Airblock

Makeblock (China) · 2016

Was $149Kickstarter launch in October 2016 (about $830K raised) with a planned $149 retail price; later discounted by some resellers.
Discontinued · used/leftover onlyNot programmableModularMagnetic foam blocksHovercraft modeBlock coding
Possibly ≤ 1 weekShipping: If stock turns up. No longer listed in Makeblock's online store; leftover and used units appear on Amazon and eBay.
Remote control: Not possible in practice: programming is done in the Makeblock mobile app with blocks.

Overview

Magnetically linked foam modules snap into a drone, a hovercraft or custom shapes, which made it a crash-tolerant classroom toy. Programming is visual-only and there is no camera. Makeblock has since focused on other products; leftover units still circulate.

Specifications

CategoryDrones · Indoor drones
Released2016
AvailabilityDiscontinued · used/leftover only
ProgrammabilityNo SDK, app / visual programming only
Best forAges 8+ (maker rating)
Vision sensorsNo vision sensors
ActuatorsDC / gear motors
AudioNo audio
Compute typeProprietary / undisclosed
Remote controlNot programmable
SizeHexagonal modular frame, about 23 × 22 × 5 cm; 140–150 g as a drone, 195 g as a hovercraft
DriveModular hexacopter; reconfigures into a hovercraft/boat
ComputeMain control module (closed)
VisionNone
LidarNone
SensorsIMU, barometer
RuntimeAbout 6–8 min flying (7.4 V 700 mAh pack); up to 16 min as a hovercraft
SpeedUp to 1.5 m/s as a drone (2.5 m/s as a hovercraft)
SDKMakeblock app block programming (Scratch-style)

Ratings & reviews

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Image credits