Snapchat is getting into drones with the Pixy
Snap is probably best known for its smartphone app, Snapchat, which helped popularize ephemeral messaging. The company later branched out to other products, such as the Spectacles which allowed users to record videos through a pair of sunglasses, and now it looks like they will be expanding their lineup even further.
In the latest announcement from the company, Snap has announced the Pixy drone. Yes, you read that right, the company behind Snapchat is now getting into the drone market. Before you think that Snap might be looking to compete with DJI in the drone market, it doesn’t really feel that way, at least not with the Pixy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTV4A8D3rQ0
The Pixy is a tiny drone weighing a mere 100 grams and is roughly the size of your palm. It comes with a built-in camera that records footage and according to Snap, users can control the drone using gestures. It is also smart enough where when you’re done recording, it will fly back into your palm and start transferring footage to your phone.
We’re not sure if there will be smartphone controls so that users have a bit more control over how and where the drone flies, but like we said, it doesn’t look like it’s designed to be a direct competitor to DJI. In fact, it feels like Snap’s Spectacles efforts, where the sunglasses feel more novel than functional.
That being said, the Pixy is quite expensive where it is priced at $229.99 for just the drone and a rechargeable battery, or $249.99 for the drone and two batteries. On its website, Snap says that it is expected to ship in the next 11-12 weeks.