Drones have been a must-have gadget for the past few years but flying them was mostly a solo activity. However, this all looks set to change thanks to Propel, which has unveiled a range of Star Wars Battling Drones, which will allow players to enjoy multi-player drone gaming.
There are three drones available which represent the ships features in the original Star Wars movies; The T-65 X-wing Starfighter, Darth Vader’s TIE Advanced X1, and a 74-Z Speeder Bike from Return of the Jedi, so you can choose to fly for either the Empire or the Rebel Alliance.
The drones, which can fit in the palm of your hand, are capable of flying at speeds of up to 35mph and unlike other drones can be controlled to execute forward moving corkscrew rolls and other moves seen in the films.
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But it's when several drones are being flown together in a battle that they really come into their own. The drones have optical lasers on them that can be fired at other drones. When a drone is hit, you feel a vibration in the controller to indicate you've been wounded.
Propel also has a Facebook page for the drones which it says will offer training content, tips on how to fly and win in fights and a chance to meet other pilots to co-ordinate battles.
As there are no cameras on the Star Wars Battling Drones and they fall below the weight limit specified by the UK Civil Aviation Authority it means they are exempt from rules covering drones so there's no restrictions on where they can be flown. Although they should still only be used within your line of sight.
Here at the Good Housekeeping Institute, we were lucky enough to watch a demo of the drones and were impressed by the speed at which they fly as well as the different manoeuvres they can do. We also liked that how after three strikes, the drone which has been hit will temporarily drop its flying hit to indicate you've lost the fight. Don't worry though - you'll only be out of the battle for a short while before you're allowed to fly back up to your original height and join the fight again.
We think Drone Gaming is a trend that's likely to take off in 2017 and think these Star Wars drones will make a great gift for fans of the films.
The first edition of the Star Wars Battling Drones will be available Maplin, Currys Argos and the Disney store from December 1 priced at £229.99. They come in a wax-sealed special edition box.
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