Snap, The 4K Flying Camera With Auto-Tracking, Is Ready For The Spotlight

Snap, a flying camera we first wrote about in September, is ready for the spotlight as it takes the stage today to compete in the TechCrunch Hardware Battlefield at CES. The device, made by Vantage Robotics, provides an alternative for those who want professional aerial shots but don’t want the hassle of controlling a cumbersome (and expensive) drone like the DJI Inspire.

We now have specs for Snap (which will ship this spring), and they look pretty great. Snap will weigh just 1.1 pounds, and have 20 minutes of flying time per charge.

The camera itself will be a 4K-capable Sony Exmor sensor, mounted on a mini mechanical smooth-lock gimbal, which the company says is about 6 times lighter than standard drone gimbals.

While users will be able to use their phone or tablet to control Snap, Vantage Robotics has included a ton of software-based features that will let users capture professional quality camera shots without even having to control the drone.

Some of these features are air tripod, which lets the camera stay in place while automatically turning to keep the subject in frame; virtual wire, which allows the camera to follow a subject along a predefined wire (while avoiding any obstacles); and free-form following.

Snap will eventually retail for $1,295 but is available for preorder now for a limited-time price of $895 from Vantage’s website.