X

If you think drones are scary, don't read this (pictures)

Right now they don't do much more than hover and take video. But that's gonna change.

Leslie Gornstein
Leslie Gornstein is a senior editor with CBS Interactive. For the past two decades, she's covered consumer and B-to-B tech; biotech; entertainment and various other subjects that seemed interesting at the time. She's the author of The A-List Playbook (Skyhorse) and she lives in Los Angeles.
Leslie Gornstein
1 of 15 Leslie Gornstein for CNET

The future of drones

Your average consumer drone is more of a menace than menacing -- a giant plastic mosquito your neighbor's kid can barely control that keeps getting stuck in your trees. But drone makers have been working on improving their products. The drones of the very near future (and sometimes, of right now) are so capable, it's almost scary.

img0811.jpg
2 of 15 Leslie Gornstein for CXNET

They'll pick you up

This Ehang drone is big for a reason: It's meant to carry a person of up to 220 pounds. It charges up in as little as two hours and boasts a flight time of more than 20 minutes.

img0817.jpg
3 of 15 Leslie Gornstein for CNET

No runway, no problem

The Ehang 184's "fail-safe" system automatically lands if any components malfunction, and can take off and land with one-click control. Oh, there's even a trunk big enough for a 10-inch backpack.

ehang-ghost-2-1.jpg
4 of 15 Joshua Goldman/CNET

They'll spy without your help

This is an Ehang Ghost Drone 2.0. It can be programmed to remember its relative position to you and then maintain that distance as you move.

But the coolest feature of this drone isn't even in this picture ...

screen-shot-2016-02-24-at-1-28-39-pm.png
5 of 15 Ehang

They'll have VR capability

The company also plans to release a set of VR goggles with head tracking. The result: You can control the drone's camera position just by moving your head.

img0714.jpg
6 of 15 Leslie Gornstein for CNET

They'll think like a person

The Wingsland drone shown here will come with an optional object-avoidance module, so it can fly around things that stand in its way. It's also made of a cool carbon-fiber composite.

tencent-zerotech-snapdragon-flight-ying-drone-feature0.jpg
7 of 15 Qualcomm

They'll follow you onto social media

Tencent, China largest Internet service portal, recently announced a partnership with Qualcomm and drone-maker Zerotech to launch the Ying drone, a flying robot that's optimized for online sharing.

"This drone allows you to fly around, capture video and then share it directly with social media sites," Qualcomm CEO Steven Mollenkopf said earlier this year.

8 of 15 Leslie Gornstein for CNET

They'll be perfectly capable of chasing you down

The racing drone scene is an actual thing, and it's only going to get more popular in 2016. This Furious 320 from Walkera can hit a top speed of 75 mph...and record in respectable HD video while it's at it.

img0808.jpg
9 of 15 Leslie Gornstein for CNET

They won't even look like drones anymore

The Belgian-designed Fleye doesn't boast a mind-blowing flight time -- 10 minutes, maybe -- but what it lacks in endurance it makes up for in safety. Its round shape and gridded cage are designed to reduce risk of personal injury. The makers of Fleye call their invention "the world's safest drone."

img0776.jpg
10 of 15 Leslie Gornstein for CNET

They'll see your pores

Sure, 1080p is really nice-looking. But you know what's four times as nice? 4K. And that's what an increasing number of drones are delivering, albeit at a steep, pro-level price.

11 of 15 Leslie Gornstein for CNET

They'll maraud on the high seas

Air drones are so 2015. Think freshwater drones, like this SeaWolf, which can house a GoPro via a front mount. The newest version of the SeaWolf has a waterproof controller built to be used with one hand.

img0744.jpg
12 of 15 Leslie Gornstein for CNET

They'll be harder to lose

This is the Walkera H5 LTE, which has both cellular and GPS capability. You couldn't lose it if you tried.

img0736.jpg
13 of 15 Leslie Gornstein for CNET

They'll know where you are

With GPS capability, a drone can track the location of a person who is, say, trying to run away from a new robot overlord.

img0773.jpg
14 of 15 Leslie Gornstein for CNET

They'll fly much longer

Flight times are a huge challenge for drone makers; it's no fun setting up a flight only to have your drone crash 10 minutes later. But! This is a Walkera hexacopter that can fly for more than an hour, thanks to a GenSmart methanol motor that charges the battery as it flies.

img0839.jpg
15 of 15 Leslie Gornstein for CNET

They'll be besties with your cell phone

Many drones come with companion controllers, but increasingly drones, such as this Ehang Ghostdrone, work with an app designed for everyday smartphones.

More Galleries

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera
A houseplant

My Favorite Shots From the Galaxy S24 Ultra's Camera

20 Photos
Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra
magic-v2-2024-foldable-1383

Honor's Magic V2 Foldable Is Lighter Than Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra

10 Photos
The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum
Samsung Galaxy S24

The Samsung Galaxy S24 and S24 Plus Looks Sweet in Aluminum

23 Photos
Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design
The Galaxy S24 Ultra in multiple colors

Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra Now Has a Titanium Design

23 Photos
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
img-0368.jpg

I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites

34 Photos
17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features You Should Definitely Know About

18 Photos
AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?
img-1599-2.jpg

AI or Not AI: Can You Spot the Real Photos?

17 Photos