Real life drone, meet your new virtual obstacle course. DJI pilots can now hone their flight skills while zooming through an obstacle course without actually coming close to physical objects, thanks to the new Edgybees’ Drone Prix AR, an augmented reality video game that uses actual drones.
Launched on Tuesday, the Drone Prix AR allows DJI pilots to fly through obstacle courses, avoiding objects and collecting points — much like a typical racing video game, except for flying the actual drone instead of a virtual race car. Users can race to beat their own best time or compete with other users around the world. The game is the first AR app for DJI drones, the company says.
Compatible with DJI’s Phantom 3, Phantom 4, and Mavic Pro series drones, the game includes more than 30 courses for beginner pilots to seasoned pros. The game is downloaded to an iOS or Android smartphone and works via a wireless connection to the drone and controller. Pilots can also link their Facebook accounts to share their scores.
DJI says the course allows new pilots to practice maneuvering through the skies — without actually coming close to physical objects — while teaching flight skills in a fun, safe manner. The game was developed through Edgybees, an AR company, as a third-party app.
“When we first came up with the idea for this app, we wanted to create a new experience for pilots combining the joys of flying with the thrills of gamification,” Edgybees’ chief technical officer and co-founder Menashe Haskin said in a statement. “The Drone Prix AR app is really the first augmented reality social game designed specifically to do just that. In contrast with flight simulators, Drone Prix AR provides a much more immersive experience that combines virtual obstacles with real-life piloting skills. DJI’s Mobile SDK allowed us to bring our idea to life very quickly and we are really excited to see how this app will change the way people experience flying a drone.”
The app is available on both the App Store and Google Play Store as a free download.