3D Robotics Solo Quadcopter revealed for GoPro cameras

3D Robotics unveiled the Solo Quadcopter at the National Association of Broadcasters Show 2015 as a smart aerial drone with impressive design and features.

Drone fans have probably heard of Colin Guinn. He is the guy that made DJI cool in North America, which in turn helped the Chinese company’s quadcopters to become one of the most popular drone makers across the globe. Following a tumultuous breakup with DJI, Colin Guinn is now the Chief Revenue Officer at 3D Robotics, a startup company that secured tens of millions of dollars from investors. 3D Robotics is specialized in drones and it has just revealed an interesting model called Solo. It is a smart quadcopter and it has been designed for GoPro Hero cameras.

Solo is a new quadcopter from 3D Robotics, which refers to it as the “smart drone”.

NAB Show 2015: 3D Robotics Solo Quadcopter becomes official as the smartest drone out there

It is obvious that the drone market will continue to grow, especially in the US, so more and more drone makers will show up. Each and every one of them will have to differentiate themselves from the crowd. 3D Robotics’ way to impress potential customers is the smart Solo drone.

According to the company, its new quadcopter offers features that professional and amateur filmmakers have been asking for a long time. This product is smart because it features two processors instead of one. A unit is available in the controller and another one in the flying device.

Usually, the processor is located in the flying unit, but two heads work better than one. The entire 3D Robotics Solo Quadcopter wants to make sure that nothing will happen with your drone in case something goes wrong.

The autopilot is said to be harder to deactivate, so the drone will keep on flying and it will be harder to crash regardless of what the user is doing. This is possible thanks to the processor in the drone, which focuses entirely on keeping the autopilot active and in flight.

A pause button is available, too, and if you hold it, then the 3D Robotics Solo Quadcopter will become aware that something is wrong and it will go back to the take-off area the same way it arrived there.

When the battery runs out, the drone will fly back home. If you want it to keep flying, then you can do so, but the controller will vibrate and it will be your fault if the drone crashes.

There are plenty of other security measures aimed at keeping the Solo in flight and preventing it from crashing. In fact, the company is so sure that its drone will not crash on its own that it will offer a free replacement if it does.

Moreover, if you somehow manage to crash the quadcopter, then 3D Robotics will allow you to purchase a refurbished unit at smaller prices. Either way, all customers get a 30-days money-back warranty and the company will find out what caused the crash, as all the flight data will be logged by the quadcopter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SP3Dgr9S4pM

Why are filmmakers excited about this drone?

As the GoPro Hero models are the most popular action cameras, the 3D Robotics Solo Quadcopter has been designed specifically for this series. A lot of filmmakers already have GoPros at their disposal, so they will not have to purchase extra cameras.

Moreover, the Solo is fairly cheap. It will be released this May for $999.95, while a 3-axis gimbal will come alongside it for an extra $399.95. It can be pre-ordered right now from B&H PhotoVideo.

This quadcopter can be easily used for pausing recording and starting again. Its rechargeable battery lasts for up to 25 minutes, which is more than the average drone autonomy.

Last but not least, videographers have full control over the camera’s exposure settings. All of them can be changed while the drone is flying, so filmmakers will welcome this option with arms wide open.

As stated above, the 3D Robotics Solo Quadcopter will become available in May. The company promises to deliver software updates to provide more features. Let us know what you think about this drone in the comments section!