This drone claims to be the world's smallest
Meet the Wallet Drone, a tiny quadcopter that tucks into its wallet-size controller so you can set the skies abuzz no matter where you happen to be.
A drone and controller combo so small it can fit in your pocket? That's the promise of Wallet Drone, a new mini-quadcopter and controller/docking station combo on Indiegogo that's no bigger than a typical wallet.
The idea of a mini-quadcopter isn't new -- there are several such devices already available -- but the company claims the Wallet Drone is the world's smallest. The drone itself measures 1.57 inches by 1.57 inches by just over half an inch (4 centimeters by 4 centimeters by 1.75 centimeters), and the remote and docking station isn't much larger at 4.23 inches by 3.35 inches by 1.1 inches (10.75 centimeters by 8.5 centimeters by 2.8 centimeters).
The Wallet Drone is a cheap hobby gizmo that could be fun to fly around, plus it's small enough to be pocketable so you can take it to the park without needing to carry any extra gear. Like most micro-quadcopters, the Wallet Drone doesn't have a camera, so if you're looking for aerial photos, you should probably look elsewhere.
The Wallet Drone has a flight time of five to seven minutes on a 20-minute charge, and it can be charged via the included USB cable (or, if you're on the go, the controller doubles as a docking station that charges the drone thanks to four AA batteries onboard). The device has three preset speeds, 360-degree rotational yaw, six-axis gyro-stabilization and a trick mode that lets the drone do rolls and flips more easily.
Those looking to back the project can preorder a Wallet Drone in one of four different colors for as little as $35 (about £25, AU$45) for early backers. That price includes free shipping anywhere in the US, but Canadian backers will need to add $12 for shipping and international backers have to shell out an extra $25 (about £15, AU$30).
This is a fixed campaign, so the Wallet Drone will only ship if the campaign reaches its goal of $11,894. As of this writing, it's raised $4,965 toward that goal with more than a month left. If the campaign succeeds, the product is expected to ship to campaign backers in July, so people can start terrorizing their friends, kids and pets this summer.
