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QUALCOMM has released its Snapdragon Flight platform, a board based on the Snapdragon 801 processor which aims to advance the capabilities of consumer drones.
The 58 x 40mm board includes development tools aimed at bringing cutting edge mobile technologies to create a new class of consumer drones.
The Snapdragon Flight platform will provide real-time flight controls, along with built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS connectivity. For the purposes of imaging, the Qualcomm system will support high-resolution 4K video footage capture, which will be simultaneously encoded to 720p for first person viewing during flight.
Drones built upon the Snapdragon Flight platform will be able to support a vast array of sensors, including inertial measurement units, barometers, and optic flow cameras.
According to Qualcomm, the prevalence of its technology in imaging-capable mobile devices means it makes sense to make a play for the drone sector as well.
Qualcomm has also integrated its Quick Charge technology, to support fast battery charging between flights, in order to increase flight times.
The Snapdragon Flight is available today for select manufacturers. Drone maker Yuneec has already announced it will release a drone based on the platform in 2016.