Follow me drones for travel: should you really take one on your next trip?
Drones are banned at the Statue of Liberty and at an increasing number of tourist attractions. But with DJI’s new ‘follow me’ model offering unique photo and tracking modes, are travel drones becoming an unstoppable trend?
Do you travel the world followed by a small flying robot? You could do soon if any of the latest miniaturised “travel drones” come your way.
Small drones with a “follow me” mode that track users’ movements to produce unique aerial selfies are becoming increasingly popular, promising to capture travellers’ surroundings with the minimum of user input.
A bird’s-eye view of Hong Kong’s crowded high-rises in local photographer’s Walled City series
Chinese drone maker DJI, market leader in the civilian drone market, has just announced a new model: the Mavic Air. Selling for US$799/HK$6,298 and weighing just 430g, the drone can be launched and controlled using simple hand gestures. It films video in 4K resolution and takes 12-megapixel photos, tracking objects on its own.
The drone also takes the “follow me” feature to new heights. There is a “rocket” mode where it hovers in front of you before racing upwards for an aerial view; an “asteroid” mode that sees it race towards you from afar; and a “sphere” mode that films you in a 180-degree panorama.
