DJI and Epson Fly High With New AR Drone App

Epson have a history of working with drone manufacturer DJI to publish apps and videogames suitable for pairing Epson’s Moverio line of smartglasses with DJI’s drones. That partnership continues with the release of a new augmented reality (AR) drone app.

The aim of the new app is to provide better safety and productivity when piloting DJI drones using Moverio smartglasses. With drones becoming increasingly popular, both for hobbyists and professional use, learning how to get the best out of them is a worthwhile goal.

The Epson AR Flight Simulator App was developed by Epson to allow users to fly a digital 3D version of a drone in the real world using the flight controllers from the recent line of DJI drones, such as the Mavic Pro, Phantom 4, Inspire 2 and Spark. The simulator aims to mimic the smooth, natural movements of the DJI Mavic Pro, allowing rookie pilots to learn how to properly pilot a drone effectively.

In order to use the app, users will need a compatible drone first of all. Then they will need to connect to a stable WiFi connection, turn on the Moverio smartglasses, remove the propellers from the drone, turn on the aircraft and remote controllers, plug the controller into the Moverio and select the Epson AR Flight Simulator from the Moverio display in order to launch the app.

The Epson AR Flight Simulator app is available from the Epson Moverio app store. Also newly available on the Moverio app store is DronePrix AR, developed by Edgybees. Similar to Epson AR Flight Simulator, DronePrix AR allows drone pilots to practice their skills by piloting a drone through an AR mid-air obstacle course.

DronePrix AR has over 30 courses to master in single player mode, along with a multi-player mode that allows users to connect with other drone pilots all over the world to test their skills against each other and find out who is the drone pilot ace.

DronePrix4

Further news on Epson AR apps and other news and innovative AR projects will be right here on VRFocus.

Edgybees Announces Mobile AR App for DJI Drones

Augmented reality (AR) technology company Edgybees has launched a mobile app called Drone Prix AR that’s compatible with DJI drones like the Phantom 3, the Phantom 4 and the Mavic Pro.

Created using DJI’s software development kit (SDK), Drone Prix AR allows users, especially new drone pilots, to master their skills in a fun, safe and immersive way. Similar to the DJI GO 4 App, once the drone, remote controller and mobile app are connected, the user will get the drone’s camera view on their app, after which they can then select a course and start flying.

DronePrix4

The game enables users to fly their drone through a virtual obstacle course while collecting prizes and avoiding obstacles on route. Experienced drone pilots can compete over the best performance, points and time for a place in the high-score leaderboard with other drone pilots around the world.

“When we first came up with the idea for this app, we wanted to create a new experience for pilots combining the joys of flying with the thrills of gamification. The Drone Prix AR app is really the first augmented reality social game designed specifically to do just that,” said Menashe Haskin, Edgybees CTO & Co-Founder in a statement. “In contrast with flight simulators, Drone Prix AR provides a much more immersive experience that combines virtual obstacles with real-life piloting skills. DJI’s Mobile SDK allowed us to bring our idea to life very quickly and we are really excited to see how this app will change the way people experience flying a drone.”

Drone Prix AR features single-player and multiplayer modes where users can race against the clock to beat their previous score or compete with other players around the world to make it onto the leaderboard. Over 30 different obstacle courses are included, with varying difficulties suitable for novice to experienced pilots. There’s also a Flight Assistant option with track guiding to assist pilots in the 3D space.

“DJI’s support for the startup and developer communities has not only meant creation of new usage applications, but also new business opportunities,” said Taehyun Moon, DJI’s Director of Brand Management. “The Drone Prix app is one of the many great examples of how our SDK has opened doors to new creative possibilities and expanded developers’ ability to build exciting new custom applications.”

The Drone Prix AR app is available to download now on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

VRFocus will continue its coverage relating to the latest AR developments, so stay tuned for further announcements.