Truth be told, there’s no need for a drone that measures 2.5 inches in diameter to be foldable. I mean, the darn thing is small enough to fit in shirt pockets and most any place else, so a folding form factor is just overkill. Regardless, we’re still loving the fact that Aerix’s tiny Varius FPV Drone can be collapsed into an even smaller bundle.
When folded, the drone measures a tiny 2 x 1 inches (diameter x thickness), with a design that collapses into a compact square. That should make it a lot safer to keep in your pants pocket, since being lined up instead of sticking out should help reduce the likelihood of breaking the propellers during transit. Simply put, there should be less worry about sudden movements constricting the drone enough to inflict any damage.
The Aerix Varius FPV Drone is, basically, an amalgam of the outfit’s different mini-drone models, combining each one’s unique features into a pretty tricked-out quadcopter. For instance, it gets the same FPV video capability as the Vidius Drone, allowing it to transmit a live feed of everything its integrated camera captures over Wi-Fi. Granted, the footage is on the low end of image quality (it only has a 0.3 megapixel sensor), although it should be enough if you’re merely interested in catching a glimpse of the views from its vantage point. Do note, video transmission signal could start fading around 25 meters, so keep that in mind if you like to keep a constant eye on your mini-drone’s position.
It’s equipped with the same powerful motors as the outfit’s Turbo-X drone, giving it the ability to fly at speeds of up to 30 mph. At those speeds, this drone should make for fun toy to use in drone races, while the compact size should leave it a little easier to maneuver around hurdles and obstacles.
Similar to Aerix’s Black Talon model, the Varius FPV also comes with removable blade guards, allowing it to take on a more compact size, whether for storage or actual flight. Granted, flying it without the blade guards will leave it a lot more susceptible to broken propellers, although it really does a lot as far as giving it a smaller form factor, since it adds over an inch (heck, maybe two) to the drone’s diameter size.
Another feature it copies from one of Aerix’s drones (the Aerius) is the ability to be stored into the bundled controller (it needs to be collapsed to do that), ensuring you can safely bring it during transit without having an extra case in tow. Just to complete the roundup, it also takes a page from the outfit’s Wallet drone, which allows it to charge from the bundled controller’s battery panel. Other features include a maximum flight time of seven minutes, three speed modes, a turbo rotation mode, and an altitude assistance module to help you control the drone’s elevation.
Available now directly from Aerix, the Varius FPV Drone is priced at $65.