We've all flown paper planes as children and now thanks to PowerUp 3.0, you can do the same via your smartphone.
PowerUp 3.0 is a new project on crowdfunding site Kickstarter and it turns paper planes into a lean, mean electronically-controlled flying machine.
The Kickstarter project was posted on Tuesday, November 26, and at the time of writing, 6,516 backers had pledged $359,447 of the $50,000 goal.
The brainchild of designer Shai Goitein, a pilot, industrial designer and an inventor, PowerUp 3.0 is basically a small electronic module which operates by attaching it onto a paper airplane that you make yourself (remember those origami airplanes?).
But your basic paper model gets an upgrade thanks to the attachable propeller and rudder which add more speed and maneuvering control. PowerUP 3.0 will allegedly be the first ever smartphone-controlled paper airplane in the world.
"PowerUp Toys has introduced a new form of play by meshing origami classics with technology. This time we took a big leap forward, by integrating state-of-the-art Bluetooth Smart technology into our PowerUp design. Now you can easily control a simple homemade paper airplane with your smartphone. Say hello to the World's First Smartphone Controlled Paper Airplane - PowerUp 3.0," notes PowerUP Toys which is owned by Goitein.
Users will simply need to make a paper plane by folding the paper. A small box is attached at the front of the module, which basically stores the battery and helps keep contact with the users' smartphone.
At the rear of the device is the propeller and rudder that control the direction and speed.
Users can also control the device but will need to download PowerUp 3.0 app onto their smartphone. The smartphone then connects to the device via Bluetooth and once a connection is established, users can fly their paper plane either left or right by tilting the smartphone in either of the directions.
Moreover, Goitien has also made the provision for an on-screen lever in the app which users can shift up or down to make the paper aircraft ascend or descend. The app also packs in a compass and battery life and range readouts.
Pretty cool, considering this was the result of two-years of hard work and fifty-seven prototypes.
In case you were wondering about the battery life, the PowerUp 3.0 can remain airborne for up to 10 minutes before the battery runs out. You can recharge the device with a micro-USB cable, just like any tablet or smartphone, it's that simple. The device also has a 180 feet range and the frame and front bumper are both crash proof!
The only downer is that the device is compatible with specific iOS devices (iPad mini, iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c and iPhone 4s), which means Android and Windows Phone 8 users will have to give the device a skip.
With another 54 days to go ( the project gets funded on Saturday, January 25, 9:59am EST), you still have time to pledge your support if you want the PowerUp 3.0
To pledge $30 to the project and receive a PowerUp 3.0 device, head over here.
