We got a new toy, a small ball drone, consisting of a wire mesh ball encircling 4 tiny propellors.After reading the manual, charged it as instructed until the light was fully green. I pushed the button, raised and lowered it quickly three times, and it buzzed to life. Gently tossing it upwards, it ascended higher than expected, dropped a foot, then lifted. It shot off to the side rapidly when Larry reached for it.
Operating this was going to be tricky. Clearly it responds, but we are unsure if it had sensors or if it did, what the sensors reacted to.
After experimenting with how to manipulate its direction, we were able to play back and forth. Then the dogs discovered it! Good thing they are little dogs! They bounced excitedly beneath it. It would fly off in an opposite direction depending on which side they jumped under it. When the drone hit a wall it would bounce off or bounce along for a distance.
However, it could only stay airborne for minutes, ten at most. It was great fun and a distrating break in the day's routine for the dogs. After a few months, the drone didn't want to hold a charge and fly time dropped significantly. It was a cool toy and a good start for future toy designs.
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