Snap Inc, aka the company behind Snapchat, has just released a flying camera designed to work with the app. The bright yellow Pixy drone fits in the palm of your hand and is perfect for capturing videos of you and your friends or family without having to concentrate on using a controller.
Designed to sync directly with Snapchat, the Pixy is a fun, flying camera that has four different flight modes: hover, reveal, orbit and follow. Unlike some of the best beginner drones, the Pixy is a completely hands-free device that takes off and lands in the palm of your hand. It features two cameras in total; one on the base of the device to help it navigate and a front-facing camera that records you.
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A dial on top of the Pixy allows the user to select which preprogrammed flight path to perform and when to take off. A green LED on the front will display when it’s ready to fly while a white LED will show light up when it’s recording. You can set the Pixy to capture between 10 seconds and 60 seconds of footage which can then be edited, adjusted and shared.
The Pixy can easily be paired to your phone via the Snapchat app, all you need to do is make sure it’s switched to standby and then go into the settings menu where you’ll see Pixy listed. Click pair and then hold down the button on the base of the device for 7 seconds and a green light will start flashing once it's paired. It has a lightweight removable battery than can be charged in the device with a certified USB C cable or for faster charging, plugged into a wall.
For content creators, this would be a great addition to your mobile kit as it’s small enough to keep on you at all times and will enable you to record yourself without having to set up a tripod and camera which can be time-consuming. If you’re into making little videos of day trips, festivals, holidays or weekends away, the Pixy is perfect for that and it looks cute too.
At first, I thought the Pixy was a bit of a gimmick but having watched several videos on it I’m starting to see the benefits. There have been plenty of times where I’ve been flying my DJI Mini 2 where I have wanted to record myself with friends but not with the controller in shot. The video quality on the Pixy may not be as good as some of the best DJI drones but at least you don’t have to be in control of it all the time.
For the time being, the Pixy will only be available in the US and France for a starting RRP of $249.99 (roughly £200) which includes the drone as well as a dual rechargeable battery pack. A spare battery, a USB C cable, and a carrying strap can also be purchased separately. It's expected the Pixy cameras will start shipping in around 11 - 12 weeks so if you want one in time for summer, it's best to pre-order now!
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