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Re-activateIf CES 2015 teaches us anything, it's that there's no technology that can't be made cheaper, smaller, and more narcissism-inducing. Autonomous flight is no exception, and while many drones are being developed to deliver medicine and scout disaster zones, the real market potential is for flying robots that can help us shoot selfies. The Zano, which is drawing to the close of its Kickstarter campaign, is controlled by a smart phone or tablet and has multiple modes of flight.
You can direct Zano to hold a steady position in the air while shooting the action (from posed grip-and-grin shots to a BMX trick), or turn on a "follow me" mode. Similar functions are built into other machines, notably the IRIS+ from 3D Robotics, but the Zano is pocket-size (like, seriously, it's the size of a Klondike bar), it packs IR sensors to help it avoid obstacles, and it's inexpensive—on the Kickstarter campaign one could be had for a donation of £139, or a somewhat north of $200 at today's exchange rate. (The creators are based in the U.K.) The first units are supposed to start shipping to Kickstarter backers by June.
—Jerry Beilinson
Read all of Consumer Reports' coverage of the International Consumer Electronics Show on our Insider's guide to CES 2015.
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