This article was taken from the October 2013 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by <span class="s1">subscribing online.
Flying personal drones have conquered the air -- now Ziphius, an aquatic drone, has its sensors set on the seas. Developed by Azorean Aquatic Technologies, a Portuguese startup based on São Miguel, the drone is powered by a Raspberry Pi and can be controlled via a tablet or smartphone. "It was sort of inspired by the Azores and all the incredible aquatic life around there," says Edmundo Nobre, an environmental engineer and Azorean's CEO. Although the drone doesn't go below the surface, Ziphius can shoot photos and video -- its 1,080p HD camera is attached to a servomotor that tilts 160 degrees, so it can see underwater. "It has visibility provided by design," explains Nobre. "For example, if we are playing in the waves and it drops upside down, it automatically turns."
The drone has two propellers powered by separate brushless motors allowing it to travel at 10kph, make sharp turns and reverse. Azorean is mass-producing the Ziphius to sell at around £130 next year. It is working on augmented-reality apps and plans to push the use of the drone's image-processing abilities so it can behave autonomously -- by chasing a ball, for instance. And, yes, they're developing one with a cup holder.
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
