Selfies Are Over. It’s Time For A Dronie!

Oxford Dictionaries made “selfie” a real word in 2013, but they may have to welcome a few others in the nearest future. When it comes to the art of taking the best possible picture of yourself, there is no stopping our enthusiasm and creativity – and “dronies”, selfies taken by a drone, are a great example of that.

No matter what piece of technology makes it into our lives, we always tend to find a way to make it all about ourselves. And drones are not an exception. Having been on service in the military for quite some time, these handy flying devices are making their way into the consumer world and have already been able to land a few jobs in the entertainment and (perhaps one day) delivery industry.

However, the idea of owning a personal mini-plane was not enough for us. We have decided to put an end to the drone’s lazy days of idling in the air and attached a camera onto it. And that’s how it all began.

Look through the winning pictures of drone photography contests and you will realize that we’re on to something. We get to see so much more and explore the world in such a different way.

However, when we are given a new way to take pictures, we can’t help but want to take one of ourselves.

Thus, selfies taken by drones, or “dronies” seem to be conquering the hearts and Instagrams of photo lovers all over the world. Let’s be honest: the idea is nothing short of brilliant and gets rid of the typical selfie give-aways, like an overly extended arm or a shadow from your mobile phone. Just imagine: no weird poses, no mirror reflections, just a perfectly natural picture taken at just the right moment. Sounds like a dream, doesn’t it?

Well, the industry is catching on quickly and these days you can actually get a drone designed specifically for snapping pics of yourself.

Photography-oriented drones like Hexo Plus and Air Dog started as Kickstarter projects, but pretty soon raised way above their initial fundraising targets. Featuring the “auto-follow” function, they promise to take photography to a new level by pretty much taking the matter out of your hands. Literally.

Mini quadcopters like Nixie are a mix of a wearable device, a drone and a camera. Dubbed “the first wearable camera that can fly”, it will sit quietly on your wrist as a stylish bracelet until you feel that pressing need to take a picture. At the tap of a button, it will then miraculously take to the air to fulfill your selfie command.

While some of the above devices, like Hexo Plus ($1,249), are already available for purchase, you may have to wait a bit for flying cameras to get mainstream.

In the meantime, you can always attach your action camera to a standard drone and attempt to take a selfie the old-fashioned way. However, in order to do this you will need to be quite good at controlling your drone and have enough patience to take it slow. You may also need some practice. A recommended exercise is to make the drone circle around you while keeping the camera focused on you. This may sound simple but the reality is much harsher.

For a selection of wholesale quadcopters on Chinavasion, click here.