Parrot AR.Drone: The invasion begins…

The first quadricopter for video games piloted by Wi-Fi will be available in Australia from 30 November 2010 for $349

High res images available upon request.

Sydney – 24 November 2010: Parrot, a leader in wireless peripheral for mobile phones, today announces the launch of the Parrot AR.Drone in Australia, a quadricopter which uses augmented reality and is piloted using an iPod touch®, iPhone® or an iPad™.

With incredibly intuitive handling, the Parrot AR.Drone achieves spectacular flights and enables video games play in augmented reality.

Become the pilot of a one-of-a-kind quadricopter, where the real and virtual worlds come together to offer an unparalleled gaming experience.

The front-camera broadcasts and streams what the drone is ‘seeing’ onto the iPod touch or iPhone screen; and the image processing allows the integration of real-time special effects to produce an augmented reality.

Pattern Ergonomic piloting

With its shaped cockpit driven by 4 propellers with brushless motors, the Parrot AR.Drone offers great manoeuvrability and stability during piloting.

The Parrot AR.Drone generates its own Wi-Fi network (there is no need for an Internet connection or router) and you simply need to connect an iPod touch or iPhone. Once the “AR.FreeFlight” application has been downloaded for free from the App StoreTM, the iPod touch/iPhone turns into a true piloting station.

Touch the take-off button on the screen of the iPod touch/iPhone and the Parrot AR.Drone starts its engine, takes-off, stabilises a few feet from the ground and waits for the pilot’s instructions.

The player simply puts their left thumb on the screen and a control button will position under it. The accelerometer of the iPod touch/iPhone detects movements, so the Parrot AR.Drone moves forward, backwards or sideways depending on the inclinations and movements of the iPod touch/iPhone.

Another command button on the right of the iPod touch/iPhone screen controls the AR.Drone to ascend, descend or rotate.

In Ace mode, a single button enables the player full control to pilot the AR.Drone.

Touch the landing button and the quadricopter will land and stop its engines.

A unique, high-tech quadricopter

The Parrot AR.Drone is made of carbon fibre and high resistance PA66 plastic.

The heart of the AR.Drone contains MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanicals Systems), 3 axes accelerometer, 2 gyrometers [1 axe & 2 axes], one ultrasound sensor and two cameras:
· The first camera, located underneath the body, is connected to an Inertial Measurement Unit which enables the AR.Drone to measure its horizontal speed and perform incredible stationary flights. The system of image comparison allows for compensation of turbulence due to the wind during outside flights.
These technologies are usually used for professional or military applications and have been adapted to the gaming universe for the first time.

· The second camera, at the front of the quadricopter, broadcasts and streams what the drone is ‘seeing’ onto the iPod touch/iPhone screen, as if the player was in the pilot’s position.

This camera plays a major role in video gaming due to its use of form recognition, which allows for augmented reality.

For example, the front camera will recognise another AR.Drone in a simulated battle between two quadricopters, or recognise real-life tags which will turn into obstacles, monsters or robots on the screen of the iPod touch/iPhone.

Since the development version was introduced at CES 2010, the AR.Drone’s video streaming has been enhanced and the front of the hull has been strengthened to better protect the camera.

Players can choose which camera they prefer to view or display the two cameras simultaneously on the screen of the iPod touch/iPhone.

New game rules

With the AR.Drone, Parrot brings the worlds of video gaming and radio-controlled models together for the first time.

In fact, this unique quadricopter is able to recreate a large number of video games in the real world and offers multi-player possibilities thanks to augmented reality.

Games will be available to download from the App StoreSM very soon, delivering unprecedented gaming experiences for pilots.

A new look for inside and outside flights

The Parrot AR.Drone is designed for flying both inside and outside.

For flying outside, a shaped hull reduces the area impacted by the wind and offers extreme manoeuvrability.

3 hulls are available:
– orange and yellow
– orange and green
– orange and blue

These vivid colours help the pilot follow the AR.Drone’s movements easily.
These colours are also easily ‘seen’ by the AR.Drone’s front-camera, which enables it to identify a competitor during two-player battles.

For indoor flight, a specific hull – with a white, grey and black cockpit – surrounds and protects the propellers if the AR.Drone hits an obstacle. Stickers, with colours similar to the shaped hull, can be fixed on each arch to enable drone battles inside.

Finally, electroluminescent diodes (green at the front, red on the back), are positioned on the landing gear and enable the pilot to easily manoeuvre his/her AR.Drone. These diodes also activate and react to the action during the game.

A pilots community

Available at www.ardrone.com, the AR.Drone-Pilot Academy is a website dedicated to Parrot AR.Drone users and fans.

This website hosts approximately twenty videos and detailed information on the AR.Drone.

· Training Zone
This area of the website contains everything to help the pilot, from their first encounter with the AR.Drone, to advanced piloting tips.

How to prepare your AR.Drone (installation of the battery, configuration Wi-Fi / iPod touch – iPhone…), pilot (control of the accelerometer…), perform sophisticated figures (circles, « 8 », half-turn, slalom, obstacles race…), practice aerial battles (offensive and defensive manœuvres, indoor and outdoor battles…)

· Community Zone
Pilots will be able to post their videos online, share and discuss their experiences on forums and follow AR.Drone news (via Facebook, Twitter…)

An open development platform

Since its introduction at CES 2010, the Software Development Kit is available for developers to create games for the AR.Drone. Source code porting on other platforms is also feasible from the SDK.

Imagination and ingenuity are the only limits for developing games for the AR.Drone.

To download the SDK or get more information, visit https://projects.ardrone.org

Parrot AR.Drone: a technological first

The development of the AR.Drone took more than four years of research and development, and the creation of about 20 patents.

For the first time, a consumer product encompasses:
· A quadricopter made in carbon fibre and high resistance PA66 plastic, with 4 brushless engines embedded
· An inertial unit with MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) combining video processing with an automatic piloting software to ensure very intuitive piloting of a radio controlled object
· Wi-Fi and video streaming for a modern gaming interface with an iPod touch/iPhone
· Image processing software for augmented reality

Parrot has been developing wireless technologies for 15 years and engineering remains the cornerstone of its work, with its R&D department consisting of 150 engineers.

Parrot concentrates on investing in R&D to a high level, focusing importantly on the software and the signal processing. Parrot develops complete products; so software development, electronics, design and manufacturing costs are all daily responsibilities of the research department.

Parrot AR.Drone Invasion Plan

The Parrot AR.Drone is launching with Telstra and Fonezone in Australia, and will be available for purchase in selected Telstra and Fonezone stores across the country from 30 November 2010 for $349 RRP.