Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

There’s a tiny drone inside this prototype phone case

DRONE-IN-A-PHONE
Bored with your phone case? Wish it did something more than just protect your phone in the event of an unfortunate mishap? The Drone-in-a-Phone is coming to brighten up your world by combining the convenience of a case with the current must-have tech product, the drone. It’s a concept from Buzz Technology, and although it doesn’t look like much at the moment, will apparently make it to Kickstarter later this year.

The tiny drone fits inside the case, and unfolds ready for tethered flight when removed, with the clever part being the camera used by it comes from the phone itself. Think of the whole concept like a modular phone case based around cameras, because Buzz Technology doesn’t stop at fixing a camera to a tiny drone.

Related Offer: All in the palm of your hand. See more nano drones here.

The case incorporates three camera modules taking standard, fisheye wide-angle, or macro shots, which can be attached to the drone or other accessories. These include a magnetic attachment to turn it into an action cam, an extendable built-in selfie stick, and a pair of sunglasses for Google Glass-style hands-free video recording and picture taking.

If you’re wondering about the tether, it’s this which makes the drone so small. It provides the power, a way to transfer images, and stops it from being blown away by a strong gust of wind. The company has made its prototypes using 3D printers, and is looking for investors and manufacturing partners to make the final product a reality. It’s hoping to have the Kickstarter campaign live after the summer.

Modular phones, and modular accessories for phones, are going to be big news on 2016, primarily thanks to LG, the G5, and all its Friends. The new smartphone works with a camera and an audio module now, but more are coming in the future, with LG wanting to work with designers and developers on new projects. Whether the Drone-in-a-Phone prototype becomes a real product we can buy remains to be seen.

Editors' Recommendations

Andy Boxall
Senior Mobile Writer
Andy is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends, where he concentrates on mobile technology, a subject he has written about for…
I figured out how to protect my iPhone without an ugly case
The iPhone 15 Pro Max inside the Adore June pouch.

I really didn’t want to put my iPhone 15 Pro Max in a case. Cases add bulk, reduce the attractiveness, and wouldn’t allow me to enjoy the vastly improved ergonomics or the feel of the titanium band around the chassis. So I vowed not to do it.

However, I’m also realistic. My expensive new phone needs some protection, especially when it is being shaken around in my bag or placed on a table. The solution came from the past, as the product I chose brought me back to the way I protected the very first iPhone models I owned when cases were far less common than they are today.
The return of the pouch

Read more
How a tiny, fun phone changed my mind about foldables
A person folding up the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5.

That’s it: the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 has completely changed the way I feel about foldable smartphones.

When the phone was released, its advances over the Galaxy Z Flip 4 prompted me to buy it instead of upgrading my Galaxy Z Fold 4 to a Galaxy Z Fold 5, and now having returned to it after several months, I know I made the right decision. Here’s why.
Big folding phones aren’t changing enough
The Galaxy Z Fold 4 (left) and Galaxy Z Fold 5 Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Read more
You’ve probably never seen an iPhone case like this before
A person holding the Oceanic+ Dive Housing.

You’ve probably never seen an iPhone case like this before, and there’s a very good chance you’ve never used one like it before, either. It’s the Oceanic+ Dive Housing, and it seals your iPhone in a pressured environment to keep it safe so you take photos deep underwater without risking damage. What’s more, it turns your iPhone into a dive computer, and it works alongside your Apple Watch Ultra or Apple Watch Ultra 2.

You may be familiar with Oceanic+, the app that turns the Apple Watch Ultra into a dive computer. It’s being updated to version 2.0, and along with a suite of new features comes compatibility with the new Dive Housing. Put your iPhone inside it, and an automatic vacuum pump starts to seal it safely inside, a process completed after a few minutes and various leak tests. It’s then ready to be taken underwater to a depth of 60 meters and controlled using the Bluetooth-connected physical buttons on the case.

Read more