Clever new method solves VR’s ‘infinite walking’ problem by tricking your brain

One of the ways that virtual reality could be made even more immersive is if users were able to fully explore enormous virtual worlds by physically walking through them. That’s certainly a neat idea, but it’s also something that’s not exactly easy to accomplish when you’re using a VR headset in a small space. After all, nothing ruins the illusion of endless virtual space more than setting out to walk through a sprawling forest only to immediately stub your toe on the dresser five steps in front of you.

Previously, we’ve written about a solution created by researchers in Japan that misleads the brain into thinking it’s walking in a straight line when it’s actually walking in giant circles. That’s pretty neat, but it still requires a “play space” of 16 by 22 feet. A new system, developed by researchers from Stony Brook University, Nvidia, and Adobe, offers an alternative.

“This [project aims to] redirect users’ walking in VR so that they can explore a large virtual scene within a small physical space,” Qi Sun, lead author of the study, told Digital Trends. “We did this with an eye-tracked HMD (head-mounted display) to detect users’ saccade. With the help of human nature [in the form of] ‘saccadic suppression’ effect, users do not notice our redirection.”

Saccades refer to quick eye movements that occur when we are looking at different points in our field of vision, such as when we’re scanning a room. They take place without our control at a rate of several times every second, although we do not consciously register them. What the researchers on this project did was to exploit these saccade movements to rotate the virtual camera in the VR display during such rapid eye movements. By doing this, they can redirect users’ walking direction in real life to simulate a much larger space. This can be done without causing dizziness or discomfort.

Sun offered some potential applications for the redirected walking, including gaming and design work. For instance, an architect could walk around a 3D model of a large building in the confines of their office. Will this technology be commercialized in the near future? Right now, the team is keeping quiet about their plans. “This is currently a research project and neither I nor anyone else could comment on productization plans at this time,” Sun said.

The research is due to be shown off at the SIGGRAPH 2018 event, which showcases the latest computer graphics and interactive technologies, in August.

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The best electric bikes of 2018

As our thoroughfares become increasingly crowded with automotive traffic, more cities have made biking around town safer and more accessible to residents. From 2000 to 2010, the number of bicycle commuters increased by 40 percent across the United States, with numbers as high as 77 percent in some cities, according to data published by Forbes.

In recent years, the biking industry has boomed as manufacturers look to capitalize on increasingly nuanced styles. It should come as no surprise then that the electric bike movement has also enjoyed a massive rise in popularity lately, as individuals look to add a little pedal-assistance to their daily commutes and casual weekend outings.

However, an ebike is often a rather steep initial economic investment. But when you consider it alongside the annual costs of fueling, insuring, and maintaining an automobile, an ebike literally pays for itself over time. Here are five of the best electric bikes currently on the market — and one “just for fun” pick.

Our pick

Specialized Turbo Vado 6.0

Why should you buy this? The Turbo Vado 6.0 remains one of the most well-rounded ebikes we’ve tested.

The best

Specialized Turbo Vado 6.0

The Turbo Vado is a versatile ebike without the added bulk of most other electric builds.

$4,800.00 from Specialized

Who it’s for? Anyone who wants a casual daily commuter.

How much will it cost? $4,800

Why we chose the Specialized Turbo Vado 6.0:

On a trip to Palo Alto last year, we had the chance to ride Specialized’s pedal-assisted Turbo Vado and the model is still our favorite ebike on the market. Utilizing a 350-watt motor and 604-watt-hour lithium-ion battery, the Turbo Vado is capable of traveling a whopping 80 miles on a single charge, which should be more than enough for any daily commute with plenty of miles left over.

Built by a company that’s made cycling equipment for more than four decades, the Vado feels more like a traditional bicycle than almost any other ebike. Its frame and components have been tuned to provide a familiar experience, making it easy for new and long-time cyclists to jump on and start pedaling. Specialized’s heritage shines through nicely, helping separate itself from the competition in an increasingly crowded ebike market.

On the road, it takes only a few turns of the pedals to activate the Vado’s motor and get it up to speed. In Turbo mode — the bike’s highest level of pedal-assist — the Vado reaches speeds of up to 28 miles per hour, after which the electric drive system automatically shuts off to conserve power (and abide by local law). A built-in LED readout on the handlebars allows riders to monitor battery life, check current speed, and track calories burned while also being able to glance at distance traveled. The Turbo Vado Mission Control app (iOS/Android) also connects to the bike via Bluetooth and allows riders to further tune their ride and adjust the bike’s settings.

We ran the Vado through the gauntlet — including some of the steepest hills in Palo Alto — and the bike easily handled everything we threw at it, maintaining a steady 20 miles per hour even on the most daunting of ascents. The bike also handles well on downhills and is both nimble and quick on city streets and paved trails. It’s even comfortable to ride for extended distances, which is vitally important for any bike built for urban settings.

It’s important to note that the Vado is custom-tuned for city riding, making it a great choice for daily commutes to and from the office or running errands on the weekend. That said, if you’re looking for an ebike for more difficult terrain, there are other options on this list better suited to that task.

Read more about the Specialized Turbo Vado

The best mountain bike

Haibike SDURO HardNine 4.0

Why should you buy this?  Relatively lightweight, affordable, and capable, this is a great all-around mountain bike.

The best electric mountain bike

Haibike SDURO HardNine 4.0

The Haibike SDURO HardNine 4.0 is built to dominate the trail.

$1,499.00 from Fly Rides

Who it’s for? Year-round mountain bike enthusiasts looking to make ascents easier.

How much will it cost? $2,600

Why we chose the Haibike SDURO HardNine 4.0:

Electric mountain bikes have garnered a lot of attention for their ability to help riders go higher, further, and faster on the trail. As a result, there have been some impressive new eMTB models to hit the market in recent years, making it easier than ever to head off-road. Our favorite is the Haibike SDURO HardNine, which comes equipped with a 350-watt Bosch Performance CX drive and a 500 watt-hour battery. This gives it a range of up to 70 miles, along with a top speed of 20 mph, which is plenty fast on singletrack.

Haibike ships the HardNine with 29-inch tires, 180-millimeter hydraulic disc brakes, a 100-millimeter front suspension fork, and a nine-speed Shimano shifting system. The bike’s LCD readout is affixed to the handlebars and displays the current speed, level of charge, remaining range, and current pedal assist mode. The company says the battery can be completely recharged in just four hours, minimizing downtime between rides.

Fast and fun on the trail, the SDURO HardNine handles rough terrain with ease, while its large tires roll over most obstacles without missing a beat. The pedal assist makes for quick, energy-saving climbing and the bike descends surprisingly well, too. Its front suspension provides a nice level of cushion on bumpy trails and while we missed having a full-suspension on this model, that would have added additional weight and costs.

Priced at just $2,600, the Haibike SDURO HardNine 4.0 is easier on the pocketbook than most other e-mountain bikes, while still delivering great performance. That makes it easy to recommend as an all-mountain ride for a wide variety of mountain bikers.

The best commuter

Raleigh Redux IE Diamond Frame

Why should you buy this? Built for the urban commuter, this bike is fast, comfortable, and features great range.

The best commuter electric bike

Raleigh Redux IE Diamond Frame

You’ll be able to travel from home to the office or run errands in style with the Raleigh Redux IE Diamond Frame.

$2,699.00 from Raleigh Electric

Who it’s for? Inner city commuters.

How much will it cost? $2,699

Why we chose the Raleigh Redux IE Diamond Frame:

Another bike that comes our way courtesy of a traditional bike maker, the Raleigh Redux IE Diamond Frame was built from the ground up for urban commuting. With its clean, simple design, this is an electric bike that doesn’t look like an ebike, yet still delivers impressive performance on the road.

Powered by a 250-watt Brose Centerdrive system, the Redux is capable of reaching speeds of up to 28 mph, which comes in handy when dodging traffic. Its 36-volt lithium-ion battery provides enough juice to give the bike a range of up to 80 miles between recharges, making it a great option for daily commuters. Raleigh even outfitted the bike with wide tires which provide stability and traction, even when the road gets wet. Other key features include a 10-speed Shimano crankset and shifters and a built-in LCD screen that displays all the usual information.

The Redux’s stealthy design manages to hide the bike’s battery in the downtube, which helps conceal the fact that it’s an ebike at first glance. This gives it a more traditional look that should appeal to riders who aren’t overly enamored with the chunky style of other ebikes. It also helps make the bike a bit more nimble, too.

The best road bike

Giant Road E+1

Why should you buy this? The Giant Road E+1 is an elegant touring option.

The best commuter electric bike

Giant Road E+1

You’ll be able to travel from home to the office or run errands in style with the Raleigh Redux IE Diamond Frame.

$4,130.00 from Giant

Who it’s for? Road bike enthusiasts.

How much will it cost? $4,130

Why we chose the Giant Road E+1:

Riding a pedal-assisted road bike may seem counterintuitive but during longer training sessions, the minimal addition of power helps prevent overall muscle fatigue and injury. Similarly, those looking to enjoy longer scenic routes will appreciate the general boost an electric drive provides. With a top speed of 28 mph, the Road E+1 uses three power modes to give you ultimate control over your ride and assistance level. A four-point sensory system monitors the pedaling force allowing the motor to amplify your movements seamlessly.

One of our favorite features with the Road E+1 is the ergonomic Ride Control EVO command station. Unlike other control centers, this display is mounted onto the center of the handlebars, keeping the controls literally at your fingertips. At higher speeds, balance is key and this module enables control over the system and the fork at all times.

Giant didn’t skimp on traditional cycling components, either. The bike comes standard with an 11-speed Shimano crankset, hydraulic disc brakes, and a lightweight aluminum frame. It also features an aggressive geometry designed for road riding and ships with a fast-charger to keep the electric motor powered up.

The frame itself incorporates a series of mounts allowing you to easily trick-out the Road E+1 with a rack, fenders, or panniers to more aptly meet your touring requirements. Again, most touring purists will certainly scoff at the mere notion of pedal-assistance, however, individuals looking for more of a guided tour and less of a tour de force will swoon over the Road E+1.

The best budget option

Espin Sport

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

Why should you buy this? The Espin Sport is a solid economic ebike option.

Our Score

The best budget option electric bike

eSpin Sport Black

The Espin Sport is an exceptionally practical ebike priced under $2,000.

$1,888.00 from Espin

Who it’s for? Those looking to buy their first ebike without breaking the bank.

How much will it cost? $1,888

Why we chose the Espin Sport:

Purchasing an ebike can be a rather hefty initial investment, and there are dozens of worthy makes and models to choose from. That said, some individuals may desire a solid pedal-assistance model without a bevy of extra frills and the Espin Sport is our top budget-specific pick.

Overall, the Epsin has a no-nonsense, blue-collar build we absolutely love. It utilizes a 20-inch diamond frame that looks and feels like a traditional road bike. A sturdy, rear-mounted luggage rack stows up to 55 pounds of cargo, which should be more than enough for a trip to the store, commuting to the office, or a short day trip.

The Espin is powered by a 350-watt motor that’s rated for trips up to 50 miles (depending on the terrain and assist level). Once depleted, the battery fully charges in roughly five hours. Thankfully, Espin makes it easy to remove the battery, allowing you to quickly recharge it at home or in the office between trips. A backlit LCD control hub displays your basic metrics and battery life while in transit and LED headlights add a touch of light when needed.

Yes, there are less expensive ebikes on the market but most come with a few serious caveats. The Espin Sport delivers on the full promise of an electric bike, but in a more affordable fashion. This bike isn’t going to tow you around for a 60-mile round-trip endeavor but those seeking their first ebike will get plenty of return on their investment with this model.

Read our review of the Espin Sport

The best eco-conscious off-road bike

Cake Kalk

Why should you buy this? If you enjoy getting out in nature on two wheels and you’re concerned about the environment.

The best electric mountain bike

Cake Kalk

Cake’s Kalk is an off-road ebike that’s silent, clean, and just a blast to ride.

$1,000.00 from Cake

Who’s it for? Serious off-road riders who want a silent ride.

How much will it cost? $14,000

Why we chose the Cake Kalk:

The electric bike revolution has officially crossed into the arena of off-road motorbikes. For those who prefer riding in nature, Cake introduced a product which not only respects the environment but other riders, as well. Cake’s Kalk is a silent off-road motorbike that releases no emissions into the atmosphere. Additionally, its electric motor means no gear changing or clutching — a silent motorbike that won’t detract from the experience of others. Perhaps the best part is Cake avoided any sacrifice in performance. The Kalk reaches speeds of fifty miles per hour and features three distinct driving modes: Discover, Explore, and Excite.

Discover is ideal for those just getting their feet wet while Explore is designed for longer, more exciting rides. For an extra kick, Excite mode allows for optimum power and acceleration, perfect for executing wheelies and performing tricks.

In addition, Kalk weighs under 155 pounds — less than half of traditional motorbikes. Cake customized parts of the drivetrain and implemented an interior permanent magnet (IPM) motor. On a single charge, the bike travels up to 50 miles and as a bonus feature, maintenance is minimal due to the fact there are few moving parts thanks to its lack of a combustion engine.

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We may be ready for autonomous cars, but how about self-driving bikes?

We’re totally onboard for being driven around in a self-driving car. For whatever reason, though, a self-driving motorbike sounds a whole lot more terrifying. Nonetheless, that’s what U.K.-based company AB Dynamics has developed — although it’s not something that you will be riding on any time soon. Unlike regular self-driving cars, the self-driving bike does not have the same complex ability to make sense of its environment. Instead, it is able to balance itself and to follow a path accurately and with a high degree of repeatability. The reason? To simulate real-world driving conditions on test tracks to help train future autonomous or semi-autonomous cars.

“Increasingly, cars are fitted with active safety systems whose job is to detect a possible collision and avoid it,” Jeremy Ash, commercial manager for AB Dynamics, told Digital Trends. “These systems are very complex to develop and, as part of that process, you need to expose your car to the type of scenario it might encounter on the road. Often these tests are done with ‘soft dummies’ which represent moving pedestrians, cyclists, motorbikes, and cars but can be safely struck by the test vehicle. But for some tests 100 percent representative targets are needed, hence real cars — which we can already drive with no one onboard thanks to our robots — and, now, a real motorbike. This could also be used for testing fully self-driving cars, which need to be able to navigate through complex traffic environments without hitting other road users. We are seeing a lot of interest in using our technology to reproduce these traffic environments with moving cars, pedestrians, and other road users.”

AB Dynamics

So far, AB Dynamics has demonstrated the feasibility of its self-driving bike, although only in prototype form. Next up, the company aims to develop this into a production item. This could potentially then be sold to one or more of the 25 largest car manufacturers in the world, which AB Dynamics already supplies test equipment to.

There is the chance of one day developing this into a publicly available self-driving bike, but Ash pointed out that this would require “a lot more R&D” of the sort that companies are now carrying out for autonomous cars. This work is being conducted by AB’s development partner, AutoRD. The question is whether you would be willing to ride one?

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World’s first 3D-printed cornea made from algae and human stem cells

The human eye is a remarkably sophisticated organ and like the lens to a camera, it’s the cornea that focuses the flood of photons into a perceptible image. But for an estimated 15 million people around the world, eye disease and trauma make surgery the only path to clear vision.

In the next few years, artificial corneas may become more accessible thanks to new research out of Newcastle University in the United Kingdom. There, researchers mixed stem cells from the cornea of a healthy donor with collagen and algae molecules to create a bio-ink, which they 3D-printed into an artificial cornea. The research is currently just a proof-of-concept but lays the groundwork for future techniques to create low-cost, easy-to-produce bionic eyes.

There were three features required for the bio-ink, according to Che Connon, a professor of tissue engineering at Newcastle.

“One, it needed to be able to keep a stem cell population alive,” he told Digital Trends. “It needed to be extrudable, or thin enough to push through a thin gauge needle to allow for bio-printing. And the material needed to be stiff enough such that it holds it shape, allowing to build up a 3D cornea.”

Connon and his colleagues previously managed to keep stem cells alive for weeks at room temperature in a similar bio-ink. This recent study advanced that research by using a ready-made bio-ink packed with stem cells, without having to wait for the cells to grow separately. The team also demonstrated that they could tailor their 3D-printed cornea to match the unique dimensions of a patient’s eye by taking an image of the cornea and rendering it as a 3D model.

It will take some years still until 3D-printed corneas make it to the market. But, if and when that does happen, the research will prove most beneficial for developing regions where cases of corneal damage is highest and supply of donor corneas are most limited.

“There’s a lack of donor cornea, especially in the less developed world,” Connon said. “They don’t have good eye banks there like they do in the more developed world. That means many people don’t have access to corneal transplantation. And in these less developed nations, there are more instances of burns and infections that can cause corneal blindness.”

A paper detailing the research was published this week in the journal Experimental Eye Research.

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Drones are helping efforts to free whales from dangerous marine debris

Quadcopters and other remotely controlled flying machines are finding all kinds of amazing uses, well beyond just capturing stunning photos or helping filmmakers to secure some awesome aerial shots.

Take this recent ocean-based collaboration as an example. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary teamed up with Oceans Unmanned, whose goal is to protect oceans and coastal marine environments through the use of drones.

The focus of this particular partnership, highlighted in a video posted on YouTube this week, is to help disentangle whales around Hawaii from discarded fishing kit and other ocean debris that can injure or drown the mammal, or prevent it from feeding.

It’s dangerous work and the team has to approach the creatures, which may be in a great deal of distress, with extreme care.

NOAA’s Ed Lyman, who’s been helping whales for more than 25 years, has warmly welcomed drone technology into his work. He says the camera-equipped machines, which relay real-time footage to the rescue team, help his boats to “minimize approaches, give us a different view — an aerial view — of the gear and the animal’s condition … it reduces our risk, having that drone in the toolbox makes the whole procedure a much safer one.”

Lyman can thank Matt Pickett, a trained pilot and president of Oceans Unmanned, for the extra assistance offered by the eye in the sky. Picket launched the nonprofit company five years ago with the aim of bringing unmanned technology to ocean protection, using small drones launched from response boats or smaller support vessels.

“You can get a better look at the whales [and] figure out what’s going on, with less risk to both the responders and the whales,” Pickett said, adding that “using tech for environmental good is a really fantastic feeling,”

The video was produced by drone maker DJI as part of its Stories collection highlighting the various ways in which its machines are being used for positive purposes.

Drone rescue

Besides assisting whales in distress, drone technology is also being utilized right now — again in Hawaii — to help emergency response teams rescue residents from the lava flows from Kilauea volcano on the Big Island.

A number of drone experts also assisted with relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, which caused widespread damage in Houston, Texas, in 2017.

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Finally, an ‘umbrella drone’ that hovers above your head

If holding a parasol or umbrella has always felt like too much trouble, then this contraption from Japan looks to be just the ticket.

At first glance, it looks like a drone with a parasol/umbrella attached. Actually, it looks like that with subsequent glances too, because that’s exactly what it is.

Put to one side, if you can, any negative thoughts about the ear-splitting racket it’ll make above your head as you go about your day, and marvel instead at all of the incredible things you’ll be able to do with two free hands instead of the usual one.

Like applauding amazing happenings, fiddling with your massive smartphone display, performing fascinating TED Talks (outdoors in sunny or rainy conditions, obviously) using both hands to emphasize interesting points, or counting the number of dollars you wasted on this daft device (you’ll definitely need more than five fingers for that).

If you’re thinking that having fast-spinning rotors just inches from your head may put you at risk of an impromptu haircut (or worse), then rest assured, the final design will include caged blades.

Speaking of final designs, the company that came up with the drone — Asahi Power Service — has released another video (above) showing the motor and rotors in a more elevated position, a little further away from the brave person standing beneath it. It also looks more like a traditional umbrella, with a handle, suggesting it would only be activated in short bursts when you need both hands to perform a particular task, such as taking a golf shot.

Indeed, with strict regulations still preventing widespread use of drones in urban areas, Asahi Power Service says it wants to begin by aiming its marketing efforts toward golf players who can use it while they take their shots.

According to SoraNews, the company plans to start selling its umbrella/drone combo for the princely sum of 30,000 yen (about $275), starting next year.

Drones are turning out to be amazing for a lot of things. This isn’t one of them. For those who want to keep both hands free as they shield themselves from extreme weather, we suggest a far more sensible option: The umbrella hat.

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Freakishly accurate A.I. security system identifies you based on your footsteps

From our voice to our faces to more unorthodox methods like our “heartprint,” there are a growing number of ways for computers to recognize their users. We have yet to come across one based on our footsteps, however. Researchers from the U.K.’s University of Manchester and Spain’s Universidad Autonoma de Madrid are working to change that. A new A.I. biometric verification method can successfully identify individuals by the way they walk across a pressure pad on the floor. The technology could one day be used as an alternative, or augmentation, to existing biometric identification system in places like airports.

“We have realized that sensing human gait has biometric potential from the early days when we demonstrated the Manchester ‘Magic Carpet’ to user groups back in 2010,” Krikor Ozanyan, Professor of Photonic Sensors & Systems at Manchester, told Digital Trends. “However, decisive progress has been made recently by using artificial intelligence to process the floor senor data in a new way. As the latest development, we teamed up with Universidad Autonoma de Madrid to apply our existing models, and to develop new ones, for experimenting on an existing unique footstep database SFootDB — containing a single stride from a large number of individuals.”

In test conditions, the footstep-recognizing A.I. was able to correctly identify individuals with close to perfect accuracy, with an error rate of just 0.7 percent.

According to Ozanyan, the methodology could be particularly useful for identifying individuals in crowded locations, such as on an airport concourse. Despite a recent story from China claiming that a known criminal was identified using facial recognition in a crowd of thousands, such approaches may not necessarily prove effective. On the other hand, the ability to single out known individuals from a large group of unknowns by getting them to cross a pressure-sensing threshold could be extremely helpful. It could also potentially be used in smart home environments to recognize individual members of the family or household.

“The use of artificial intelligence on footstep data is efficient from the point of view of cost of deployment, resources, upgrades, connectivity and privacy concerns,” Ozanyan continued. “Beyond biometrics, the home scenario is the entry point for the huge area of healthcare, where the occupants’ gait can be monitored over a very long period of time so that subtle changes in their gait patterns can be attributed to normal ageing or to cognitive decline — possibly linked to the early onset of mental illness.”

A paper describing the work was recently published in the journal, IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence.

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The best drones of 2018

In just the past few years, drones have transformed from a geeky hobbyist affair to a full-on cultural phenomenon. They’re everywhere now, and they’re available in just about any shape, size, or configuration you could ever want. The market is absolutely saturated with them now, even including some fantastic models under $500. so to help you navigate the increasingly large and ever-changing landscape of consumer UAVs, we put together a definitive list of the best drones on the planet right now. So without further ado, here’s the cream of the quadcopter crop.

At a glance

• DJI Mavic Air: Best drone overall (4.5 out of 5 stars)
• Yuneec Breeze: Best drone for beginners (3.5 out of 5 stars)
• Ryze Tello: Best cheap drone
• DJI Inspire 2: Best drone for filmmakers (4 out of 5 stars)
• QAV250 Mini FPV Carbon Fiber Edition: Best drone for racing
• Parrot Mambo: Best drone for kids
• DJI Spark: Best selfie drone (4 out of 5 stars)

DJI Mavic Air

The best

Dan Baker/Digital Trends
Dan Baker/Digital Trends

Why you should buy this: It has all the features you need in a drone, yet is still compact enough to fit in a backpack or purse

Our Score

The best

DJI Mavic Air

It has all the premium features you’ve ever wanted, and it takes up less space than an Xbox controller

$799.00 from DJI

Who it’s for: Anyone looking for a full-featured yet highly portable drone

How much it’ll cost: $799

Why we chose the DJI Mavic Air:

What makes the Mavic Air so amazing is that, despite the fact that it’s one of the most compact and portable drones we’ve ever flown, it’s also one of the most capable and full-featured. It’s equipped with a 4K camera, a 3-axis gimbal, forward/backward/downward obstacle avoidance, tons of autopilot modes, range over four miles, and somehow it still fits in the palm of your hand. It’s living proof that scaling down size doesn’t necessarily mean scaling back on features, and that big things really can come in small packages.

The portability factor is huge. Thanks to a very clever hinge system, the Mavic’s arms fold up into a neat little package just smaller than the dimensions of your average brick, which makes it a breeze to stuff in your backpack or messenger bag and lug along on your adventures. Photographers always say that the best camera is the one you have with you, and the same could definitely be said for drones. If it’s portable, you’re far more likely to have it with you when you need it.

When it comes to portable drones, the Mavic Air has no equal — although the Mavic Pro is still a pretty solid contender. It boasts slightly better camera specs and lasts a bit longer in the air, but it also costs an extra $200.

Read our full DJI Mavic Air review

Yuneec Breeze

The best drone for beginners

Rich Shibley/Digital Trends
Rich Shibley/Digital Trends

Why you should buy this: Because it’s easy to fly, relatively cheap, reasonably durable, and also provides you with plenty of room to grow and progress as a pilot

Our Score

The best drone for beginners

Yuneec Breeze

With a 4K camera, a portable design, and a price tag under 500, this drone is a fantastic starting point for newbies

$185.99 from Amazon

Who its for: Novice pilots who want a durable, easy-to-fly drone with a decent camera and a plethora of upgrade options

How much it’ll cost: $200-$230

Why we chose the Yuneec Breeze:

Some people will tell you that beginner pilots should cut their teeth on lower-end drones, but in our expert opinion, that’s nonsense. Why? Crappier drones are harder and less reliable to fly, which means that you’re far more likely to crash and destroy them. We think its a smarter idea to start out with a slightly nicer drone with reliable, responsive controls, a decent warranty, and a design that’s easy to repair or upgrade.

With these goals in mind, Yuneec’s Breeze is a fantastic choice for any greenhorn drone pilot. It is relatively cheap, but not so cheap that you’ll be encouraged to fly carelessly. It also has a pretty decent 4K camera on the undercarriage, and boasts an ultraportable form factor that makes transport, well, a Breeze.

And the best part? You can fly it with your smartphone, or pick up Yuneec’s dedicated controller system if you want tighter, more responsive controls. In other words, if you start with this drone, you’ll be able to learn the ins and outs of piloting a quadcopter — but more importantly, you’ll also be able to upgrade your setup as your skills progress and your needs change.

Read our full Yuneec Breeze review

Ryze Tello

The best cheap drone

Why you should buy this: Despite costing just $99 bucks, this little bugger boasts all the essential features you need.

The best cheap drone

Ryze Tello Quadcopter

Tello is proof positive that big things can come in little (and affordable) packages

$99.00 from Amazon

$49.99 from Monoprice.com

Who it’s for: Anyone who wants an affordable drone that’s easy to fly

How much it’ll cost: $99

Why we chose the Ryze Tello drone:

Generally speaking, drones that cost less than $100 bucks aren’t worth your time. They’re flimsy, they lack advanced features, and they’re almost always squirrely as hell in the air. But Tello is different. Despite the fact that it retails for only $99, it boasts a boatload of high-end features and functionality. Under the hood you’ll find a 14-core Intel vision processing chip, flight stabilization tech from DJI, a 5 megapixel camera capable of shooting 720p HD video, and a battery that gets you 13 minutes of flight time.

Unfortunately, this one doesn’t come with a controller, which means you’re forced to pilot Tello via virtual joysticks on a smartphone app: a control method that’s notoriously mushy and imprecise. The good news, though, is that Ryze built the drone with third-party peripherals in mind, so if you prefer to fly with physical sticks under your thumbs, you can pick up a GameSir T1d controller and link it to your bird. We think it’s well worth the extra $30 bucks!

DJI Inspire 2

The best drone for filmmakers

Why you should buy this: Because it’s a professional camera drone that’s ready to fly, straight out of the box

Our Score

The best drone for filmmakers

DJI Inspire 2

If you’re after a professional camera drone that’s ready-to-fly straight out of the box, look no further

$2,999.00 from Amazon.com

Who it’s for: Amateur and professional filmmakers who don’t want to build a custom camera drone rig

How much it’ll cost: $3,000

Why we chose the DJI Inspire 2:

There’s a reason you see DJI’s Inspire showing up everywhere from movie sets to Enrique Iglesias concerts — it’s a beast. The Inspire 2 boasts some seriously impressive specs: a controllable range of up to 4.3 miles, a top speed of 67 miles per hour, forward obstacle avoidance, and all the stabilization and autopilot features you could ever ask for in a drone. But the camera is definitely the star of the show.

DJI’s latest Zenmuse cam, the X5S, is a mirrorless Micro Four Thirds camera made specifically for aerial photography and cinematography. It shoots in 5.2K at 30 frames per second (or 4K at 60), takes 20.4 megapixel stills, and boasts a ridiculously wide ISO range of 100 – 25,600. As an added bonus, this rig is cradled inside a vibration dampened 3-axis gimbal, so your footage comes out silky smooth no matter how crazily you fly. 

DJI’s control system is also fantastic. The revamped DJI Go app puts all of the camera’s advanced controls right at your fingertips. Shutter speed, aperture, and ISO can be adjusted with just a few taps, and focus can be set by simply tapping on the subject. With a setup like this, you don’t even need prior film experience or piloting skills to get professional-looking footage.

Read our full DJI Inspire 2 review

Lumenier QAV250 Mini FPV Carbon Fiber Edition

The best drone for racing

Why you should buy this: Because you want a drone you can race and upgrade, but don’t want to build one from scratch

The best drone for racing

Lumenier QAV250 Mini FPV Carbon Fiber Edition

The Lumenier QAV250 is a solid drone to start racing with and it features a customizable design.

$402.14 from Amazon.com

Who it’s for: Novice and intermediate racing pilots

How much it’ll cost: $434

Why we chose the Lumenier QAV250 Mini FPV Carbon Fiber Edition:

Lumenier’s QAV250 wins our pick for the best racing drone for a few different reasons, but the first and most important is that it is modular and customizable. You can buy it pre-assembled from Lumenier, and while the stock configuration should be more than enough to satisfy pilots who are new to drone racing, you are also not locked in to that configuration forever. If you ever feel like upgrading your drone, you can easily swap out any of the parts for newer, better gear.

This flexibility is crucial. If you look at the winners of most drone races, you’ll notice that most pros fly their own custom drone rigs that can be tweaked and tuned to boost performance. The technology that powers drone racing is progressing at a breakneck pace, and the last thing you want to do is dump a bunch of money into a pre-built racing rig that’ll become obsolete in a few months. The best course of action is to get a rig that’ll get you in the air and racing, but also allow you to evolve — and that’s precisely what the QAV250 will do.

Parrot Mambo

The best drone for kids

Parrot

Why you should buy this: It’s stable and easy to fly, and it comes with a range of fun attachments.

The best drone for kids

Parrot Mambo

Parrot’s Mambo drone is one of the most stable and approachable mini drones we’ve tested.

$179.99 from Parrot USA

$159.00 from Amazon.com

Who it’s for: Kids and adults who want a drone that can shoot darts

How much it’ll cost: $120

Why we chose the Parrot Mambo:

Truth be told, you can get a cheaper drone that your kid will probably go bonkers over just the same, but they’ll actually be able to fly this one. There are a boatload of mini drones out there right now that you can get for under $50 — but in our experience, the vast majority of them are too squirrelly and difficult to master for your average kid.

Parrot’s new Mambo is different. Unlike most other mini drones, this one is actually designed specifically for kids. In addition to a boatload of motion sensors and advanced autopilot software that keeps the drone stable, Mambo also comes with a handful of attachments that make it more fun and engaging than a basic quadcopter. Inside the box you’ll find a cannon attachment, 50 foam cannon balls, and a grabber arm that can clamp and carry small objects.

And the best part? Parrot also gives you the option of piloting via smartphone or with a dedicated dual-joystick controller. The Flypad, as it’s called, is sold separately for $40 bucks, but it might be worth the extra dough if you don’t have a spare smartphone lying around and don’t feel like handing your kid your brand new iPhone every time he/she feels like flying.

DJI Spark

The best selfie drone

Why you should buy this: Because you want something portable that you can fly without a controller

Our Score

The best selfie drone

DJI Spark

DJI’s Spark is one of the most portable and user-friendly drones on the market right now.

$399.00 from DJI

$334.00 from Amazon

Who it’s for: Anyone who wants to take epic selfies

How much it’ll cost: $500

Why we chose the DJI Spark:

If there’s one thing DJI is good at, it’s stuffing a ton of features and functionality into increasingly small drones — and nothing showcases this talent more than the Spark. Despite the fact that the drone’s hull is roughly the size of a Twinkie, DJI somehow managed to cram in many of the same goodies you’d find under the hood of the Spark’s bigger, bulkier, and more expensive brothers.

Aside from its tiny and hyper-portable design, the Spark’s biggest feature is arguably its plethora of intelligent flying modes. In addition to DJI’s standard stuff, the Spark sports a handful of brand-new modes, including Rocket, Dronie, Circle, and Helix (more on those in a moment). The drone also comes with gesture recognition abilities, which allow it to be operated without a smartphone or controller.

Another big addition is Spark’s obstacle avoidance system. While the ability to sense and avoid objects is usually a feature reserved for larger drones, DJI went ahead and built one into the hull of the Spark. It’s not quite as robust as what you’ll find on the Phantom 4, or even the Mavic Pro, but it still serves its purpose, and helps you avoid crashes.

Oh, and let’s not forget about the camera. In addition to a 12-megapixel camera that shoots video in 1080p at 30 frames per second, the Spark also sports a two-axis gimbal. This lets it mechanically stabilize the camera and cancel out any jarring, shaky movements — resulting in smoother, better-looking footage. This also gives it a leg up on the competition; most selfie drones only feature single-axis mechanical stabilization.

Read our full DJI Spark review

How we test drones

Build quality & Design

the first thing we do when we get a new drone is beat it up a little bit. We don’t kick it down the stairs or anything, but we’ll give it a few knocks, twists, and shallow drops to assess the build quality and durability. Does it feel flimsy, or does it feel like it could survive a crash landing in the park? We give each review unit a light beating (and usually a couple unintentional crash landings) before we give you a definitive answer on how durable it is.

Flight performance, range, and autonomy

To gauge flight performance, we put the drone through a number of tests to see how the manufacturer’s claims hold up. First we take it to a local football field and see how fast it can clear 100 yards, then do some calculations to get an objective reading on speed in miles per hour. After that, we do a similar test to assess ascent and descent speeds, and all the while, we’re also taking notes on how responsive the controls are, how stable the craft is, how far it can go before it’s out of range, and what the overall piloting experience is like compared to other drones.

Battery life and charge time

After we’ve taken the drone out to play for a while and jotted down a few notes about how long the battery lasts, we put it on the charger and grab a stopwatch to determine recharge time. Then we take it back out and do a hover test. By flying the drone in the least demanding conditions, we can get a sense of what the maximum flight time is. And finally, we take it out a few more good, hard flights to find out how long the battery lasts (on average) under normal conditions.

Camera, accessories, and upgradability

If the drone we’re testing happens to have a camera capable of recording, we capture as much footage as we possibly can. We’ll shoot in dark places, light places, and places with lots of color and contrast. This footage is then compared to all the highlight reels that we filmed with other drones, which helps us get a sense of the camera’s strengths and weaknesses. We also test any accessories that accompany the camera, like lenses, filters, gimbals, or FPV goggles. Finally, we’ll also let you know if the camera setup is upgradable, so you wont be stuck with an outdated shooter in two years.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Take to the skies with the best drones under $500
• DJI Spring Sale: Score a new DJI drone for as little as $399
• DJI Mavic Air review
• DJI Mavic Air vs Mavic Pro: Which drone is better?
• Here’s all the best gear and gadgetry you can snag for $100 or less

A new laser eye surgery fixes your vision without any gnarly eyeball slicing

As someone who wears glasses, the idea of corrective laser eye surgery is certainly tempting. But then you start reading about how the invasive surgery is actually performed, along with some of (admittedly rare) risks, and suddenly glasses don’t seem so bad. Things could change, however, thanks to research coming out of Columbia University. Researchers there have developed a new noninvasive laser eye surgery which could permanently correct vision — minus any of the less pleasant-sounding aspects of regular laser surgery.

“The main difference between our approach and commonly used refractive surgeries is that in our method there is no flap cutting and no ablation,” Sinisa Vukelic, a researcher on the project, told Digital Trends. “Patients with thin corneas and other abnormalities that make them ineligible for refractive surgery could be treated with the proposed treatment, which in turn increases the population of eligible patients.”

The new methods involve something called a femtosecond oscillator, an ultrafast laser capable of delivering pulses of low energy very quickly. Using this laser, it’s possible to change the biochemical and biomechanical properties of the eye’s corneal tissue. Unlike laser-assisted corrective surgeries like Lasik, this can be done without thinning — and thereby potentially weakening — the cornea. Instead, the procedure involves using the laser to ionize the water molecules within the cornea. This creates a reaction oxygen molecule which interacts with collagen fibrils to selectively form “crosslinks” or chemical bonds that change the eye’s properties. Doing this can alter the overall corneal curvature of the eye, modifying its refractive power in order to correct the patient’s vision.

“We have done a lot of basic science to prove the principle and establish the technique,” Vukelic continued. “We have also done a lot of work on animal models which has proven the efficacy of the proposed treatment. At the moment, we are working on a clinical prototype. We do hope to disseminate this technology to the public, and we also hope that it will be widely adopted.” Clinical trials are planned to begin by the end of 2018.

A paper describing the work was recently published in the journal Nature Photonics.

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The Mito drone captures underwater action without the nausea-inducing footage

Underwater drones open up ocean exploration without getting wet, but placing a drone in the current can create some shaky footage. Startup Navatics is attempting to fight that with an aquatic drone equipped with stabilization. Now on Kickstarter, the Navatics Mito is a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) with a 4K camera and advanced active stabilization.

The Mito uses a floating teether to transmit signals to the controller, but the teether also uses a built-in solar panel to extend the battery life of the drone from two hours to up to a four-hour run time. The drone is rated to dive to 135 feet and the teether allows for 165 feet of navigation away from the float.

The drone uses four thrusters to move underwater and can also tilt up or down up to 45 degrees without changing the depth. Mito can travel as fast as four knots, which is about 6.5 feet per second.

The ROV is equipped with a 4K, 30 fps camera for video, with eight megapixel still photos. Two LED video lights are also built onto the drone. Underwater footage often suffers from odd colors, so the drone’s app, available on iOS and Android, also has built-in color correction.

The drone is operated with an included controller that also uses a slot to attach a smartphone. The built-in camera can livestream to the app for navigation in 1080p quality.

Navatics says they built the Mito to fit into a carry-on suitcase or backpack at 15 inches on the longest side. The drone weighs 6.6 pounds.

“With Navatics Mito, our goal is to create an underwater drone with the ability to stream high-quality video and maneuver with maximum stability to get the best footage,” Navatics CEO Andreas Widy said in a statement. “We want to provide this professional level experience so that anyone from the hobbyist consumer to the professional videographer can experience the marine world without limitation.”

Navatics is a 2016 startup sparked from a college project of the founders at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. The Mito is the company’s first underwater drone.

Navatics is using Kickstarter to crowdfund its first drone. The group reached its funding goal after five hours on the platform. Pledges that include a drone start at $1,199. If the Mito is successful, it’s expected to retail for $1,999.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Funding Nemo: Kickstarter underwater drone streams 4K footage from the deep
• Underwater swarms and sonar-bombing drones: Meet the deep-sea Xprize finalists
• The best drones of 2018
• Yuneec Breeze review
• Slice through the water like a dolphin with the AquaJet H2, now on Kickstarter