Parrot shows iPhone-controlled AR.Drone toy

Parrot, primarily known for its wireless mobile accessories, has unveiled the Parrot AR.Drone, a quadricopter piloted via an iPhone or iPod touch. The AR.Drone’s companion application allows users to fly in a real-world environment, complete with objects and conditions to account for, while simultaneously playing a video game on the device’s screen. The app uses the accelerometer and command buttons for control, while the Wi-Fi-connected AR.Drone employs a wide angle camera and high speed camera, an accelerometer, a gyro, an ultrasound sensor, and an advanced computer to make piloting accessible to both savvy and inexperienced users alike. Parrot plans to make an open SDK available to developers soon, and plans to release the AR.Drone to consumers sometime later this year at a currently undetermined price. Continue reading to watch a demo video showing the device in action.