True to its name, the Pocket Drone fits easily in your pocket, and is about the size and shape of an iPhone when collapsed. The remote control is about the same size, and similarly collapses down, with interior storage for the removable control stick. Both fit into a pouch that Irigoyen pulls easily out of his blazer’s inside pocket.
It takes only a minute to unfold the drone’s four small rotors from its corners and assemble the control before it’s zipping around our heads. In flight, it can be set to maintain altitude, making it particularly easy for novice pilots to get off the ground and stay there. On board, it has an 8GB memory card to hold HD video and 2.3 MP pictures taken with its front-mounted camera.
There are smaller drones out there, but none to our knowledge that are as easy to fly, record high-quality pictures and video, and cost just $100. Odyssey’s Pocket Drone is available now through Sharper Image, with wider distribution to come.