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Wed, Nov 04, 2015

PhoneDrone Lets Smartphones Fly

Kickstarter Campaign Follows A Deal On Shark Tank

After landing a record breaking $1.5 million dollar deal on ABC’s "Shark Tank", xCraft has begun a Kickstarter campaign for its PhoneDrone Ethos, a small UAV that allows the user's smartphone to fly and automatically follow a subject.

It only took 28 hours for PhoneDrone to surpass its initial Kickstarter goal.

PhoneDrone Ethos allows users to insert an iOS or Android smartphone inside to enjoy footage from heights that were never possible before. The drone leverages the sensor, processor and wireless capabilities of a smartphone to get aerial footage at a fraction of the cost of a typical drone, and is the first UAV that can be controlled by Apple Watch.

“By giving your smartphone wings, we are unlocking a whole new dimension that has never been available to your mobile device” said JD Claridge, president and CEO of xCraft a drone technology startup located in Sandpoint, Idaho.

Spoiler alert for those of you who may record "Shark Tank" on your DVR. The xCraft team appeared on ABC’s hit show Shark Tank on Friday, October 23, and all five sharks (Mark Cuban, Lori Greiner, Kevin O’Leary, Daymond John and Robert Herjavec) closed a deal for a share of 25% in the company, which granted 1.5 million dollars to xCraft’s creation. The sharks all willingly agreed to the deal with clear enthusiasm, and O’Leary announced, “You guys are going to own this market.”

For its Kickstarter campaign, PhoneDrone is available $235 until November 30th.

Founded in 2014 xCraft is a drone technology company located in Sandpoint, Idaho and it’s also know for the X PlusOne, a vertical take-off flying wing that can fly at speeds of up to 60 mph.

(Top images from xCraft website. Lower image from xCraft YouTube video)

FMI: http://xcraft.io/phone-drone,  Kickstarter

 


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