gadgets

The Parrot AR.Drone is a unique quadricopter using augmented reality and piloted with an iPod touch, an iPhone or an iPad.

The AR.Drone combines real and virtual worlds to offer an unparalleled gaming experience. A front camera broadcasts and streams what the AR.Drone is seeing onto the iPod touch, iPhone or iPad screen and provides the opportunity for augmented reality games.

Extremely easy to fly in both indoor and outdoor settings, the AR.Drone generates its own Wi-Fi network at which you simply connect an iPod touch or iPhone. The AR.FreeFlight application is a free app in the App Store and allows for the AR.Drone to be piloted via the iPod touch/iPhone/iPad.

Once in-flight, the accelerometer of the iPod touch/iPhone/iPad detects all of the movements, and the AR.Drone will mirror all movements made by the iPod touch/iPhone/iPad while the pilot's left thumb is on the control button.

The AR.Drone uses MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanicals Systems), three axes accelerometer, two gyrometers [one axe & two axes], one ultrasound sensor and one vertical camera to automatically stabilize once it takes off. This allows for very stable flights for even beginner pilots.

The AR.Drone combines the worlds of video gaming and radio-controlled models, enabling consumers to recreate a large number of single and multi-player video games in the real world. One game, 'AR.FlyingAce' will be available for download in the App Store.