Skydio, a kitesurfer vanity’s wet dream?

[SaltWaterDog]

This is my first post on the forum so apologies if there is a thread dealing specifically with this already (I haven’t found it while searching the forum).

I don’t fly drones and I don’t have a buddy with a drone licence willing to follow me out on the water either. A common complaint I hear from fellow riders is that they would love to get close shots from an altitude that can give a decent representation of what looks like when boosting and looping off tricks. Well, it seems that answer may have arrived. Would love to know if any of you already know about this product and it’s potential or just your general opinion. Seems a pretty good attempt for a company launching their first iteration of a product and I imagine it won’t be priced crazy high in the not to distant future.

Thanks!

https://youtu.be/pRu_7h1DIgs

[Toby]

Looks pretty amazing!

Anyone tried it if it works with wind?

Just ordered myself a waterproof drone with HD can...for just 110 USD...hope it will work too

[zerogee_ca]

Cool tech for sure. But I wonder how well it sees and understands kites and kite lines?? Lines can be hard to see by the naked eye. Both can be flying toward the drone as it is flying toward them. Not static and heavy like trees.

[andylc]

This one is definitely not 110USD....more like 2500!

[SaltWaterDog]

Cool tech for sure. But I wonder how well it sees and understands kites and kite lines?? Lines can be hard to see by the naked eye. Both can be flying toward the drone as it is flying toward them. Not static and heavy like trees.

Yeah, my first thought was about having it tomahawked into the waves by either oneself or other riders. Judging from the video it does a stellar job of avoiding small leaves and branches while keeping up with the user. From what I’ve read, it has a number of features so you can set it to orbit you (for example) at a distance and program it in a way where you know what kind of shots you will get. It’s obviously not worth it if you’re constantly distracted by having to look around for it on the water.

I think it’s very cool and once it comes down from a price level that doesn’t have me wondering if 2500 dollars isn’t better spent on improving my quiver, I might consider it. A friend of mine in the US has the Mavic Pro and the smallest (much cheaper) DJI drone as well. He sails and says he prefers the mini drone since he doesn’t have to worry about soaking a +1000 dollar gadget.

Who knows, could be a great item in the future..

[Toby]

Supposedly my cheap drone has follow me... and waterproof

[SaltWaterDog]

Supposedly my cheap drone has follow me... and waterproof

Wow! I would appreciate your feedback when you’ve tried it out. 110 bucks almost sounds too good to be true. Or maybe I’ve just been looking in the wrong places..

[Toby]

Sure. Will do !

[plummet]

Supposedly my cheap drone has follow me... and waterproof

110 bucks almost sounds too good to be true.

It will be. It wont be heavy enough or powerful enough to operate in kiteboarding wind.

[SaltWaterDog]

Supposedly my cheap drone has follow me... and waterproof

110 bucks almost sounds too good to be true.

It will be. It wont be heavy enough or powerful enough to operate in kiteboarding wind.

Fair point. Or maybe Toby has a drone connection after all these years moderating the forum? Hehe.