After all my previous articles, I managed to go hands on with PowerVision’s PowerEgg drone.

PowerVision, a global leader in UAV technologies, products and services has launched the PowerEgg as it’s first consumer product!

The PowerEgg also has the bragging rights to being the world’s first drone to come with a gesture-based single-handed controller.

Did you enter the design competition? The examples on the PowerVision website looks excellent. The egg still looks cool in white though.

PowerEgg design

As its name suggests, this drone has a uniquely egg-shaped robotic design.

Not only does this look very cool, it means that it can be dropped in a bag without the risk of breaking bits off.

The self-contained egg bot can also be placed in a rather neat display stand (as in the first picture). Disappointingly though, this is not a charging base. I was told that, to incorporate touch charging tech would have increased the PowerEgg’s weight, and thus reducing flight time. It still looks awesome.

The bottom portion of the egg comes off to reveal a camera on a gimble. As PowerVision is well established in the field of drones, mostly for engineering inspection, etc, I am sure this camera will be great.

The rotor arms are easily unfurled manually. The folding blades are easily clicked open. To fold these away it is a simple matter of reversing the process. There is a little black catch at the base of each arm which needs to be depressed to allow them to be folded back in to its shell.

The landing gear, on the other hand, is automatically deployed when using the assisted landing as the drone detects distance from the ground. It can also be controlled by the main controller.

PowerEgg performance

Fly straight out of the box

PowerEgg is looking to take the consumer drone market to the next level with the world’s first gesture-based one-handed drone controller — PowerEgg Maestro.

With PowerEgg Maestro, takeoff and landing can be done with the push of a button so that anyone can fly PowerEgg right out of the box.

The motion-sensing one-handed remote looks similar to a Wii wand. It also appears to be just as easy to learn to use. Thanks to its advanced, integrated accelerometers and gyroscopes you can control up-down, left-right, and near-far using intuitive motions.

PowerVision separated the flight processor and base station from within PowerEgg Maestro to enable its one-handed gesture-based capability. This allows for future PowerEgg and potentially third party controller and upgrade options. For users that require enhanced control, PowerEgg also comes with a traditional two-handed remote control.

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Wally Zheng, Founder & Global CEO of PowerVision Technology Group had this to say:

As an established innovator in the commercial drone industry, our goal was to take PowerVision’s technology expertise and package it in a form factor that everyone interested in flying a drone could relate with and enjoy immediately… We designed PowerEgg to be the consumer drone for everyone. It’s sleek, compact and portable but also easy to operate, making it simple for anyone to launch and capture special moments on camera.”

Range and camera

The PowerEgg delivers long distance real-time video transmission up to 3.1 miles (five kilometers). It is equipped with HD video transmission and has a maximum flight time of approximately 23 minutes.

With its optical positioning system, PowerEgg can fly indoors, low to the ground and in GPS-free areas.

PowerEgg’s visual and ultrasonic sensors scan the ground beneath it for patterns, enabling it to identify its position and move accurately.

The integrated 4K UHD camera can produce professional-grade photographs and videos with panoramic 360 degree views on a 3-axis gimbal. This hands you stabilised aerial views with an immersive “spherical” experience.

In addition, PowerEgg’s flight software includes multiple automated flight modes that let the user easily frame their shots while the PowerEgg automatically manages its flight path.

These ‘PowerModes’ include Follow Me, Orbit, WayPoint, and Selfie mode, and are easily accessed through the iOS or Android user interface.

PowerEgg first look conclusion

The PowerEgg certainly looks good and the short indoor flight proves that it does work. There was video footage (some did look rendered though) showing the egg out in the wild. We were promised that PowerVision will return to take us outdoors with the drone. This I very much look forward to.

The cool, unique styling combined with ease of flight should make this drone a winner.

I hope to spend some more quality time with the PowerEgg and give you a more in-depth review soon.

PowerEgg price and availability

Priced at £1,290, PowerEgg global pre-orders are being taken now at the PowerVision Online Store with shipping scheduled for mid-October 2016.

Pre-order customers will receive a limited edition PowerEgg backpack which also features the design language of the egg – simple complicated.

Key Product Specifications

• Weight: 2090g (Battery and propellers included)

• Maximum Flight Speed: 13 m/s (Professional mode)

• Maximum Ascent/Descent Speed: 5 m/s ascending; 2 m/s descending (Professional mode)

• Maximum Flight Time: Approx. 23 mins

• Optical Positioning System Range: Altitude Range: 0.66 – 13.12 ft Surface with clear pattern and adequate light (Lux >15)

• Hover Accuracy:

  • Vertical +/- 0.1m (When optical positioning is active, 0.2 – 4 m); +/- 1 m

  • Horizontal +/- 0.2m (Surface with clear pattern and adequate lighting); +/- 1.5 m

• Digital Image Resolution:

  • UHD: 3,840 x 2,160 30p

  • FHD: 1,920 x 1,080 30/60/120p

  • HD: 1,280 x 720 60/120/240p

  • Photo: 4,254 x 3,264

• Max Transmission Distance: 3.1 mi (Subject to regulation and local operating conditions). Distance will be shorter for CE.

• Flight Battery Capacity: 6400mAh