Skydio, a company that has made a name for itself with self-flying, obstacle-dodging drones, has recently made two huge announcements regarding its upcoming drones. The company has launched the new and updated Skydio 2 Plus. It is also providing a free update that will turn the drone into a programmable cameraman. Read on to know more about the technological advancements of the Skydio drones.

Skydio 2 Plus

This latest version of Skydio’s product cost $1,099 and is the fix to its predecessor, Skydio 2’s, biggest shortcoming. The Skydio 2 Plus comes with the kind of long-range, robust connection that the original Skydio 2 was missing, thanks to a new high-power 5GHz Wi-Fi radio and a pair of pop-up antennas. The company also promises a view of up to almost two miles with an optional Skydio 2 Plus Beacon controller and almost four miles if you’re using the optional twin-stick Skydio Controller. The new drone also has nearly 20% more battery and a maximum flight time of 27 minutes, both an improvement over the last model.

Skydio Keyframe

A new feature will soon be unrolled for both Skidio 2 and Skydio 2 Plus. This brand new addition, called Keyframe, makes it possible for anyone to capture continuous choreographed shots with complex, cinematic, and smooth camera motion. With Keyframe, all the pilot has to do is select the start and end shot, along with any interesting points in between, while the drone’s system will do the rest. This feature will allow any user, no matter their skill level, to capture Hollywood-style camera shots.

Skydio Updates

The company has grown massively during the pandemic, now housing more than 400 people. Skydio has also launched the $149 Skydio Care plan which will let you swap your broken drone for a new one for a flat fee of $150, no questions asked.

For a lot of companies, having to work from home in 2020 has been tough. Although video-calling apps have helped employers stay in contact with their staff, these services have only been able to host so many people. That’s why Microsoft Teams have been working hard to make it possible for up to 20,000 people to share a call at the same time.

Better Communication For Everyone

For organizations with a high number of employees, small video meetings aren’t exactly ideal. Although bosses want the personal touch of addressing their staff face-to-face, they’ve only been able to do it with so many people at a time. However, now that Microsoft Teams has introduced their Advanced Communications plan, employers don’t have to worry about scaling down their company-wide meetings any longer. They can address thousands of people at the same time without worrying about anyone missing out.

There Are Some Setbacks

The addition to Microsoft’s video calling software is an excellent improvement, although it does come with certain limitations. Not everyone in the meeting can be an interactive participant, with only the first 1,000 people having that ability. The rest can only partake in the call via a ‘view only’ mode, although in the case of an employer addressing their staff, that’s not necessarily a significant issue.

No Sign Of Change

With no idea of when work will return to a state of ‘normal’ for everyone, improvements like this are definitely needed. Working from home is likely to be expected of people for many months to come, so the easier it is to communicate with employees and colleagues, the better. Being able to stay connected with one another is something we desperately need during such difficult times.

We expect that Microsoft and its video-calling rivals will continue to improve their systems to ensure that users can make the most of their services while they’re essential for work.