Uses Intel And DJI Technology At A $100 Price Point

Ryze Tech, a drone start-up, has completed development of its first intelligent toy drone called the Tello, and is officially debuting the new product at CES 2018 in Las Vegas.

The Tello is a toy drone that balances fun, form and function, with the goal to provide a fun and awesome flying experience for kids and the kid in every adult. Weighing around 80g (2.8 ounces) with a body that is approximately the size of a smartwatch, it can be activated with a quick toss and return to land in the palm of your hands in a matter of seconds.

Tello houses an HD camera and comes with a pre-programmed one-touch flight function called "EZ Shot", letting you capture a 360 video, fly in a circle and command Tello to fly "Up & Out" seamlessly. Now you can spend more time posing for the camera and capture amazing footage, and less time controlling it. Whether you're doing a flip, tossing it into the air or racing it through an obstacle course, controlling the Tello is made simple thanks to the advanced computer vision and stabilization technology that's packed inside.

The aircraft is controlled through the Tello app on a smartphone communicating via Wi-Fi.

The Tello was designed not just for fun, but with ease of use and safety in mind. It comes with flexible propellers, propeller guards and a collision detection system. And when your hands aren't on the controls, Tello hovers in place without drifting. Other features include Auto Takeoff, Auto Landing, and Low Battery Protection. All of this is made possible by the high-performance Intel vision processing unit (VPU) and DJI's best-in-class flight stabilization technology.

The Tello features the Intel Movidius Myriad 2 VPU which receives real-time data from Tello's 5 sensors so it can "see" the world around it. With this dedicated vision intelligence, Tello can hover with astounding accuracy and land on an outstretched palm. With all this intelligence packed inside, users can focus on enjoying the action while Tello handles the rest.

The HD camera on-board the Tello allows you to see what it sees in real time, putting you in the pilot seat. Real-time HD video transmission to your smartphone or tablet will let you experience your world in exciting new ways. It will also be compatible with select third party VR headsets for those that opt for a more exhilarating experience or to get a taste of drone racing.

The ability to code is an important part of literacy and will enable kids to learn about creative problem solving and how to communicate their ideas. Engineers at Ryze have made Tello programmable with Scratch, an MIT-developed coding system that allows kids and teens to learn the basics of programming. Kids can program their Tello to string multiple flips into a single command or create their own flight patterns using MIT Media Lab's easy-to-use block-based coding interface called Scratch.

Flight time is up to 13 minutes, according to the company.

Ryze built the Tello with advanced technology foundations from DJI and Intel. "The Tello is an impressive drone with so much intelligence packed inside such a small package," said Remi-El-Ouazzane, VP and Movidius General Manager, New Technologies Group, Intel. "The incredible vision processing capabilities of the Intel Movidius Myriad 2 enable Ryze to miniaturize the drone and eliminate the need for multiple processors dedicated to each flying function. This is just the beginning of a promising toy market featuring robotics, AI and computer vision technologies."

"The idea of making play an essential part of learning and putting this concept into a drone makes the Tello more than just a toy. It's an opportunity for kids and young engineers to discover the ingenuity and science behind aerial technology. Once they learn how it works, they will be able to do great things with it. We're excited to see the Tello come to life and congratulate Ryze for their accomplishment," said DJI VP Paul Xu.

Priced at $99, the Tello will first be available in China by the end of January 2018 through the Ryze website, and at select resellers. Tello will be available in the United States and other markets after March 2018.

(Images provided with Ryze news release)

FMI: www.ryzerobotics.com