Tel Aviv startup SELFLY creates a phone case that flies and takes pictures, and can be operated via your phone
en as it seems people are snapping selfies everywhere — in dressing rooms, restaurants and parties — Israeli startup SELFLY is upping the game by creating a photographic drone that doubles as a smartphone case, which could make the selfie stick obsolete
SELFLY is an autonomous flying camera that doubles as a phone case.
To use it, you detach it from the back of your phone, toss it into the air and then regulate the picture you want to take by tapping your phone, just like an ordinary picture.
The phone translates your picture instructions into flight patterns for the drone: when you manipulate the picture on your phone through the SELFLY app, the camera receives flying orders to capture the best angle possible, including 360° panoramic views.
The Tel Aviv-based company has started a Kickstarter campaign that it hopes will lead to mass producing the device.
The company has raised $274,990 to date, overshooting the target of $125,000 it had originally set.
The first buyers are expected to get their orders in June, according to the Kickstarter page.
Selfies today are taken by extending your arm or using a selfie stick.
If you are really a photo buff, you can use a drone for taking high, unique and breathtaking angles and views.
But using a drone can be a hassle, as you have to make sure it’s charged, and you have to carry it with you on your outing.
“Think of SELFLY as your own personal photographer which can take the greatest overview shots,” Hagay Klein, Selfly’s CEO, said in a statement, kicking off the campaign.
“SELFLY can capture the most amazing moments from different aspects and fits right in your pocket — perfect for anyone who hates schlepping selfie sticks and drones.”
The company says the 9-millimeter (3/8in) phone case and remote camera stays stable in the air and flies autonomously — without the user having to maneuver it — and its software can also recognize faces.
The SELFLY phone case is slim, fits into a pocket and fits most smartphones used today, the company said. The product sells at $99 during the Kickstarter campaign.
SELFLY was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in Tel Aviv.
