WowWee, the award-winning makers of MiP™ and Robosapien™, have now launched their newest innovation, the LUMI™ Gaming Drone. Lumi is a highly advanced, yet easy-to-fly quadcopter that combines exciting drone action with accessible controls. With BeaconSense™ technology, Lumi can literally fly itself while the user plays, directs and commands the drone for app-based Gamified Flight™. The technology within the drone makes Lumi best suited for indoor play, without fear of crashing into obstacles.
With select Bluetooth LE devices running iOS or Android, users can select motions, maneuvers, stunts, or just take control and fly Lumi with ease. Various game modes include challenging the player to follow sequences of flashing lights and music while Lumi flies and dances in the air, reacting to the player’s controls. More advanced users can even experiment with creating their own games, thanks to Lumi’s open API. Lumi’s Choreography Mode also gives the user the ability to program custom flight moves and record them for sharing with friends on social media.
Lumi is a highly sophisticated drone that is suitable for ages 8 and up, as well as for the whole family. Early bird pledges for one Lumi starter kit, including two extra batteries, begin at just $59 USD. Lumi packs the following features that will be sure to excite children, parents and makers alike:
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Lumi to the Beat – the game central to the Lumi experience allows you to select any song stored on your tablet or phone and Lumi will challenge you to move to the beat – a modern Drone Drone Revolution
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Multi-Drone Play – With two Lumis, you can play games with a friend or other family members
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Choreography Mode – Create your own sequence of aerial moves, control timing and light colors to your music, and then play it back whenever you like
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Obstacle Avoidance – Lumi’s various sensors ensure that the drone will actively avoid walls, doors, cupboards, and any other common indoor objects. This extends to hand-gesture control, meaning you can play games with Lumi by placing your hand in front of the drone and forcing it to move
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BeaconSense™ Technology – Using a compact system of infrared lights, Lumi will fly and self-stabilize itself in relation to the supplied Beacon
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Follow-Me™ Feature – Simply pick up the beacon and Lumi will follow you with – no additional control necessary
WowWee’s Chief Technology Officer Davin Sufer explained, “When we brought the Robosapien to the public in 2004, a huge maker community emerged with it, and by crowdfunding Lumi we want to return to our roots. As part of the campaign, Lumi will have an open API and dedicated Maker Kits that will allow users to create their own apps and games for the drone – helping to evolve the final retail product”.
To bolster the creativity of the community, the WowWee team has included exclusive “Maker Kit” perks in the campaign. In addition to the drone and beacon, the Maker Kits will include two Bluetooth pods and, in the Advanced Kit, an Analytic Tracker that will send debug data to the user’s PC in real-time. WowWee’s Lumi Gaming Drone is available to support on Indiegogo now with an Early Bird pledge for one Lumi starter park beginning at $59. The first batch of Lumi drones is expected to ship to backers in August 2016, with the Maker Kits shipping in September 2016.
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