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Intel enters the commercial drone business with the Falcon 8+
No longer interested in sitting in the background in the drone business, Intel Corp. has revealed its first company-branded drone.
Called the Falcon 8+, the commercial drone weighs only six pounds and, according to Recode, it flies faster than most hobby drones on the market with a maximum speed of 35 miles per hour. The drone incorporates full electronic system redundancy and automated aerial-sensing solutions with best-in-class onboard sensors, as well ad being powered by a triple-redundant AscTec Trinity autopilot.
Intel claims that the drone can capture detailed images down to millimeter accuracy, making it ideal for commercial use where a user requires detailed imagery. Along with already impressive specs, the drone includes backup batteries, a communication system built into the drone itself, and ships with the “Intel Cockpit,” a weatherproof controller with twin joysticks that includes a tablet that allows users to fly the drone as soon as they unpack it.
Expansion
While this is the first time Intel has places its famous brand on a drone, it’s far from the first time Intel has shown an interest in drones. The company acquired drone maker Ascending Technologies GmbH in January, and in 2015 invested $60 million in Hong Kong-based Yuneec International. Intel’s Falcon 8+ is essentially an upgraded version of the AscTec Falcon 8, which is produced by Ascending Technologies, combined with Intel’s 3D depth camera RealSense.
“Drones are an important computing platform for the future, and Intel is positioning itself at the forefront of this opportunity to provide the compute, sensor, communications and cloud integration for the growing drone ecosystem,” Josh Walden, Intel’s senior vice president and general manager of the company’s New Technology Group, said in a blog post. “The system provides detailed images down to millimeter accuracy and gives valuable structural analysis that helps users detect and prevent further damage to infrastructure. Operators will have tremendous opportunities to generate valuable aerial precision data.”
Intel did not reveal how much the drone will cost or when it will be available.
Image credit: Intel
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