DJI Spark Selfie and Video Drone Launches In June at $499

As fun as they are, one of the biggest hurdles facing drones today is the learning curve of flying one. But with the announcement of DJI’s new Spark drone, the company is making it easier for just about anyone to pilot the flying machine.

Because weighing in at half a pound, the Spark drone can actually be controlled by hand gestures. That’s right. The selfie-taking drone has built-in sensors to avoid obstacles and can even land itself in the palm of your hand.

With a top speed of 31 MPH and a battery that provides 16 minutes of flight time, the pint-sized quadcopter is programmed with a number of “QuickShot” video modes that easily allow owners to take 1080p video “with cinematic composition.”

Also capable of being piloted using a remote control or a smartphone, the Spark comes with software and filters to edit video clips for immediate social sharing.

Priced at $500, DJI’s flying selfie stick ships for free and is expected to start arriving in June.

Let your fingers do the flying.

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Evan Bleier

Evan is a senior editor with InsideHook who earned a master’s degree in journalism from NYU and has called Brooklyn home since 2006. A fan of Boston sports, Nashville hot chicken and Kentucky bourbon, Evan has had his work published in publications including “Maxim,” Bleacher Report and “The Daily Mail.”