82 ELLE AUSTRALIA
Words: Laura Collins. Photography: Sevak Babakhani. Bebop 2, $899, Parrot, store-parrot.com.au; heels, $1,800, Christian Dior, (02) 9229 4600Galaxy S7, $1,149, Samsung, samsung.com/auG
rowing up, the gift to
unwrap come Christmas
was equal parts cool,
modern and faddish:
think Super Nintendo,
Sony Discman, Furby, Game Boy
Color. Fast-forward to 2014 and
everyone at Christmas lunch was
zipping around on hoverboards
(much to Grandma’s chagrin).
This year, we’re about to step even
further into the future Philip K
Dick (probably) imagined – it’s all about the drone.
“Drones have become popular because they can
perform a variety of functions quickly and easily that
previously would have required a helicopter or another
dangerous and expensive solution,” says StephenFenech, editor of the Tech Guide
website. In the US, Google’s
parent company Alphabet teamed
up with Mexican fast-food chain
Chipotle to deliver burritos via
drone to Virginia Tech students. In
the UK, Sky Sports has signed a deal
with the Drone Racing League to
broadcast its racing events. At home,
Domino’s has spent the past two
years developing a pizza-delivery
drone. “There’s talk of including
drones as a subject for high-school
students,” adds Fenech.
But for the purpose of you
claiming the title of best girlfriend/
daughter/aunt/sister etc, drones are
little flying robots with a camera that
you can control remotely (and that’s
very obviously not the dictionary
definition). They’re basically the
new Camcorder, great for capturing
and making your holiday adventures
look significantly more impressive.
So, do you need to blow the
budget to get a good one? Maybe
three years ago, yes, but these days
they’re more accessible than ever.
“You can buy a reasonable-quality drone without
spending a lot,” says Fenech. “Cheaper drones are
mainly toys for people to enjoy flying a device remotely,
but you can move into the larger, more professional
models for around $1,000.”TECH
HOW
TO CHOOSE
A DRONE
...because your partner has
become so impossible to buy
for at Christmas that this is
now your only optionhere are 5 drones to get you started...
Parrot MiniDrone
Mambo
BEST FOR: Teenagers who
don’t care about capturing
moments but will happily
spend the whole day shooting
tiny balls at your head.
ITS SCHTICK: It’s got a cannon
(for shooting aforementioned
balls) and a grabber to carry
objects (it’s not super-practical,
but it sure is fun to try).
Download the app to operate.
$200; harveynorman.com.au3DR Solo Aerial
Smart Drone
BEST FOR: Clever types who
you ask for help when your
laptop isn’t turning on or your
phone is “doing a weird thing”.
ITS SCHTICK: This drone
is autonomous, meaning it
can automatically capture
amazing footage. It’s also
sold as an open platform, so
techie types can fiddle with
the hardware and software.
$1,099; harveynorman.com.auGoPro Karma
BEST FOR: Anyone who
gets out of bed hungover
on a Sunday but still goes
out to run sand dunes.
ITS SCHTICK: It’s incredibly
simple to use (which is
great for beginners who
don’t want to buy a “toy”),
conveniently folds up into its
own lightweight backpack
and works with existing
GoPro accessories.
$1,196; gopro.comDJI Mavic Pro
BEST FOR: People who
spend so much time at
the digital-camera counter
they know the names of
the salesperson’s kids.
ITS SCHTICK: Great for
hobbyists and professional
photographers alike, it might
require a little more patience
to figure out, but you’ll be
rewarded with impressive
capture and flight ability.
$1,699; store.dji.comDJI Phantom 4
BEST FOR: Budding
cinematographers or stalking
your ex (er, not something we
endorse, obviously).
ITS SCHTICK: It’s one of the
sturdier models around, has
an obstacle-avoidance system
and can track a moving object
automatically. Essentially, the
more time and energy you put
into mastering the use of this
drone, the more you’ll get back.
$2,399; store.dji.comAPP WE LOVE:
SHEDD
A fashion marketplace
where it’s absurdly simple
to snap, share and sell
pre-loved pieces, plus you
can private-chat to plan
meet-ups or delivery. Price:
free on iTunes and Google Play