We’re afraid it’s time for Snapchat users to say goodbye to aerial selfies. Snap is apparently grounding Pixy, Snapchat’s first selfie camera drone, ceasing its future development altogether less than four months after takeoff.
According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, CEO Evan Spiegel said in a staff meeting that Snap will be sunsetting Pixy, which was announced during a partner summit in late April. He said that grinding the camera drone’s production to a halt is part of a broader reprioritization of company resources due to the recession.
If you’re a frequent Snapchat user and haven’t gotten your hands on the little photogenic drone, don’t fret. According to a person familiar with the matter, Snap will still sell the remaining inventory of the current iteration of Pixy to customers in the U.S. and France on its dedicated online store. The drone itself costs $230 with the bumper and carrying strap, rechargeable battery, and USB-C charging cable. The flight pack costs $250 because of the additional dual battery charger and extra batteries.
Every flight Pixy takes begins and ends in the palm of your hand. There are four flight modes: Hover, Reveal, Follow, and Orbit. Follow prompts the drone to track your movements and trail behind you as it takes pictures and video; Hover lets it float in place and pans the camera out to any direction you lead it; Reveal backs the drone away from you to show everything in the background; and Orbit takes pictures and video in a 360-degree view.
When the Pixy flight ends, all the images are automatically saved to your Snapchat Memories. From there, you can edit and share them on Snapchat or another platform. The only caveat is that a full battery powers the drone for five to eight flights, so make them worthwhile.
Pixy is the second piece of hardware Snap created after Snapchat Spectacles, a pair of AR camera-equipped sunglasses that debuted in 2016. The third iteration, released in 2019, takes pictures and video in 3D.
Siegel did mention at launch that Pixy would be sold in limited quantities, so it’s not entirely surprising that the device is a short-lived one for Snap. If you’re interested, now is your chance to get the drone before it’s too late.
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