Adventure Tech: Lily the Autonomous Drone

There is no question that personal drones have been one of the hottest tools to come along for budding filmmakers in recent years. They give us the ability to capture shots that simply weren't available in the past without a large budget. But now, nearly anyone is capable of capturing stunning arial footage without breaking the bank or learning how to fly a helicopter.

But drones are still sophisticated pieces of equipment that require some degree of training to fly, and a good understanding of how they operate in order to use them properly. This has created a barrier of sorts that some filmmakers might struggle to overcome. That could change with the introduction of an autonomous drone named Lily however, as the promise of handsfree flight and video capture is realized at last.

Quite frankly, using Lily couldn't be easier. To get the drone to start flying and recording, simply toss it into the air, and it's rotors will automatically kick in. Lily is designed to follow an included tracking device, so the personal UAV will first hone in on the location of that device, and immediately start following it. That means whether you're hiking, trail running, mountain biking, kayaking, or climbing, Lily will follow you and capture both still and video images of your adventures.

The drone comes equipped with a built-in camera capable of capturing full 1080p video at 60 fps. It's 12 megapixel sensor works great for standard photographs too. The device is completely waterproof, is capable of 20 minutes of flight on a single charge, and is built to withstand the challenges of being out in the elements. The tracking device allows the user to adjust some flight parameters, giving you control over the images you capture, and it can even record sound from the ground, independent of the camera itself.

Lily is set to ship in February of next year at a retail price of $999. But a presale event for the flying camera begins today on the official website. If you order now, you can get the device for just $499, although that offer is only good for the next month, so you'll want to order soon.

And checkout the video below to get a better idea of what Lily is capable of.