Many consumer drones use a purpose-built camera system. During brainstorming at Wednesday’s Vancouver Innovation Labs meetup, we started wondering . . .

Why not use a smartphone? 

Comparing the iPhone 6 Smartphone with GoPro proved interesting: Just like the GoPro/drone-copter combo, smartphones have an on-board accelerometer, inclinometer, GPS coordinate system, WiFi remote controller, high megapixel camera, and waterproof housing options.  Combo assemblies not to scale.

GoPro wins on $price when compared to an iPhone.

But weight-wise, a high quality smartphone wins hand’s down.

And consider operating cost over the life of the drone:

Will amortizing a “lower weight imaging solution” (smartphone with high-quality lens and upgraded parts) make smartphones the better choice overall?

And it does beg the question, what happens when a smartphone with pure focus on high quality imaging and WiFi remote control comes on the market at a price-point near GoPro? 

And if Amazon’s Prime Air drone package delivery venture gets approval from national aviation authorities, could a lower price Smartphone Drone Wayfinding Controller muscle its way in on the action?

– by David Huer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98BIu9dpwHU

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