It looks like the cancelled Lily camera drone might be hitting the market after all, but this is not the flying GoPro alternative originally promised.

Lily Robotics emerged from a successful crowdfunding campaign in 2015 on the promise of a small yet durable drone that could be launched by simply tossing it into the air. Designed as a flying action cam, Lily was supposed to automatically follow and film a user from a set distance by tracking a small device that could be clipped onto a belt. Lily Robotics co-founder Antoine Balaresque said at the time that Lily wanted to be “in the GoPro space, not the drone space,” and he said that his company’s goal was to make all nonflying cameras obsolete within five years.

Lily never got the chance to make that dream a reality, as the drone was officially cancelled in January. Balaresque explained in a blog post that Lily Robotics had been unable to secure financing to manufacture the drones, and he said that the company would be refunding more than $34 million in preorders. Lily Robotics filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in March, and a number of supporters have reportedly still not received refunds.

That seemed to be the end for Lily, but it seems that the drone’s story is not over yet. Mota Group Inc. purchased Lily Robotics’ assets and recently announced that it will be launching Lily Next-Gen, which Mota said is “based on the very same basis Lily was on: Simplicity, Function, and Making a Difference.”

Unfortunately, aside from the black-and-chrome color scheme and a pair of cute decorative eyes, the Lily Next-Gen has little in common with its cancelled predecessor. Most notably, Lily Next-Gen lacks the original’s “toss in the air” takeoff feature, and it is not waterproof, which makes it less desirable for the action cam role for which it was originally intended.

Although Lily Next-Gen is missing the features that would have made original unique, the new drone does have a few improvements, including the ability to shoot in 4k video. The Lily Next-Gen appears to be fold up into a much more compact size than the original would have, making it easier to carry in a backpack. The new drone also offers one-button takeoff, geofencing and other features.

According to Mota Group, Lily Next-Gen is already available for order and will ship within 30 days. The company also has plans to sell the drone at big-box retailers in the future. The new drone costst $499 for direct orders, with a manufacturers’ suggested retail price of $699.

Photo: Mota Group