Efficient and revolutionary V-Copter Mini: Is this stealth announcement how all new drones will look?

Drones have, for the most part, looked very similar since the market exploded in 2010, literally balancing in the air using four props (or any even number). It's easy enough to add a pair and keep up the balancing exercise, but take two away and things get a bit difficult.

Or not, says the team at Zero Zero Robotics.

This company is no stranger to rewriting the rules, either, so there is every reason to assume it'll actually achieve it. For one thing, it already did a while back…

We even covered the V-Coptr Falcon gull wing drone on these pages half a decade ago (no, it didn't have an 'e' then). But then there wasn't much more news and sales were far from stellar. So why has the drone just reappeared in the headlines?

Because a V-Copter Falcon Mini (rumored with and without an 'e' in its name) is now seriously being promoted (check the site). And because, given its recent successes (notably the HoverAir X1 and HoverAir X1 ProMax), Zero Zero has very definitely earned the right to be taken notice of.

Crucially, the Mini version that is being touted by Zero Zero Robotics is expected to weigh under 250g, meaning it'll have the advantages of fewer motors (range, batteries) and the legal advantages that come with the lowest weight category.

Admittedly, 34 minutes of flight time isn't the 50 minutes that its bigger brother lasted – but it still comfortably beats DJI's ultralights, and the aircraft boasts a 4K camera mounted on a 3-axis gimbal.

There are also a host of new flight styles, including "reverse two-foot spin", which are unknown to quadcopter flying – it'll be fascinating to see if these turn out to work for consumers. The ability to achieve long-distance and acrobatic flight is clearly improved with this design, which perhaps looks even more like a Klingon Bird of Prey than the DJI Inspire 3.

Will that appeal to consumers, though? The key will likely be whether the software makes it accessible. The phrase "A whole new way to fly" is both exciting and perhaps a little worrying. I'll let you know as soon as soon as I get my hands on one!

Atop boosted flight times, though, there are other reasons to try a shift. Zero Zero also claims that the 'copter will reduce noise. Having recently spoken to a number of people about the perceived increase in noise from the DJI Flip (one of the few complaints about that sub-250g 4K drone), this might be an increasingly significant factor in purchase decisions.

When is it coming? I can't say for sure – I know Zero Zero Robotics has had success using crowdfunding, and has gone for a new launch site for this product. I'll keep you posted…

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