The HEXO+ is an autonomous, GoPro-toting drone designed to follow a rider as he or she moves down the trail for what promises to be incredible footage. Currently on Kickstarter, the HEXO+ is being offered for $599 (US) with a GoPro mount (camera not included).
How it works: The rider syncs a smartphone app with the HEXO+ drone and places the phone in his or her pocket. The HEXO+ uses the smartphone to mark the subject and can be set to film at a constant distance from the rider as the rider moves down the trail. With a max speed of up to 45mph, the HEXO+ should have no problem tracking all but the fastest mountain bikers.
I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot more drone footage in mountain bike videos in the future, especially as products like the HEXO+ make it easier to launch and control these mini-helicopters. No more need to string extensive trailside cable systems or run around with bulky steady-cam rigs. But the best part is this is that it’s just one more nail in the coffin for boring first-person POV footage.
With over a million dollars raised so far, we’d say there is a lot of interest in a GoPro-ready drone! Pre-order the HEXO+ on Kickstarter through July 15.
