid-range and alongside, and tracking my car. Other buttons control the distance from you, with three settings, and everything is shown on the monochrome display. You can then use the arrow buttons to change the direction from which it follows: all the way around from directly behind you or trailing at an angle, to directly ahead of you or leading from off to one side. Turn the drone on, launch it with the Beacon, and then it automatically switches into follow mode. I don't have a lot of experience with remote control piloting, but I had no trouble directing the R2.What's impressive is how rapidly you can be flying and filming. You can still control the drone when it's about two miles away. With the beacon you can be about a mile away with the joystick controller. I flew straight toward a forest and a handball court wall and the drone just sidestep the obstacles.īoth controllers extend the skydio is range with just your phone, the drone has to be within about 100 yards. It comes with more of a learning curve than a bicken but a couple of things make it easier than some remote controllers I've used.įirst, your phone mounts into the controller and shows your drones eye view, so you can tell where it's going Second, the drone handles all the hard work of avoiding collisions. I also tried a more traditional control of two joystick to command the drone more precisely. The drone then just flies to the new spot. The coolest thing about the beacons a point and click method to control the drone, you point the beacon at the drone, hold down a button, point the beacon where you want the drone to go, and then release the button. ![]() I had no trouble setting it to follow me around a field and through a bunch of trees. ![]() You can press buttons on the front of the beacon to tell the drone to fly in front of you, behind you, one side or the other. ![]() The drone and the beacon both use GPS so the drone can follow your location even if you're hidden behind trees. You can still fly the R2 with just a phone but the hundred $50 beacon makes it easier. It'll fly 23 minutes on one battery charge, up from 16 minutes for the R1.īut extra batteries cost each about 100 bucks. The drone folds down, so it'll fit into a backpack.Īlong with its 4K video camera, it's got six bulging cameras that the drone uses to create a 3D map of its surroundings. It has the ability to follow and film you while dodging trees or anything else in it's way the R2 replaces last year's R1 cost $2500, Only with your phone The company says the R2 is faster, smarter, works with two new remote controls, and best of all, costs only $1000. This is me trying to outrun the skydio R2 drone. ![]()
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