Intel demonstrated the drone, in fact a new model for the Yuneec Typhoon family of drones, at CES 2016. While showing the drone in action, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich said: “This is the world’s first truly intelligent consumer drone. It can navigate any obstacle. Any other drone would have crashed into the tree.”
With so many drones taking to the skies, having a drone able to avoid collisions will spare us from having drones falling on our heads. The secret behind the smart behaviour of the latest drone from Yuneec is Intel’s RealSense technology, a high performance collision avoidance module. That and an advanced IR camera module make the Yuneec Typhoon H “intelligent”, as Intel calls it.
The partnership between Intel and Yuneec is no surprise. Last August Intel CEO Brian Krzanich announced that Intel was investing more than $60 million in Yuneec, a worldwide leader in electric aviation, and that future product collaboration was the goal. The Yuneec Typhoon H is the first visible sign of that agreement.
The demonstrations at CES 2016 were so convincing that Engadget, PC Magazine, The Verge and Videomaker named the Intel Atom processor-powered Yuneec Typhoon H the best drone of CES 2016. With Intel RealSense technology, the Yuneec Typhoon H is capable of collision avoidance, has a “follow-me” feature, and a 4K camera. It all seemed so exciting that CNET, Gizmodo and Reuters also included the drone in their best-of-CES lists. With so many “best of”, the Typhoon H deserves to be mentioned as a viable choice for aerial videography. After all, it may well protect your gear and investment, when it comes out, umtil Summer 2016.
Even without the RealSense module from Intel, the new drone from Yuneec represents a new category of drone, indicates the company. Driven by customer demand for a more sophisticated drone, the Typhoon H delivers capabilities previously only found in high-end professional offerings, but at a consumer price. The Typhoon H equipped with six rotors, a 360-degree gimbal camera and retractable landing gear costs $1,799 and still keeps with Yuneec’s standard of being ready, easy and safe to fly.
The 360-degree gimbal with the new CGO3+ camera allows unlimited panning for 4K videos and 12 megapixel stills. In addition, the landing gear retracts during flight to seamlessly remove itself from the shot for unobstructed views. The Typhoon H adds new flight and image capture modes including Point of Interest, Orbit, Curved Cable and Journey. New safety features include ultrasonic proximity detection to assist in avoiding large obstacles, and a failsafe system which allows Typhoon H to remain stable and land if a motor should fail.
“A central part of our mission is to bring new and advanced creative possibilities within the reach of everyone,” said Yu Tian, chief executive officer of Yuneec International. “We’ve engineered the Typhoon H to redefine what customers should expect to pay for a drone with such an array of professional features. At this price point, no other drone comes close to the Typhoon H in terms capability and value.”
An additional benefit is the compact and user friendly design of the Typhoon H. Quick disconnect props allow speedy removal from the motors, and each rotor arm quickly folds down from its flight position for easy and compact transportation using a custom-designed hardcase/backpack. Carbon fiber is used extensively to decrease weight while increasing durability.
The Typhoon H comes with an Android-based ST16 controller, which has a large 7-inch integrated display and HD 720p video downlink for real-time video reception.
The Yuneec sgement appears at 4.40
With the ability to add mission-specific modules, the Typhoon H is the next generation platform for enthusiasts and professionals. Planned add-ons include a high performance collision avoidance module based on Intel RealSense Technology and an advanced IR camera module.
The Typhoon H maintains the Typhoon family’s focus on safety with features such as Geo-fencing, Variable Speed Control, Dynamic Return Home, Low-Battery Return Home and FAA No Fly. The Typhoon H will be available for the suggested retail price of $1,799 USD. Meanwhile, the Typhoon Q500 family of drones will also continue to be available starting at the suggested retail price of $899.99.