Let a Drone Walk Your Dog with Barq

The best new service for man’s best friend

By The Editors
April 1, 2016 9:00 am

“I love getting up at 6 AM on Saturday morning.”

“My favorite part of winter is going for a nice long walk when it’s seven degrees out.”

“Let’s pick up some poop!”

File under things never heard.

The life of a dog owner, for all its boons, comes with the neverending drawback of having to head out for a walk come hell or high water.

Unless you sign up for Barq, the on-demand service that wants to solve your daily dog-walking needs … via drone.

Straight from the brain of mongrel-lovin’ engineer and NYC native Lucas Giokas, Barq is a passion project five years in the making.

“My job is to make things easier,” says Giokas. “I have Henry Ford’s quote above my desk: ‘If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.’ In my personal life, watching my dog take a steamer on a chilly Sunday morning while a lovely lady walks by — well, that was a situation I wanted to improve upon.”

Here’s how it works:

Step one: Email Barq to get access to their private beta here. Tell ‘em InsideHook sent ya.

Step two: A Barq representative will contact you to schedule a one-on-one consultation with you and your pooch. The consultation requires no obligation and is free of charge — including a complimentary trial run to put any concerns to rest.

Step three: Members will receive a code to download the Barq app (available for iPhone and Android).

Step four: Use the Barq app to order a drone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on demand or at a scheduled walk time.

Skeptical? We were too. But Barq’s drones are loaded with a number of safety features, including:

  • A camera and GPS tracker so you can check in on your dog at any time
  • A trial-tested shock collar system delivering less than the regulation 1,500 voltage amps to ensure the pup stays on path
  • A proprietary algorithm that updates walk routes live to accommodate for crowds, anxiety, fatigue and more
  • A heat sensor and crane system that picks up the pup’s droppings — like those Bear Claw arcade games, but with a poo bag

Currently available only in Manhattan, Barq has plans to expand to outer boroughs and LA later this year.

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