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The project team has a working demo, not the final product. Their ability to begin production may be affected by product development or financial challenges.
Arrow has reviewed this campaign's electronic and/or software design and verified that it is feasible for manufacturing.Learn More
Overview
Record your adventures with Droneball Go the worlds first collision tolerant consumer FPV Drone. Complete with smart cage, means you can go where no drone has gone before. . It can crash, tumble, battle, race and roll all in complete control. Take your FPV/Drone experience to a new level. The possibilities are endless.
FLY IT. DRIVE IT. CRASH IT.
Droneball has the amazing ability of a drone incorporated it in its own smart cage! Taking the drone experience to a whole new level.
Recent Design iterations to the cage and stability track
We have increased the width of the stability track for a wider foot base. Which in turn moves the roll rotation point next to the pitch rotation meaning no matter how hard you roll and bounce on the ground the cage can react instantly keeping the drone 100% stable. Cage structure has also been enhanced with added struts and supports. We will upload a video of this improved model to the updates page on the 20th jan.
Testimonials By:
Flight camera action "The Droneball looks fascinating and innovative - a real game-changer in the 'caged drone' category!"
Digital trends "Droneball offers a concept unlike any drone I’ve seen before. Finally the perennial fear of drones smashed to bits on day one through careless steering may be a thing of the past."
Drone monthly "If stability and versatility had a child...It would be Droneball."
Features
Camera shown in photo in 720 P camera.
Final producyion version will be fitted with 1080p.
Specification
Droneball: The World's First Collision-Tolerant Drone
What's a drone's greatest enemy? Collisions, of course. When a quickly moving drone meets an immovable object, the results are generally disastrous for the drone. At the very least, you're likely to lose control of the aircraft after a collision, and chances are good that you'll end up with a broken propeller or worse. Drones and collisions are simply not compatible.
Droneball, though, has an entirely different relationship with collisions. Droneball is the world's first collision-tolerant consumer drone, an aircraft that simply shakes off collisions that would ground most drones. Fly a Droneball, and you can stop worrying about bumping into things.
5.8GHZ FIRST PERSON VIEW COMPATIBLE
Droneball Outdoor Action Shots
How did we get here
There were around 20 design ideas and prototypes in the development of this product but we have broken it down to 13 key stages below.
The concept was first conceived in 2014 when we were exhibiting at the Nuremburg toy fair. At the time I was demoing a barrel shaped caged drone. The product while it worked fine flying freely in the air had a problem like all drones if it touched anything. It would invariably go out of control and the cylinder shaped cage restricted the functionality and playability while on the ground or climbing walls. This is when I said to my colleague - why don’t we redesign it with a round ball cage. We really liked the idea but knew there would be many problems and issues to overcome but sensing we were onto something we persevered with the idea and the concept of droneball was born.
If you want to know more (and see more pretty pictures), keep on reading!
A Stable Design and Controllable Drone
The design of the Droneball begins with an exceptionally powerful, controllable, stable drone. The quadcopter craft features a 6-axis gyroscope which pairs accelerometers with a traditional gyro to deliver increased motion detection as compared to that provided by a traditional multi-axis gyro. For you, that means Droneball is rock-solid and not at all skittish or difficult to control.
The Droneball's stability sensors are paired with a 4.5-channel radio that gives you superior control over the drone's movement, including lateral movement and rotation. Wherever you want the Droneball to go, you can get it there with ease with this responsive, precise control system.
Collision-Absorbent Design via Protective Cage
The Droneball's greatest innovation, however, is the cage in which it lives. The spherical protective cage that surrounds the craft, in combination with a multi-axis running ring track, is the design feature that allows the Droneball to shrug off the collisions that would be flight-enders for any other drone.
Protective cages are a great idea for small drones, and caged drones are not new. Most caged drones, however, are mounted inside a round or cylindrical cage on a single rotational axis, a design that might protect the drone from damage during a collision but does little to keep the drone flying after it hits something. Others are mounted inside barrel shaped cages with no internal movement at all, and that makes it even more likely that the drone will become uncontrollable after it bounces away from a collision, its trajectory altered by the impact.
The design of the Droneball is different. Inside its ball cage, the Droneball quadcopter is mounted so that it can rotate on multiple axes within the cage. It can pitch, meaning that it can rotate front to back, and it can roll, meaning that it can rotate from side to side. It can also yaw, or rotate in a flat horizontal plane.
This multi-axis maneuverability is important. It allows the Droneball quad to remain level inside the cage after a collision, no matter how the drone bounces or shifts trajectory after the impact. When the drone stays level, it also stays controllable, so there's no need to fight to regain control after a collision. If you don't have to fight for control, your drone is going to stay in the air.
In addition to its remarkable ability to remain controllable after collisions, the Droneball is also resilient. The sturdy cage does what all drone cages should do--it keeps the quad from striking obstacles--and that means much less risk of broken props or motor-mounting arms. If you don't have to replace parts, your drone will cost a lot less to fly, and even if you do have to replace a propeller or other part, the Droneball features a modular design that makes part replacement easy.
Agile, Acrobatic Drone Movements and Capabilities
The Droneball's design doesn't just make it easy to fly and difficult to break. The drone's design innovations also make it especially nimble and capable of doing things that other drones can't do. It can go where other drones can't go, and it can maneuver in ways that are physically impossible for other drone designs to imitate.
Droneball can fly in spaces where other drones fear to tread. Its gyro stabilization and radio control system make it respond quickly and predictably, so you can fly it into tight spaces where precise maneuverability is essential, and you can squeeze through those spaces with confidence, knowing that, should the Droneball collide with an obstacle, it will stay in the air with a minimal amount of input from you. You can keep flying as if nothing happened.
Headless Ball Mode
It does not matter which way the droneball is pointing. When you push forward the droneball will move forward relative to your direction, elimininating the need to have to keep track of the orientation of the ball.
Altitude Hold Mode
In attittude hold mode droneball maintain the consistent attitude while allowing roll, pitch and yaw to be controlled normally.
It gets better. Learn to take advantage of Droneball's capabilities, and you can amaze your friends with spectacular tricks. Try nudging up against a wall with the quad's cage and then rolling up the wall, the quad powering the climb as it stays level while the cage rolls. Do the same as you roll the Droneball along the ceiling or the ground. This drone isn't just an aircraft; it's an all-terrain vehicle.
Drone Colour
The Drone colour scheme will be a white body with a dark blue logo. The undercarriage and frame parts will be a mixture of black and carbon fiber. The blades colours are yet to be decided. The overall design is still subject to iterations and improvements that we cannot reveal yet for IP reason.
Remote Colour
The remote control has ergonomic design which provides the plurality of conveniently located controls for comfortable control. The colour scheme will be white and dark grey with a inlayed logo. The overall remote control design and shape is still subject to final design iterations and improvements following testing.
Droneball Booth at the Spielwarenmesse International Toy Fair, Nuremburg, Germany, 2016
Droneball Booth at the Droneshow, Birmingham, UK, 2016
Early prototype images
Stretch Goals
Droneball backpack stretch goal info
Description
With soft lining matetrial and a hard, water-resistant rubberised turle shell exterior, the Droneball Backpack is a multifunctional, strong case that allows you to carry your Droneball safely wherever you go. It can also hold a tablet, and all of your Droneball accessories
Please note all apecifications are a guide but will be met or excided in the final version.
Droneball light pack>
If we hit $100k all drones will be fitted with our light pack free of charge.
Please note all specifications are a guide but will be met or excided in the final version.
A Trusted Drone from a Proven Manufacturer
Droneball is a small team of designers, engineers, sales and marketing professionals who are dedicated to bring fun and functional drones to the world.
Delivery Timeline
FAQS
What is Droneball?
Droneball is the world’s first smart crash happy Quad drone that streams live high resolution 5.8ghz HD video.
How much does Droneball cost?
You can pre-order Droneball today from $349 USD(Early bird offer)
What do I get when I order a Droneball?
Droneball Go Drone, 5.8ghz hd 1080 p Camera, 2.4ghz remote control with a built in 5 Inch 5.8ghz lcd screen on a extendable arm, 1x charger cable, 1 x 3S Battery and a user manual.
What will Droneball be used for?
We have designed Droneball to be utilized by both commercial businesses and by regular consumers.
Is Droneball Modular?
Yes Droneball is a Modular design hobby quad drone so it is easy to repair/replace/upgrade : Motors, Batteries, ESC’S, Flight controller, Camera’s, lcd viewing monitor etc. We are also making the cage Modular so this can be replaced or repaired easily.
What are the uses of Droneball?
Consumer use, industrial inspection, security anything you can think off the uses are endless. Droneball give you a feeling of invincibility and lets you concentrate on worry free flying.
The 5.8ghz live video stream and drone can be controlled out of line of site without loss of signal or video transmission.
Product Manufacturing Adjustments.
We have made countless prototypes of the Droneball, but as it moves forward to final production release, there may very well be adjustments to the design needed. If there is we will let you know of any changes that we need to make and why. But you can be assured it will be for the benefit of the product as we are fully committed to maximising awesomeness.
Where is Droneball made?
Consumer use, industrial inspection, security anything you can think off the uses are endless. Droneball give you a feeling of invincibility and lets you concentrate on worry free flying.
The 5.8ghz live video stream and drone can be controlled out of line of site without loss of signal or video transmission.
Can I get spare parts for Droneball?
We will supply parts via our network of Distributors/ Retailers and also on our website directly.
Technical
What is main function of the Droneball?
2.4ghz remote control with 5.8ghz live video stream 1080p camera.
5 inch lcd Screen
Inspect Areas via FPV goggles or view the screen on the Controller the screen mount The lcd screen is on a long extended arm to allow close up viewing of the lcd screen.
Steer on the Ground in any direction or in the Air.
Use droneball in a hostile obstacle rich environments impossible with a normal drone.
Make immense and fun videos never doable before. The possibilities are endless.
Perform stunts and tricks never possible before.
Both live video stream and drone can operate out of line of site without losing signal this is a key feature of 5.8ghz video transmission and 2.4ghz radio control of the drone.
Droneball protective decoupled cage will save money on repairs and downtime which is a huge problem in the drone industry.
The self correcting ball will easily roll up walls,across ceilings and even rooftops in any direction ideal for inspection and reaching hard to go places.
Patent pending-Cage 2 Axis stabilizing system allows the inner drone to always remain level & stable inside the Protective ball.
Safe For both people and animals due to protective ball cage.
Use droneball out of line of site and in complete darkness from the safety of your your bedroom and explore your house if you suspect a intruder, using the light on the front of the drone and live video feed camera. We also plan to offer a night vision camera module at some point.
How long will Droneball fly with a fully charged battery?
Around 10 mins but keep in mind this is “flight time” and if you are using a combo of flying & rolling on the ground this will increase the battery life allot. The battery can also be swapped out in a matter of seconds.
How long would it record with 32G micro SD card?
32G Micro SD card enables around 280 min video record
What's the Net weight?
380 grams
What's the size of the drone/Ball?
32 cm
Is Droneball compatible with other VR Headsets?
Yes it is fully compatible with VR goggles like fat sharks etc.
What's the controlling distance?
400 metres
What is the battery?
3S Lipo 1300 mah (other options coming in the future)
Is Droneball Barometer equipped for Altitude hold?
Yes Droneball has built in barometer that enables fixed height hovering by detecting pressures in the environment
What is the maximum wind resistance?
Can fly under wind scale force 2 but we would not recommend flying any drones in strong winds.
Does Droneball have a auto land and Auto take off function?
Yes it does J
What is the difference between Droneball and other obstacle avoidance systems on drones for example like PIR(Passive infrared sensor) obstacle avoidance.
Droneball does not need to avoid obstacles and can use obstacles to find it’s way. Drones fitted with obstacle avoidance systems are effected by environmental conditions, obstacle rich spaces and laws of physics. These systems are both expensive, unreliable and ineffective compare to Droneball as if they hit something the drone takes the impact directly due to them not been housed in a decoupled cage.
Will Droneball save me time and money with repairs?
Yes the drone is completely protected and decupled from the outer cage thus offering a higher level of protection. Anyone who regularly flys drones knows that allot of time and money is spent repairing and waiting for parts this is both inconvenient with lot of downtime, frustrating and expensive.
What is the materials of the propellers? Can I replace the propellers?
Plastic and yes you can change propellers
What is the material of the Droneball?
High intensity ABS, Carbon steel,Carbon fibre
How to charge Droneball?
Via the included charger which takes around 40 mins
When can I get Droneball?
Please see our timeline. As soon as we hit our target we will proceed with testing and the mould/ tooling process we will not wait until then end of the campaign.
Where does Droneball ship to?
We work with major courier companies so that we are able to ship worldwide.
Is the cost of shipping included?
No please check perks.
Customer Service
I preordered a Droneball but I didn’t get a confirmation email. How can I check the status?
Please see article on How to Know if Your Contribution is Successful. If there is still an issue, then you may need to contact : support@imazetoys.com.
Who will imaze toys ltd use for customer support ?
As you know we are a small company so we are obviously not set up to deal with a large influx of emails and calls but we will however take on extra customer support staff as necessary if the project needs it. Further more we are partnering with “ Backer kit” who have dedicated call/email centre staff to deal with Droneball backers questions and issues, so rest assured your questions will be answered promptly or as soon as possible.
If I have other questions, who else could I contact?
Please contact support@imazetoys.com with any other questions you may have. We will also give a weekly update via Indiegogo on progress and also shipping when that commences.
What is the warranty?
We provide a limited warranty that guarantees you receive your Droneball free of manufacturing defects.
Regulation
Where can I use Droneball?
Until adept at using controls and flying the drone, we recommend new users fly in a clear and open spaces just in case you KO that valuable antique of the mantelpiece J
Is Droneball FAA compliant?
As droneball is under 0.5 lbs, it’s FAA compliant and does not need to be registered.
Is Droneball safe to use around people & animals?
Yes thanks to its light weight and protective cage, you can touch the Droneball in flight and it does not pose any injury risk. Please use some precaution though and do not poke fingers inside the ball when operating due to spinning blades inside the balls
iMaze Toys is a developer, manufacturer and distributor of radio-controlled products
We have worked in the Rc industry since 2010 and already successfully designed manufactured and sold many different RC/Gadgets both to worldwide distributors and large retailers within the UK. We have also been involved in Licensed RC toys working with such companies as Rovio where we designed, manufactured & sold 2 Angry bird branded RC helicopters to the largest retailer in the UK. This involved all new tooling/moulds, manufacture, retail packaging design, shipping etc.
Risks and Challenges
Droneball is an advanced product and getting into full scale production is never easy but giving our experience in this industry we have complete confidence in the Manufacture, sales/distribution and shipping of this product. Combining all the experience and knowledge gained thus far and rigersely testing Droneball we believe we will have no problem delivering the world’s best crash happy drone. We are also crucially creating a product with proven technology that already works. ;-) which diminishes a huge element of risk.
We have provided a conservative shipping date of “March/April” and we will update backers as this progresses. We already have great relationships with our supplier’s/Production factory who we have worked with for a number of years.. We will be placing orders with our suppliers if we hit our targets and if any of our electronic components for example were to have a longer lead time than we foresee you can be sure we will work like maniacs to reduce the delay as much as possible.
Only after delivering to our backers will we roll out the product worldwide to our distributors and also retailers within the UK.
Droneball is a fantastic product and idea which is truly unique to the market with real advantages & endless possibilities. We will simply use our experience and knowhow and fit technology that works reliably and gives the best performance thus delivering without disappointment! That is our guarantee! The specs & function you see is what you get + more!
We are excited that Droneball is finally at the stage where we can offer it to customers . We want to build this brand and will continue to develop it with more and more innovation and uses. With droneballs modular design user will have a Drone that continuously evolves and we want your feedback as we are sure you will come up with new and exciting and compelling ways to play and use droneball.
Indiegogo is the only place in the world where you can buy a Droneball. Pre-order today helps us reach those last crucial milestones. In return, you will be one of the first to get your Droneball and be an early adopter of this awesome new Drone. For this, we cannot thank you enough!
To stay abreast of the latest news about the Droneball and the other exciting radio-controlled products offered by iMaze Toys, visit our website or check out the Droneball's Social Media Pages.
#droneball
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Looking for more information?Check the project
FAQ
EXTRA BATTERY
Get (1) extra Quick Release Battery for $15 to extend your flight time.
1 Extra battery can go inside the drone box so no extra shipping charge.
4 claimed
Ships worldwide.
Droneball Go Super Early Bird
$349 USD
DroneBall Go, Super early bird offer limited number at this price first come first served. Save a massive 42% ( $251) off !! RRP
Choose this perk and receive: (1) DroneBall , (1) battery, (1) charger, (1) 2.4ghz remote control, (1) 5.8ghz 1080p Camera, (1) 5 inch, 5.8ghz lcd screen (1) LCD Display Extension arm. SAVE for a limited time. Prices will go up!
*Add $49 for Express Worldwide shipping.
Estimated Shipping
April 2017
11 out of 100 of claimed
Ships worldwide.
DroneBall Go
$399 USD
DroneBall Go
Choose this perk and receive: (1) DroneBall , (1) battery, (1) charger, (1) 2.4ghz remote control, (1) 5.8ghz 1080p Camera, (1) 5 inch, 5.8ghz lcd screen. (1) LCD Display Extension arm. SAVE a massive 34% or $200 OFF the retail for a limited time. Prices will go up!
*Add $49 for Worldwide shipping.
Estimated Shipping
April 2017
1 claimed
Ships worldwide.
DroneBall Go -2 Pack
$770 USD
DroneBall Go -2 Pack
Choose this perk and receive: (2) DroneBall Go , (2) battery, (2) charger, (2) 2.4ghz remote control, (2) 5.8ghz 1080p Camera, (2) 5 inch, 5.8ghz lcd screen. (2) LCD Display Extension arm. SAVE a massive 36% or $430 OFF the retail for a limited time. Prices will go up!
*Add $98 for Express shipping (ships anywhere in the world).
Estimated Shipping
April 2017
0 claimed
Ships worldwide.
DroneBall Go -3 Pack
$1,095 USD
DroneBall Go-3 Pack
Choose this perk and receive: (3) DroneBall , (3) battery, (3) charger, (3) 2.4ghz remote control, (3) 5.8ghz 1080p Camera, (3) 5 inch, 5.8ghz lcd screen. (3) LCD Display Extension arm. SAVE a massive 37% or $660 OFF the retail for a limited time. Prices will go up!
*Add $129 for shipping (ships anywhere in the world).
