Understanding the
rise of China's OEMs: Key players,
global ties, and future potential

In this new report, automotive industry analyst, Felipe Munoz, analyses the rapidly evolving landscape within China, alongside an overview of the main players emerging from China’s burgeoning automotive industry.

Learn about the key players, global ties, and future potential of Chinese car brands, and access the latest market data and intelligence.

The post Understanding the rise of China’s OEMs: Key players, global ties, and future potential appeared first on Tech Research Online.

Speed Automotive Software Development with arm64 & Microsoft SDV Toolchain

Theresa Nguyen

Equinix Business Development Director
Platform Alliances | Microsoft

Filipe Prezado

Microsoft Principal Program Manager
Microsoft SDV & Mobility

Joe Speed

Ampere Head of Edge
Vehicles, Robots, IoT, 5G, and Space

Hosted by – Tech Research Online

About Equinix

Equinix is the world’s digital infrastructure company. We interconnect industry-leading organizations such as finance, manufacturing, retail, transportation, government, healthcare and education across a digital-first world. Business leaders harness our trusted global platform to bring together and interconnect the foundational infrastructure that powers their success—sustainably and securely. 

The post Speed Automotive Software Development with arm64 & Microsoft SDV Toolchain appeared first on Tech Research Online.

Speed Automotive Software Development with arm64 & Microsoft SDV Toolchain

Theresa Nguyen

Equinix Business Development Director
Platform Alliances | Microsoft

Filipe Prezado

Microsoft Principal Program Manager
Microsoft SDV & Mobility

Joe Speed

Ampere Head of Edge
Vehicles, Robots, IoT, 5G, and Space

Hosted by – Tech Research Online

About Equinix

Equinix is the world’s digital infrastructure company. We interconnect industry-leading organizations such as finance, manufacturing, retail, transportation, government, healthcare and education across a digital-first world. Business leaders harness our trusted global platform to bring together and interconnect the foundational infrastructure that powers their success—sustainably and securely. 

The post Speed Automotive Software Development with arm64 & Microsoft SDV Toolchain appeared first on Tech Research Online.

CNBC reported that at the event, Chinese companies displayed humanlike robots grabbing sodas and playing the zither while Tesla showed off its Optimus next to its cars.

The Robotics Rush

The events at the Beijing Robot Conference show how tech companies are rushing to invest in humanoid robots. In the same way that China rushed into electric vehicles several years ago, funds are now flowing into humanoid robots.

Over the last decade, China’s robotics industry investment has surpassed the $14.01 billion mark according to Lanchi Ventures Partner, Wei Cao. Lanchi Ventures expects the next milestone in humanoid robot manufacturing to focus on commercial viability where robots move and prioritize tasks. According to Cao, this could happen in the next one or two years.

In the US, Elon Musk has announced plans to roll out tests for Tesla humanoid robots in Tesla plants next year. Musk has claimed that Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot can fold laundry and will one day clean, cook, and teach kids. According to him, this technology could generate upwards of $25 trillion for Tesla.

Humanoid Startups

The Chinese humanoid robot Beijing conference attracted different robotic startups. Agibot, a Shanghai-based startup which is backed by Lanchi Ventures unveiled five new robots just days before the conference. Some of the robots can be preordered.

Agibot plans to commence deliveries in mid-October. Ads show that its robots can act as gallery guides, sales people, and factory part pickers. Stardust Intelligence also showed off its Astribot S1 humanoid robot featured in a promo video in April.

The company also displayed other humanoid robots performing intricate martial arts moves, writing Chinese brush calligraphy, and playing the zither. Other companies that showcased humanoids were Turui and Galbot. Their robots placed products in baskets or moved soda cans from a shelf to the table.

The number and type of demonstrations at the Chinese humanoid robot Beijing conference increased significantly. Some robots were slow and stiff and it was not clear whether their actions were autonomous or controlled remotely.

US Robotics

Tesla did not showcase its Optimus humanoid robot in action during the conference. However, promotional videos show the robot has high capabilities. According to Cao, robotic technology from Tesla and other US-based companies are about one or two years ahead of China.

But when it comes to humanoid supply chains, China has 95% or more self-sufficiency. US Association for Advancing Automation president, Jeff Burnstein presented virtual demonstrations of humanoids from startups like Agility.

“These are demos, but they as well as others are now in pilot programs, and some companies we believe actually started using them more than just a pilot,” he said.

The association will hold a humanoid conference in the US on October 7.

Emerging Trends

One of the trends that emerged from the humanoid competition Beijing robot conference is specialized humanoids. Rather than replicate the entire human being at a go, robotic companies tend to develop specific parts first before moving to others.

Startups showcased an array of robot hands, gears, and other parts. It is expected that a single robot will be able to perform simple nursing care, tasks, medical treatment, and household tasks.

The post Chinese Humanoids Take On Tesla’s Optimus at Beijing Conference appeared first on Tech Research Online.

According to CNBC, the new technology has already been integrated into Waymo’s Geely Zeekr electric vehicles.

Market Entry

Waymo introduced its commercial robotaxi service to the US market back in 2018. Previously, the EV maker has integrated its driverless technology into the electric Jaguar I-PACE SUVs and the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid Minivans.

The company says that its generation 6 technology will hit the EV market sooner than its prior technologies due to its advanced semiconductor performance and machine learning technology.

“We are confident we can bring this generation to market much faster than the prior generation,” Waymo’s VP for Engineering, Satish Jeyachandran said.

Scaling Waymo One

As its executives share details about the forthcoming generation 6 technology, the company continues to scale its current Waymo One technology across cities like Austin, Los Angeles, Texas, San Francisco, and Phoenix.

Since its inception, Alphabet owned Waymo robotaxis have successfully completed over 2 million trips. Currently, Waymo offers about 50,000 paid autonomous trips each week in Phoenix and San Francisco. Two months ago, the EV maker announced that it was making driverless rides available to any user in San Francisco.

Alphabet announced last month that it would invest an additional $5 billion in Waymo.

According to Jeyachandran, the new investment will enable the EV maker to scale its operations. This includes increasing its fleet once it completes the testing and validation of Generation 6 robotaxi Waymo technology.

New Features

The EV maker anticipates that Geely Zeekr and the Waymo Jaguar I-PACE will coexist. It is expected that the new Waymo Zeekr will have similar footprints as the current Waymo I-Pace SUVs.

The only difference is that the Zeekr comes with a more accessible interior that features more legroom, a high ceiling, and a low step. Waymo has been developing custom software and sensors including radar and lidar that give the Zeekr a 360 view of the obstacles it needs to identify and avoid. The improved sensors come with wipers for clearing precipitation and dirt.

The Zeekr is set to become Waymo’s less expensive tech robotaxi. In an effort to reduce the cost of running each robotaxi, Waymo has reduced the number of cameras in the car from 29 to 13. The Zeekr comes with four lidar sensors.

Little Competition

Waymo is already testing the Generation 6 robotaxi on public roads with drivers on board. Testing and validation work is currently underway in New York, Detroit, and Buffalo. These diverse environments will help Waymo understand how the robotaxis will perform in varying weather and traffic settings.

Although Waymo has been grappling with driverless taxi crashes, it currently faces little competition in the US. Locally, GM’s Cruise faced challenges that forced it to temporarily pull its driverless cars off the road while Tesla recently pushed plans to launch its dedicated autonomous vehicles to October.

The post Waymo Unveils New Driverless Technology for Robotaxis appeared first on Tech Research Online.

In a post shared on his X account, Musk said, “Tesla will have genuinely useful humanoid robots in low production for Tesla internal use next year and, hopefully, high production for other companies in 2026.”

Reuters reported that in April, Musk had said its humanoid robot, Tesla Optimus would perform tasks in the company by the end of 2023 and could be available in the market by the end of next year. In 2023, Tesla unveiled a new generation of humanoid robot, Optimus Gen 2.

Rich Background

For several years now, leading companies in Japan have developed humanoid robots. These companies include Hyundai and Honda Motors. Businesses are increasingly betting on internal humanoid robots to bridge labor shortages and perform tedious dangerous tasks or repetitive in nature. Such tasks include warehousing, logistics, and manufacturing.

Tesla launched Optimus in September 2022. At the time, it was named Bumblebee. This year, the electric vehicle maker shared a video of its humanoid robot, Tesla Optimus Gen 2 bipedal robot performing a task – folding a T-shirt within Tesla’s facility.

In recent months, Musk has pivoted Tesla’s focus on autonomous driving software, artificial intelligence, robotaxis, and humanoid robots amidst dropping demand for electric vehicles. Electric vehicles contribute over 80% of Tesla’s revenue.

Unfulfilled Promises

Even as Musk says Tesla will have humanoid robots for internal use in 2025, the announcement comes in the backdrop of unfulfilled investor promises. In 2019, the EV manufacturer CEO told investors that his company will be operating autonomous cars by 2020.

This didn’t happen. Earlier this year, Musk said Tesla would launch robotaxis in August. Last week, Musk said this will take longer following critical design changes that he has requested to the front part of the design.
Tesla is set to release its quarter two earnings today. It’s earning will help investors to understand what Musk and EV company are doing to restore growth following reporting the biggest revenue drop since 2012 in quarter one of this year.

Investor Focus

Institutional investors are more focused on the health of Tesla’s motor vehicle margins. Their attention is also on Tesla’s operating costs after the EV maker implemented layoffs, price cuts, and other incentives to boost EV sales.

Retail investors expect Musk to explain Tesla’s progress in self-driving technology and provide answers to the delayed unveiling of its dedicated robotaxi, CyberCab. Investors will want to know more about Tesla’s outlook of the battery energy storage business and its near-term priorities. They also expect to get an update of the status of the new factory that the EV company promised to set up in Monterrey, Mexico.

On Monday, Tesla shares were up 1%. Analysts expect Tesla to announce a 62 cent per share earnings adjustment on its $24.77 billion revenue for the period ended June 30.

The post Inside Tesla’s New Plan to Have Humanoid Robots in 2025 appeared first on Tech Research Online.

What is Educational Robotics?

Educational robotics is a discipline that introduces students to the world of programming and robotics at a young age. Robotics in EdTech emphasizes practice rather than theory. Integrating robots in primary education means that students are provided with everything they need to build and program robots that can perform different tasks. In higher levels of education, advanced robots are used.

This education model is used to teach STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education in schools.

Role of Robotics in Education

Robots are not just theories, they are already performing tasks in different industries. Robotics in education empowers students with requisite skills that are needed in a technological world. Besides helping in different industries, robots are innovative tools that help kids learn new concepts and acquire valuable skills through exciting recreational activities.

Since robotics is futuristic, robots stimulate curiosity. This encourages logical thinking and builds concentration in students. These skills prepare students for the world of work where automation and robotics are increasingly becoming prevalent.

What Types of Robots are Used in Education?

Robotics in education utilizes robots that are designed specifically for educational settings. Robots come in varying forms. Some are big and can interact socially with students. Others are small and programmable, students can code them. Robots that have been equipped with artificial intelligence are also used in the EdTech industry. AI allows such robots to respond to students in real-time and adapt to the learning environment.

There are four types of educational robots that are currently being used in classrooms today. Each comes with unique capabilities and features to support learning for varying age groups as follows:

Humanoid Robots

These are designed to mimic humans and are capable of performing different tasks. Humanoid robots help to teach robotic concepts like locomotion, balance, and motion.

Pre-built Robots

Unlike humanoid robots, pre-built robots are quite basic. They are fully programmed and easy-to-use robots designed for young children. Pre-built robots can be used to teach kids simple tasks like avoiding obstacles and following lines. They introduce children to foundational programming concepts.

Modular Robots

These are used to teach complex robotic concepts like dynamics, kinematics, and mechanical engineering. They utilize multiple modules that students can assemble into varying configurations.

Programmable Robots

These are used to teach students coding and robotic concepts like motors, sensors, and controllers. They have actuators and sensors to enable them to perform complex tasks. Students assemble and program them during learning.

How Robotics is Changing the EdTech Industry and Improving Learning

Robotics in EdTech is transforming how teachers teach and how students learn. Below are five ways this discipline is improving learning:

1. Supporting Interactive Learning

Educational robotics leverages interactive learning. Students work on robot projects together. This builds their communication, teamwork, and collaboration skills while helping them to appreciate individual strengths.

2. Making Education Accessible

Robots can be programmed to meet the individual needs of a child. This makes provision of special education accessible and easier. Through robotics children with special needs like autism, attention disorder, and other developmental challenges can focus and develop social and communication skills.

3. Generating Interest in STEM Subjects

The use of robots in the classroom builds student interest in STEM subjects and helps them see how those subjects apply in the real world.

4. Non-Judgmental Learning

The use of educational robotics in the classroom reduces judgment and embarrassment for students because, unlike humans, robots don’t judge or feel. Although their ability to act with intention or form opinions is low, robots have emotion recognition capabilities.

This enables them to provide non-judgmental outlets for emotional expression. This way, they can support children when they experience homesickness or cultural adjustment challenges.

5. Personalizing Learning

Robots help students and teachers overcome the one-size-fits-approach challenge. Since they are capable of adapting different teaching methods, they can be programmed to support students to learn or practice more depending on their learning styles and abilities. This personalized mode of learning allows students to get instructed in ways that resonate with their needs and preferences.

6. Higher Knowledge Retention

Educational robotics focuses more on practice than theory. It gives students global perspectives through virtual interactions, field trips, and exposure to issues in different parts of the world. These experiences help students to retain more knowledge than they would in conventional learning approaches.

What are the Benefits of Educational Robots?

Robotics in education offers numerous benefits for students, here are 3 major ones:

1. Promotes Hands-On Learning

Robotics allows students to learn by doing. Students are introduced to tech and science concepts in a practical way, empowering them with mechanical, electronic, and coding skills. This hands-on learning helps them understand theoretical concepts better.

2. Builds In-Demand Skills

Educational robots enable students to build skills like problem-solving, programming, and coding that are in demand in the job market in an engaging, fun way. Developing these skills early will help them succeed in their careers in future.

3. Prepares Students for the Workplace

Technology has become an integral part of the workplace. Robotics is already driving transformation in every sector. In the EdTech industry, robots give students a solid computational thinking and programming foundation that will enhance their understanding of emerging technologies in future.

Wrapping Up

Robotics in EdTech is changing the way students learn and retain knowledge rapidly. In the modern-day digital world, this approach can build STEM skills in students and adequately prepare them for future jobs. It can also expand opportunities for children with special needs and make education accessible to them based on their learning needs and styles.

In addition to providing technical skills, robotics in education also helps students develop a range of transferable skills like problem-solving, collaboration, teamwork, and logical thinking. These skills are what they need to succeed in life and the workplace.

The post How is Robotics Changing the EdTech Industry and Improving Learning? appeared first on Tech Research Online.

Do you look at the sky and you always spot some flying objects (not UFOS) up above hovering over your head? 

Be it on the top of mountains, on plains, or in the middle of an ocean. In fact, there is always one person with a flying drone capturing scenic beauty. If you want to be that person, keep reading! We are also sure you have browsed through numerous options looking for long flying drones that do not burn a hole in your pocket while flying. Therefore, this blog is where your search ends now. 

Now, all you need to do is to go through our compilation of some of the “Longest flying drones in 2022.” Here, you will find affordable premium flying machines with a detailed buying guide. You can also pick the one that works the best for you, has amazing features, and suits your budget.

So, without wasting any more time, let’s get to the list of some flying drones best buy. We have also mentioned their specifications to help you choose the best flying drone for yourself.

Longest Flying Drones In 2022

1. SNAPTAIN S5C

At this instant, the Snaptain S5C is one of the longest flying time drones to be known. With a drone flying time of 0-20 minutes, it is affordable and highly sophisticated. In fact, the Snaptain S5C is popular as one of the long flying drones in the current time. All in all, it comes with several amazing features.

Why you should buy it?

• Durable (can withstand rough handling or be dropped)
• Ideal for young users
• Works well in all weather conditions like windy
• Performs impressive acrobatic moves
• Comes with speed adjustments
• Easy to use for beginners and experienced individuals
• Offers additional playtime with additional battery

Why you shouldn’t buy it?

• Regular changing of batteries (even if there are extra batteries)
• Some features are missing from this drone, but they do have some

Specifications:

As a matter of fact, the best thing about the Snaptain S5C is its stunning visuals. Despite being made of plastic, the drone looks great. In fact, it also comes with a small 720p camera that supports Wifi FPV. However, you should not expect high-quality aerial footage. The drone is affordable, cheap, and durable. Additionally, it has a 50-meter operating range, and a maximum of 10 minutes of flight time.

2. ALTAIR AA108 Drone

Secondly, the one to be in our list of the best longest flying time drones is the Altair AA108. It has a great flight time and has great specifications at a low price. Its integrated 720P HD camera optimizes video streaming quality for drones flying in FPV mode. Popular as one of the longest flying time drones, it has beginner-friendly features that make it simple for first-time flyers. 

Why you should buy it?

• Protective built-in guards for easier flying
• Excellent remote-control distance allowing plenty of flying space indoors and outdoors
• Available Micro SD card slots for storing images and videos
• Unique and stylish appearance

Why you shouldn’t buy it?      

• No GPS module
• Can be flown for approximately 10 minutes of flight time on a single charge
• Have to purchase a Micro SD card separately as it is not included in the package

Specifications:

Altair AA108 is one of the best and longest flying time drones. Its tiny 2MPX sensor camera at the front. Therefore, it is capable of taking selfies, which makes it one of its best features. Although you can record aerial videos, you can only record at 720p resolution (which is quite unacceptable by modern standards). Moreover, it does not have a GPS module but comes with a basic version of waypoints and altitude hold.

All in all, the Altair AA108 can fly up to 100m and its flight time can last for as long as 10 minutes. Thus, if you have a tight budget, this long flying drone can be a good option for you.

3. Autel Drone : Robotics EVO

The next to be on the list of longest flying time drones is the Autel drone Robotics EVO. All in all, it is a compact camera drone perfect for those looking to travel with their drone. In fact, th drone gives a high-quality, remote controller-operated, video feed, and impressive battery life. Above all, the autel drone robotics evo has an all-in-one controller and a first-person viewing screen.

Why you should buy it? 

• Solid tracking
• Impressive front obstacle avoidance
• Smooth flight modes
• Enhanced video quality

Why you shouldn’t buy it?

• Rear obstacle sensor is IR and only sends a warning without stopping the drone
• Too wide focal length
• Lacks side obstacle avoidance sensors
• Charger is loose and comes out easily
• No extended warranty or damage warranty

Specifications:

The Blade Chroma Quadcopter is an easy-to-use drone that costs $995. This is because it boasts an all-in-one controller along with a first-person viewing screen. Not only does it has a control range of 4,300m but also a flight time of approximately 30 minutes. As a result, you will be able to capture the perfect traveling shots with this compact, smooth-flying drone.

4. Sim Too Pro

The Sim Too Pro is another popular long flying drone. Above all, it has a drone flying time of 30 minutes. In fact, it is one of the first-ever foldable drones available in the market since comes with four foldable arms. As a result, it is perfect for exotic shooting locations.

Why you should buy it?       

• ‘Follow Me’ feature allows it to focus in on its use
• Automatically follows you wherever you go
• Allows camera to focus on you and captures all your activities
• Control range of 1000m

Why you shouldn’t buy it?

• Design might seem too heavy
• Camera isn’t incorporated but mounted in the belly of the drone
• Charging time is 120 minutes (2 hours)

Specifications:

The Sim Too Pro altogether comes with a flight life of about 30 min and a control range of 1,000m. The drone also has a distinguishable size along with the ‘Follow Me’ features. As a result, the drone costs about £352.01. At the present time, the drone’s arms are made of carbon and extra propellers—making it usable for a long time. 

5. Holy Stone Drone HS120D

The Holy Stone drone HS120D is popular for its design and specifications. Being another best-known longest flying time drone, it offers vastly different experiences at a reasonably lower price. Above all, holy stone hs120d allows for a stable flight. It also comes with an SD card for storage purposes. Moreover, you can use LED lights to illuminate the night sky!

Why you should buy it?

• Simple to use
• Long flight time of 16 minutes
• High-quality photos and videos
• Good camera
• Auto-return function during low battery or signal loss
• No assembly required
• Camera tilt angle can be adjusted via the controller

Why you shouldn’t buy it?

• Difficult to find a spare battery
• GPS calibration can be difficult for beginners or new users

Specifications:

Beginning with the camera, Holy Stone drone comes with a good full HD camera. As a result, it can capture good aerial shots and videos. In fact, during windy conditions, when the drone can shake violently, the stabilization is less than ideal. All in all, the HS120D is an excellent product. Moreover, you have gesture control, tap fly, follow me, and a waypoint simplified version.

Dji Drones

6. DJI Mini 2 Drone

The dji mini 2 drone is the successor of the DJI Mavic Mini. As a result, it has the same ultra-compact design as before. However, mini drones comes along with a new controller to deliver a more polished flying experience. But, above all, dji mini 2 drone boosts its range (thanks to Ocusync 2.0 connectivity)!

Why you should buy it?

• Impressive battery life
• Compact size
• Simple controls and applications

Why you shouldn’t buy it?

• Pricier (as compared to Mavic Mini)
• No ‘Follow Me’ feature

Specifications:

To begin with, the DJI Mini 2’s camera has a 12MP resolution. Secondly, its battery size is up to 2,250 mAh and the drone weighs up to 249g. Similar to the Mavic Mini drones, this flying machine is packed with a selection QuickShot modes. These are not only beginner-friendly but also ensure that the mini drones performs pre-programmed moves.

7. DJI Mavic Air 2

Previously, the Dji Mavic Air 2 was our top competitor but it has been nudged out of the limelight by the DJI Air 2S. Despite this, this flying drone shouldn’t necessarily be looked at as an option. This is mostly because it’s more affordable than the latter. Moreover, dji mavic air 2 will suit you better if you don’t need the larger 1-Inch sensor.

Why you should buy it?

• Easy to fly
• Strong 34-minute battery life
• Shoots great 4K/60p video

Why you shouldn’t buy it?

• No screen controller
• Camera feed stutters sometimes

Specifications:

One of the popular longest flying time drone, it comes with a camera resolution of 12MP. Besides, the flying drone still shoots 4K/60p video and has a comparable maximum 10km range. Another key point is that it boasts an impressive 34-minute flight time. However, we will suggest you stretch to the Air 2S if you can primarily because of its larger sensor and useful digital zoom. 

8. DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 Drone

The DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 was launched in 2018 and was a big upgrade on the Phantom 4. As a matter of fact, the upgrade bought vastly improved obstacle avoidance and intelligent flight modes. Its 20MP 1-inch sensor can also shoot 4K/60p video along with impressive raw stills at 100Mbps in the D-log color profile. 

Why you should buy it?

• Sturdy and fast drone
• Large 1-inch 20MP sensor
• Shoots 4K/60p video at 100Mbps

Why you shouldn’t buy it?

• Pricier than Mavic Pro 2
• Large and bulky
• More complex than foldable

Specifications:

DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 has a camera resolution of 20MP and weighs up to 1345g. It comes with a controller and has a range of 8km. Its size is as convenient as the foldable Mavic 2 Pro. But it brings a mechanical shutter and boasts a higher 4K frame rate.

It’s certainly worth considering if you shoot high-quality aerial stills and video in challenging weather with some excellent handling. Moreover, 30 minutes of flight time might be too much for the Mavic 2 Pro!

9. Parrot Anafi

The Parrot Anafi drone is one of those long flying drones which is lightweight. Moreover, it is bug-like with the best photography chops that are among the most impressive. All in all, the drone can take direct photos with its 180 degrees camera of a vertical range which is a feat others can match. 

Why you should buy it?

• 180-degree vertical camera
• 4K UHD video at 60fps

Why you shouldn’t buy it?

• No obstacle avoidance

Specifications:

With a camera resolution of 21 MP and battery size of 2700mAh, the parrot anafi drone indeed weighs up to 3202g. It comes with a controller and also offers a 2.8x zoomable lens with no image quality reduction. The drone is also, particularly a good choice for selfie fans. Moreover, parrot anafi offers a Follow Me mode which automatically adjusts for more photogenic angles by tracking your movements. Plus, its SmartDronies modes, such as Orbit, Boomerang, Parabola, and Tornado, allows it to fly in circles around you.

10. DJI Inspire 2

Last but not least to be on the list of longest flying time drones is the DJI Inspire 2. All in all, it has soundly knocked its predecessor out of this list with a sleek metal composite bodywork upgrade. In fact, this flying beast is an impressive piece of kit. All things considered, Dji Inspire 2 has advanced object avoidance technology. Hence, users don’t have to worry about the body accidentally getting scratched.

Why you should buy it?      

• Good battery life
• Amazing build quality  
• Plenty of features

Why you should not buy it?  

• Pricier

Specifications:

The Dji Inspire 2 is one of the long flying drones. It has a camera resolution of 30MP and a battery size of 4280mAh. It also weighs up to 3440g. In fact, it comes with a controller. The drone also offers you more than 25 minutes of flight time with its twin-battery arrangement. Additionally, it offers you the ability to swap camera lenses, which means that professional photographers and videographers will now have complete control over their creations. After that, the Dji Inspire 2 drone kit is completed with a fully-featured smartphone app and a dedicated remote control, both of which make it incredibly easy to control.

Amongst the all there is one more drone names as quadair drone. The QuadAir Drone is a precision-engineered drone designed for easy flying and limitless fun. Loaded with features to enhance your drone experience. This drone is getting attention but not yet. We will add the quadair drone review in the next year on 2023.

The post Latest 10 Longest flying Drones Review appeared first on Tech Research Online.

It’s almost about to be 2022 and if you aren’t aware of the best humanoid robots of 2022, then you’re missing out on a lot.

Movies and web series have given us the perception of robots taking over humanity (if not today then, someday in the future maybe). However, the real-life concept of robots is entirely opposite. In the real world, the best humanoid robots are designed to simplify our daily chores by mimicking humans’ behaviors.

Today, we can assert that ‘Robots and Artificial Intelligence is the future’. Robots are indeed fascinating, and humans want them to complete their work as easily as possible. In fact, robots have become part of our daily lives—their production is increasing rapidly with the pace of time. In the next 5 minutes, we will introduce you to 12 mind-spinning humanoid robots in 2022 that are designed to undertake various tasks that are performed by humans. You will be fascinated to learn that there are 11 other similar humanoid robots, besides the world-popular Sofia.

Along with Sophia, this list contains:

• Sophia
• Beomni 1.0
• Ameca
• Toyota T-HR3
• Amelia the Conversational AI
• Geminoid F
• Junko Chichiro
• Vyommitra by the Indian Institute Of Space Research
• Atlas By Boston Dynamics
• Erica By IRL
• Pepper By Softbank
• Kime By Macco

What Are the Spellbinding Best Humanoid Robots of 2022?

To make it a little easier to understand, we have classified humanoid robots into two categories. The male humanoid robots are known as Androids, whereas humanoid human female robots are known as gynoids.

Sophia

The very first humanoid robot to be on our list is Sophia. Sofia is a humanoid human female robot, developed by Hanson Robotics based in Hong Kong. She is a sophisticated humanoid robot who can see, sustain contact, follow faces, and identify individuals.

Sophia’s power was turned on in February 2016, a few months after she was introduced to the world. Soon after, she became the world’s first robot citizen. She was even featured on Jimmy Falon’s show. This humanoid human female robot uses a natural language subsystem to have conversations. Her creators say she can be extremely helpful in education, healthcare, and customer service.

Although Sophia is considered the most “human-like” robot, she is still far from being an idea. But, her physical attributes and the ability to have human-like expressions do give us a glimpse of what the future might look like.

Beomni 1.0

An AI-enabled robot (with striking similarities to Dr. Who), beomni 1.0 assists humans with a wide-ranging general array of things, like medical services and manufacturing tasks. Agriculture, etc. beomni 1.0 was unveiled at CES 2022 and is said to be the world’s first fully functional general-purpose robotic system.

It is developed by a US-based firm ‘beyond imagination’ and resembles a human with a form depicting a head, shoulders, waist, arms, and hands with opposable thumbs. Beomni 1.0 can lift up to 15.88 kgs of weight per arm (exactly like a gym geek with strong biceps and triceps). It can also perform delicate tasks like pinching salts when cooking.

Ameca Robot

Debuting as ‘The Future Face of Robotics’, Ameca is the world’s most advanced human-shaped robot representing the forefront of human-robotics technology. It is designed specifically as a platform for development into future robotics technologies. In fact, she is perceived as the perfect humanoid robot platform for human-robot interaction.

Ameca knows how to turn heads with her hyper-realistic facial expressions. In fact, she was seen shaking hands at the Consumer Electronics Show in 2022—giving the audience a sight to behold.

Toyota T-HR3

In 2017, Toyota proclaimed its return to creating the newest humanoid robots with its T-HR3. During that time, Toyota’s partner robot division had focused less on humanoid robots and more on other robotic ventures. Its HSR or Human Support Robot was a robot platform with a user-friendly mobile manipulator design. These friendly and helpful robots were designed to assist in household chores and simple tasks. However, they didn’t look like humans.

Toyota returned to the humanoid game with its T-HR3 and since its feature, the bot has revealed new technologies. These include ever better mobility, precise positioning, and in a test run, wireless operation. Moreover, it can even make drinks like a bartender.

The T-HR3 has been designed for domestic as well as industrial use. You can operate it through a designated base with wearable controls for the system’s master arms and master foot. It also has a head-mounted display through which operators can see from the robot’s perspective. As a result, it allows the user to operate safely no matter where the robot is. According to Toyota, the new and improved humanoid is a ‘do-it-all robot’.

Amelia The Conversational AI

The best digital humanoid robot recognition goes to Amelia, the Conversational AI. She is a market-leading digital employee working as an intelligent virtual agent. With an aim to deliver the best elements of human interaction with natural conversations, she tends to enhance company support with machine speed. Although a virtual employee, Amelia is more than your regular virtual front desk support employee.

She is a multi-task master. She can work in various fields like human resources, banking, insurance, and telecommunications, among others. Her enhanced user experience ensures greater business value and drives deeper connections with customers and human coworkers.

Combining the best of human employees and AI, this humanoid female robot helps increase sales and decipher complex data. With Amelia on your team, you can win any task, besides the daily tug-of-war and Pictionary during ‘Fun Fridays’.

Geminoid F

Created by Osaka University, ATR, and Kokoro in 2010, Geminoid F is the world’s most attractive humanoid human female robot. She is an android copy of a twenty-something Japanese woman. She is designed to be remotely operated and can smile, frown, and change her facial expressions to mimic the operator’s behavior.

Japanese roboticist Hiroshi Ishiguro unveiled his latest creation on April 3 2010 and left everyone speechless. Ishiguro’s new robot, the Geminoid F, with her long dark hair and changing facial expressions stunned people, leaving their mouths agape.

In designing Geminoid F, Ishiguro’s team and Kokoro engineers intended to create an android that could exhibit a wide range of natural expressions without requiring as many actuators as other androids they’d developed. Although the Geminoid F is designed to act like a human, she cannot walk and has to be wheeled around. However, her ‘rubber’ skin and ‘womanly face’ gives her a charming and attractive appearance.

Junko Chihira

Known to be the ‘best service humanoid robot’, Junko Chihira tops the list of most attractive humanoid human female robots. Created by Toshiba, she is a very realistic-looking android who works in a new tourist information center in Japan. Junko is a multi-talented humanoid robot. She is well-versed in Japanese, Chinese, and English.

She made her debut in Aqua City Odaiba, a shopping center on Tokyo’s waterfront, in November 2015. Previously, she greeted visitors as they walked in, however, she currently provides tourists with information on events occurring in the area.

Junko is the successor to another Toshiba android, Aiko Chihira. Like her, Junko could respond with a scripted, pre-set speech in the past. She gained speech recognition capabilities in 2017 and responded to tourists’ questions promptly.

Vyommitra

On 24 January 2020, the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) unveiled their female humanoid robot, Vyommitra. Vyommitra is a female humanoid robot with an appearance resembling a human. She was specifically built for ISRO’s first unnamed ‘Gaganyaan’ mission.

Vyommitra announced herself in Bangalore. She is the prototype for a half-humanoid who was designed to fly to space on an unnamed mission in 2020. ISRO’s major aim behind developing her was to lay the ground for their manned mission ‘Gaganyaan’ in 2022. After flying to space, Vyommitra aimed to test systems in the crew module meant for the survival and safe travel of the Indian astronauts in 2022.

So far, Vyommitra has already earned her title of being the ‘Best space explorer humanoid robot’.

ATLAS Robot

Atlas, termed “the world’s most dynamic humanoid,” was created to assist humans in dangerous tasks such as search and rescue missions. It was developed by American robotics company Boston Dynamics. The humanoid robot was funded by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

Although introduced in 2013, Atlas’s actual capabilities came to light in 2017. It is 1.8-meter (6 ft) tall and is known to perform amazing backflips. In the past few years, it has undergone various changes including some updates. Atlas was also seen performing a floor routine (similar to gymnasts), in a video released on September 24, 2019.

Erica Robot by IRL

Erica, another attractive humanoid robot, made her debut in 2015. She is an advanced android designed as a platform to study human-robot interaction. She not only understands natural language but has a synthesized human-like voice and can display a variety of facial expressions.

Did you know that Erica was chosen as the star of “b”, a science fiction film with a budget of $70 million?

Erica actually stands for ‘Erato Intelligent Conversational Android’. In 2016, a portrait of her sketched by Maija Tammi, a Finnish photographer, secured 3rd place in the UK National Portrait Gallery Competition. Erica’s features include using natural dialogue and motion-generation capabilities. With her ultrarealistic human-like appearance, her facial expressions and gesture motions make her appear very human. In fact, while listening, Erica blinks and moves her head just like a human.

Pepper by SoftBank

Introduced to the world in 2014, Pepper is a semi-humanoid robot by SoftBank Robotics and has been designed with the ability to read emotions. Pepper was showcased in SoftBank Mobile phone stores in Japan during the initial days of its debut. The humanoid robot’s ability to recognize emotion is based on the detection and analysis of facial expressions and voice tones. However, Pepper’s production was paused in June 2021 due to less demand.

Pepper has been specifically designed to interact with humans. Standing 120cm tall, the robot perceives his environment without any trouble and can participate in a conversation upon seeing a human. It has a touch screen on its chest which displays content to highlight messages and support speech. Moreover, its curvy design ensures danger-free use and a high level of acceptance by users.

Kime Robot

Popular as a humanoid robot bartender, Kime is developed by Macco Robotics and based in Seville, Spain. The robot has been designed to serve food and beverages. In fact, it can also serve a glass of beer in just 23 seconds!

About 2sq meter tall, Kime has a head, arms and a torso which it uses to pour drinks. Moreover, it can perfectly align the glass at perfectly right angles for properly pouring the beer. The humanoid robot is fast to serve approximately 300 glasses per hour.

Also Read – 10 Best Humanoid Robots

Conclusion: Who Is the Best Humanoid Robot?

Speaking of the best humanoid robots, Sofia definitely tops the list. However, we also have competitors like Ameca, Amelia, Geminoid F, Junko Chichiro, Vyommitra, and many more, who are spearheading ahead and redefining the concept as well as the future of humanoid robots. Besides, everything nowadays is automated. From daily backups on our phones, doors of our homes, offices and almost everything is involved in some kind of automation process.

The post Sophia and Other 11 Best Humanoid Robots of 2022 appeared first on Tech Research Online.

‘Hey Google, give me 5 points that prove the importance of robotics & artificial intelligence in the future world!’

Today artificial intelligence and robotics have been such a mundane part of our lives that we appreciate these genius innovations less.

Forget centuries, not even a decade ago humankind would have imagined that a small machine right beside their television can answer all their worldly questions!

Did your Google Assistant suggest this article in return to the question you asked them? Well, that’s understandable as in this article we will be elaborating why AI and robotics are important for tomorrow’s world and how artificial intelligence could be used in the future world.

Pointers That Prove The Importance of Robotics & Artificial Intelligence In The Future World

Concepts like robotics seem like something from science fiction but with AI evolving rapidly, a completely digitally assisted world has already made its arrival.

Artificial intelligence has also established the foundation of computer learning and took the invention of that device to another level.

1. Robots And Artificial Intelligence Never Get Tired

Other than the most obvious pointer of them easing our job, it has also been estimated that new forms of jobs will be coming to play solely for artificial intelligence. Because they will never get tired it will be easier for them to do most of the monotonous work.

Companies will be assigned most of the repetitive workload like testing software to them. They will not have unnecessary conflicts and neither will they require personal recreational time.

2. Adaptability To Help HumanKind

This is one of the most effective reasons among the 5 points that prove the importance of robotics & artificial intelligence in the future world.

AI has a sturdy build which allows them to adapt to any situation. On top of that, they have a very spontaneous thinking capacity and can come up with correct solutions most of the time.

AI can further help people to navigate their way through transportation [which it is already doing] and it is also venturing into autonomous driving.

Robotics on the other hand will be used for physical assistance for human beings starting with the differently-abled kind. They will be known as service robots.

This will also allow data to be adapted to different devices and make them smart. Talking of different devices, do you know Bluestacks can allow you to operate android on your laptop.

Want to know whether bluestacks is safe? Or maybe the best laptops in town?

Wait, let me ask Siri this time!

3. Education Through AI

How many times have we complained about AI one teacher not being enough for a classroom full of 50 students? Lucky for us because the day isn’t far when individual concentration will be given to each and every child through AI-generated robots in classrooms.

Limitless data can be transferred into AI and there will be no such queries of the students’ that it cannot answer. Therefore, implementing AI in the educational field is much needed.

4. AI To Eradicate Crime

With the newfound technological innovations through AI and robotics, tech gurus are estimating a crime rate reduction with its implementation.

These things have often only been shown in movies but it is not part of fiction anymore. At least not for long.

That’s why it has found its place among the 5 points that prove the importance of robotics & artificial intelligence in the future world

AI processed CCTV and drones are the future for the crime management departments. With its precision, the tricks through which it will get to the criminal will be incomprehensible for them.

Statistics have also shown that among the 50 largest nations almost 30 police stations have already utilized the method of prediction software. This AI predicts the nearest palace of crime. Kind of like a weather forecast.

5. AI For Cyber Security

It is ironic to think that the phenomenon that can cause a breach in cyber security can also be a cure for the same. Cyber security has reached its height with the advancing of AI, especially during the pandemic.

I am not just talking about debilitating issues like digital data robbery or breach of privacy but also heavy malware attacks that possess the quality of erasing your device in seconds.

With the new AI and robotics innovations, tech masters are finding new ways to recognize these beforehand and halt the attack.

AI is already assisting in combating terrorism with highly effective tools like speech recognition or facial recognition tools that are helping to find missing people.

No, The Robots Won’t Start Ruling The World!

When we think about why many people are opposed to the idea of artificial intelligence and robotics, the thought of giant robots dictating humankind comes to our mind.

Although it does sound like an excellent movie plot, I would like to tell you that these AI-generated machines are not left alone to work on their own. They are always monitored. So, I think you are not the only one scared of robotic domination.

Facebook itself immediately stopped two AI programs after the robots created started talking to each other in a language unknown to mankind.

Conclusion

Hence, to conclude, AI and robotics are important for the future world but at the same time, we have to remember that they cannot be created without the genius of a human mind.

The post 5 Points That Prove The Importance Of Robotics & Artificial Intelligence In The Future World appeared first on Tech Research Online.

Speaking of robots, are you afraid that someday humanoid robots might take over humanity? Well, the future is unpredictable, uncertain and unprecedented. In fact, a world populated by some of the best humanoid robots might not be far. The farther we venture into the 21st century, it becomes almost impossible to talk about technology without the mention of robots. Today, we have humanoid robots who are working with human-like abilities and capabilities to make things easier. In the past few years, we have met several autonomous humanoid robots like Sophia, Little Sophia, Atlas, and TALOS, among others. 

In this blog, we are going to talk about Humanoid robots. As their name goes by, humanoid robots are built with human-like resemblance. They are designed to look similar to humans or resemble the human body. Hence, in most of the models, you will find human-like heads, torso, arms, and legs. Some of them even have eyes, mouth, and a face just like humans.   

However, the above factors cannot be generalized standard as some models of humanoid robots may only have a single part of the body. The similarity of humanoid robots ultimately depends on its purpose and functionality.     

So far, so good?    

Now, let’s hop on to our specially compiled list of the most popular and functional Humanoid Robots. Hopefully, by reading about these humanoids will help you peek into the world of AI in robotics and make you realize how far we have come, and how far we have to go.    

Hey and just to be on the same page, this is not an exhaustive list. You will find hundreds if not thousands being exhibited and developed worldwide.     

What is Humanoid Robot?     

To make it a little easier to understand, we have classified humanoid robots into two categories. The male humanoid robots are known as Androids, whereas humanoid human female robots are known as gynoids.    

Let’s understand this a little better, shall we?  

As you already know by now, humanoid robots are robots invented to look quite similar to humans or to resemble the human body.   

Hence, in most of the models, you will find human-like heads, torso, arms, and legs. You will even find some with eyes, face, and maybe a mouth too.   

However, we can’t make the above factors generalized standard as some models of humanoid robots may only have a single part of the body. How similar a humanoid looks to a human ultimately depends on its purpose and functionality.   

So far, so good?  

Now, let’s hop to our specially compiled list of the most popular and functional Humanoid Robots. Hopefully, reading about these humanoids will give you a glimpse into the world of AI in robotics and how far we have come, and how far we have to go.  

Hey and just to be on the same page, this is not an exhaustive list. You will find hundreds if not thousands being exhibited and developed worldwide.   

The Best Humanoid Robots of 2021?   

To make it a little easier to understand, we have classified humanoid robots into two categories. Androids that are male humanoid robots and the female that are termed gynoids.  

• Sophia

The very first humanoid robot to be on our list is Sophia. Sofia is a humanoid human female robot, developed by Hanson Robotics based in Hong Kong. She is a sophisticated humanoid robot who can see, sustain contact, follow faces and identify individuals.

Sophia’s power was turned on in February 2016, a few months after she was introduced to the world. Soon after, she became the world’s first robot citizen. She was even featured on Jimmy Falon’s show. This humanoid human female robot uses a natural language subsystem to have conversations. Her creators say she can be extremely helpful in healthcare and customer service.   

Although Sophia is considered the most “human-like” robot, she is still far from being an idea. But, her physical attributes and the ability to have human-like expressions do give us a glimpse of what the future might look like.     

• Little Sophia

With so much popularity, Sophia was unable to meet and greet her fans around the world. And guess what? Some of those fans wanted her for themselves too.   

So, we have the little Sophia now. Yes! She is her younger sister,   

Developed by the developers of Sofia, Little Sofia is a humanoid and is expected to be available for pre-order now.   

She is 14” tall and makes learning STEM, Artificial Intelligence, and coding easy. She is a great companion for kids older than 8 years.   

She is a child that can talk, walk, and tell jokes. She provides a safe learning experience with robots.   

• Atlas

Atlas, termed as “the world’s most dynamic humanoid,” was created to assist humans in dangerous tasks such as search and rescue missions.   

Developed by American robotics company Boston Dynamics, it was funded by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).   

Atlas was introduced in 2013, however, its actual capabilities came to light in 2017. The humanoid robot is 1.8-meter (6 ft) tall and performs amazing backflips. In the years after, the robot has undergone several changes and updates.   

In a video released on September 24, 2019, Atlas was seen performing a floor routine similar to gymnasts.   

• TALOS

Launched in 2017, TALOS is a bipedal humanoid robot developed by PAL Robotics. The humanoid robot was created keeping in mind the heavy industry load, it can incur the load of 6 kgs with each arm fully extended.   

No wonder everyone is calling it the future of the factories!   

Apart from this, it is fully customizable and also found applications in, rescue, IoT, space exploration, and many other fields.   

• Robotic Avatar

T-HR3 is a humanoid robot that can copy the movements of its operators. Although the humanoid was introduced in 2017 by Toyota, it was later updated for the Tokyo Olympics. 

The latest model features better controls and more natural interactions as it was designed with a vision to help during remotely controlled surgeries. The functionality of the humanoid suggests that it can also be used as a caretaker and for other similar roles.   

• Kime   

Kime is a humanoid robot bartender, developed by Macco Robotics based in Seville, Spain. It is designed to serve food and beverages and can serve a glass of beer in 23 seconds.  

The humanoid is about 2 sq m and has a head, arms, and a torso which it uses to pour drinks. Furthermore, it can align the glass at right angles for properly pouring the beer and does it quite fast to serve approximately 300 glasses per hour.

• Nextage

Nextage, is the most humanoid robot, it is designed to perform maintenance tasks by collaborating with human peers. Developed by Kawada Robotics, the humanoid is a research platform for industrial robots for Industry 4.0.   

• Nadine Social Robot

Nadine, developed by Kokoro, in 2013, is a gynoid. She has a human form including skin, hair, and hands similar to humans.   

Nadine can perform several functions such as to simulate emotions, interact with arm movements, answer questions in multiple languages, and recognize individuals.   

• Han

Activated in 2015, Han is an expressive humanoid robot that made its debut at the Global Sources Electronics Fair in Hong Kong.  

With their primary focus to serve, this hyper-realistic humanoid is developed by Hanson Robotics. Its purpose is to help people find contentment.   

The robot utilizes voice recognition technology and multiple cameras to observe the environment and converse with them. The humanoid can display facial expressions with his face which is covered by frubber, a strong flesh-like rubber.  

• Surena IV

Surena IV is a fourth-gen humanoid in a series of Iranian humanoid robots, which was unveiled in December 2019.   

The humanoid has is 1.7 meters tall with a mass of 68 kilograms. It is an adult size robot, capable of performing upper and lower body movements, and interact with the host.   

She is capable of object and face detection, moves on rough surfaces follow object and face, and write and performs some exhibitive actions as well.   

The humanoid robot has advanced features, offers better performance, and reliability when compared to the previous three models in the series.  

 FAQs 

Conclusion:

All the above humanoid robots are still in the development stage but they are just a peek of the future. Future carries much more potential in a much larger sense.   

I hope you find this blog helpful. Don’t forget to share your feedback or ask questions in the comment section below.   

The post 10 Best Humanoid Robots appeared first on Tech Research Online.

Be it on plains, on the top of the mountains, or maybe in the middle of an ocean. There is always that one guy with a drone and if you want to be that guy, keep reading!

We are sure that you have browsed through hundreds of options looking for the best drone that fits your pocket before landing here. But we can assure you that you have landed in the right place and this is where your search will end.

Now, all you need to do is to go through a list that we have complied of “Best Flying Drones” Here, you will find affordable premium flying machines with a detailed buying guide. You can pick the one that works the best for you, feature, money, and skill-wise.

Without wasting more time, let’s get to the list of the best flying drones:  

1. DJI Air 2S Flying Drones

DJI Air 2S is a superb combination of the best features of the Mavic Air 2 and Mavic 2 Pro, our favorite DJI drones. The drones offer a compact design of the former and the 20MP 1-Inch sensor found in the latter. The combination makes the Air 2S our top choice for both pros and hobbyists who are looking for an easy-to-carry drone.  

ITS SPECIFICATIONS INCLUDE:  

• Camera resolution: 20MP  
• Flight time: 31 minutes  
• Range: 8km-12km  
• Weight: 595g  
• Controller: Yes   

REASONS TO BUY: Small and lightweight along with a Large 1-Inch sensor  

REASONS TO AVOID: Controller is not foldable and has no adjustable aperture   

This does deliver several advantages over its predecessor such as the ability to shoot 5.4K video at 30fps, the ability to shoot 1080p at 120fps, along with some impressive high ISO performance.   

The flying drone gives you both extra creative flexibility and digital zoom supports to give you an all-around flying machine experience.  

2. DJI Mavic Air 2

Previously, the Mavic Air 2 was our top competitor but it has been nudged out of the limelight by the DJI Air 2S. Despite this, this flying drone shouldn’t necessarily be looked at as an option, this is mostly because it’s more affordable than the latter and will suit you better if you don’t need the larger 1-Inch sensor.   

ITS SPECIFICATIONS INCLUDE:  

• Camera resolution: 12MP  
• Battery size: 3,950 mAh  
• Weight: 570g  
• Controller: Yes   
• Range: 10km  

REASONS TO BUY: Very easy to fly, Strong 34-minute battery life, and shoots great 4K/60p video  

REASONS TO AVOID: No screen on the controller and camera feed sometimes stutters  

Besides, the flying drone still shoots 4K/60p video, has a comparable maximum 10km range, and boasts an impressive 34-minute flight time. However, we will suggest you stretch to the Air 2S if you can primarily because of its larger sensor and useful digital zoom.   

All in all, the Mavic Air 2 has proved itself a great value option that is worth considering while making a choice that is well worth considering.  

3. DJI Mini 2

The Mini 2, which is the successor of the DJI Mavic Mini, has the same ultra-compact design as before but comes along with a new controller to delivers a more polished flying experience and boosts its range (thanks to Ocusync 2.0 connectivity).  

One of our few complaints about DJI Mavic Mini was that it couldn’t shoot a 4K video, However, its successor solves that issue and gives us a few extra treats.   

ITS SPECIFICATIONS INCLUDE:  

• Camera resolution: 12MP  
• Battery size: 2,250 mAh  
• Weight: 249g  
• Controller: Yes   
• Range: 5.8 GHz: 10km (FCC); 6km (SRRC)  

REASONS TO BUY: Impressive battery life, incredibly compact size, simple controls, and app  

REASONS TO AVOID: Pricier than Mavic Mini and no ‘follow me’ mode Pricier than Mavic Mini  

Similar to the Mavic Mini, this flying machine is packed with a selection QuickShot modes which are beginner-friendly and make sure that the drone performs pre-programmed moves.   

But that is not it, the Mini 2 also offers more for pro snappers with its inclusion of raw photo shooting. While the Mini 2 isn’t a very big step up from the Mavic Mini, but it’s one of the best compact drones out there.   

4. DJI Mavic 2 Pro

While the DJI Air 2S did overshadows the older Mavic 2 Pro, but there is no say on how much longer the Mavic 2 Pro will be around?   

New rumors of the successor of the Mavic 2 Pro have already begun to surface. They say that the DJI Mavic 3 Pro (or perhaps the DJI Pro 3) will succeed later this year.   

The new flagship will likely ship with a new sensor which will set a new benchmark for folding drones. However, there is no confirmed release date. At least for the time being, the Mavic 2 Pro remains a top DJI’s flying drones line-up.  

ITS SPECIFICATIONS INCLUDES:  

• Camera resolution: 20MP  
• Flight time: 3,950 mAh  
• Weight: 907g  
• Controller: Yes   
• Range: 8km  

REASONS TO BUY: Advanced yet easy to fly, excellent foldable design, and one-inch 20MP sensor  

REASONS TO AVOID: No portrait shooting option and noise can be a problem above ISO 100  

While the Mavic 2 Pro delivers outstanding image quality with its 20MP 1-inch sensor, this flying drone offers better value in a smaller package. The flying machine offers raw support for pro-level images along with an adjustable aperture for in-flight f-stop tweaks. This is a real bonus for all the users who prefer manual control exposure.  

5. DJI Mavic 2 Zoom

Apart from one crucial difference, the DJI Mavic 2 Zoom is quite identical to the Mavic 2 Pro, its camera system. Both the flying machines are incredibly portable and share the same lightweight foldable design.   

The drone offers a range of high-spec features such as the Zoom pairs a smaller 12MP sensor with a 24-48mm optical zoom lens. This feature enables the users to capture close-up shots while maintaining a safe and legal distance.  

ITS SPECIFICATIONS INCLUDE:  

• Camera resolution: 12MP  
• Battery size: 3,950 mAh  
• Weight: 905g  
• Controller: Yes   
• Range: 8km  

REASONS TO BUY: 24-48mm optical zoom lens and easy to fly and intuitive to control  

REASONS TO AVOID: Noise is a problem above ISO 100 and a small 12MP sensor  

However, the image quality of the smaller sensor doesn’t quite match the quality of the Mavic 2 Pro, but photos and videos are still better for professional use.   

The boon is that the zoom lens can unlock creative shooting potential. Distortion is minimal, the range is good, and control is intuitive. On top of that, it offers all of the intelligent flight modes including Active Track and Hyperlapse.   

To sum it up, if you are someone who wants a drone with zoom, this one is for you.  

6. Ryze Tello

Ryze Tello can be defined as simple, lightweight, and affordable. It is designed to be a fun drone for beginners and first-time flyers. The flying drone offers plenty of features such as 13 minutes of reasonable flight time along with a handful of automated tricks despite its budget price tag.  

ITS SPECIFICATIONS INCLUDE:  

• Camera resolution: 5MP  
• Flight time: 13 minutes  
• Weight: 80g  
• Controller: Optional   
• Range: 100m  

REASONS TO BUY: Lightweight and compact and responsive flight controls  

REASONS TO AVOID: Unstable in the wind and choppy video transmission   

The nose-mounted camera offers less impressive image quality with limited dynamic range and compression when streaming 720p HD video. Besides, the frame rate is affected by any drop in connection strength as video is beamed directly to your smartphone.  

That said, the drone’s app is straightforward with an on-screen twin-stick setup. The theoretical range given by the company is 100m, but 30-40m is more realistic. 

To sum it up, Ryze Tello is a fun drone to fly on a calm day, reacting nimbly to intuitive inputs and zipping along at a rapid chop. Despite its limited range. which is a bit restrictive, it’s the best starter drone around.  

7. PowerVisionPowerEgg X

PowerVision’s PowerEgg X is an aerial orb with a distinctive ability to fly in harsh conditions such as rain and land on lakes. While the quality of the image is affected due to its plastic waterproof housing, but being able to operate in tough conditions opens up an array of possibilities.  

The PowerEgg X can be deployed as a handheld camera and an autonomous AI camera with its versatile modular design. It can be mounted to a tripod and controlled with hand gestures.  

ITS SPECIFICATIONS INCLUDES:  

• Camera resolution: 12MP  
• Flight time: 3,800 mAh  
• Weight: 522g  
• Controller: Yes   
• Range: 6km  

REASONS TO BUY: Converts into a handheld camera and can fly in rain and land on water  

REASONS TO AVOID: Lacks Raw video modes and image quality falls short of rivals   

On the flip-side, image quality isn’t great but it does produce decent 4K footage in bright conditions. But with its fixed aperture, it can’t compete with DJI’s Mavic drone’s fixed-focus 12MP 1/2.8-inch CMOS sensor. The drone also does not offer an option to record in Raw video formats.   

To sum it up, the PowerEgg X is one of the best options around for shooting, sharp video sequences in bad weather.  

8. Parrot Anafi

The Parrot Anafi is a lightweight, bug-like drone with the best photography chops that are among the most impressive. The drone can take direct photos with its 180 degrees camera of a vertical range which is a feat others can match.   

ITS SPECIFICATIONS INCLUDE:  

• Camera resolution: 21MP  
• Battery size: 2700mAh  
• Weight: 3202g  
• Controller: Yes   

REASONS TO BUY: 180-degree vertical camera and 4K UHD video at 60fps  

REASONS TO AVOID: No obstacle avoidance   

The flying drone also offers a 2.8x zoomable lens with no image quality reduction. It is a particularly good choice for selfie fans.   

It offers a Follow Me mode which automatically adjusts for more photogenic angles by tracking your movements. Plus, its SmartDronies modes, such as Orbit, Boomerang, Parabola, and Tornado, allows it to fly in circles around you.   

However, we will not recommend it to first-time users due to its lack of obstacle avoidance.   

9. DJI Inspire 2

DJI Inspire 2 has soundly knocked its predecessor out of this list with a sleek metal composite bodywork upgrade. This flying beast is an impressive piece of kit. What’s more?  

The drone has advanced object avoidance technology. Hence, users don’t have to worry about the body accidentally getting scratched.   

ITS SPECIFICATIONS INCLUDE:  

• Camera resolution: 30MP  
• Battery Size: 4280mAh  
• Weight: 3440g  
• Controller: Yes   
• Range: 7 km  

REASONS TO BUY: Good battery life, amazing build quality, and plenty of features 

REASONS TO AVOID: Quite pricey   

The drone offers you more than 25 minutes of flight time with its twin-battery arrangement. It also offers you the ability to swap camera lenses which means that professional photographers and videographers will now have complete control over their creations.  

The drone kit is completed with a fully-featured smartphone app and a dedicated remote control, both of which make it incredibly easy to control. But make no mistake, this is a professional piece of kit and beginners should avoid it together.  

10. DJI Phantom 4 Pro V2.0

DJI’s Phantom series took its drones to new heights. While the company’s Phantom 4 Pro V.20 isn’t the latest model, it remains the finest for professionals in need of something sturdy and reliable for harsh weather conditions.   

The Phantom 4 Pro V2.0 was launched in 2018 and was a big upgrade on the Phantom 4. The upgrade bought vastly improved obstacle avoidance and intelligent flight modes. Its 20MP 1-inch sensor can also shoot 4K/60p video and impressive raw stills at 100Mbps in the D-log color profile.   

ITS SPECIFICATIONS INCLUDE:  

• Camera resolution: 20MP  
• Battery size: 6000mAh  
• Weight: 1375g  
• Controller: Yes   
• Range: 8km  

REASONS TO BUY: Sturdy and fast drone, large 1-inch 20MP sensor, and shoots 4K/60p video at 100Mbps  

REASONS TO AVOID: Pricier than Mavic 2 Pro, large and bulky, and more complex than foldable   

Of course, the Phantom 4 Pro V2.0’s size is as convenient as the foldable Mavic 2 Pro. But it brings a mechanical shutter and boasts a higher 4K frame rate.   

It’s certainly worth considering if shoot high-quality aerial stills and video in challenging weather with some excellent handling and 30 minutes of flight time which might be too much for the Mavic 2 Pro.  

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