About this project
C-mi (see-me) is the first camera drone designed with real world usability in mind.
- Stowable: Its frame is designed to pack easily in a small case or backpack.
- All-Weather: Its structure and built-in camera housing are designed for all weather use.
- Integrated Flight and Camera Controller: C-mi's digital user interface has been designed so that you can easily control the flyer, dynamically change the camera modes and view live video during flight, and directly share images and video - all from a single app.
C-mi evolved from our frustration that despite there being many small drones on the market, none of them combine all the features you need to make them easily usable. Either the drone is too big to easily store or the gimbaled camera mount is exposed, delicate and victim to the elements. As important, while some drones feature complex shot framing tools, they can't show you live previews!
Even the most "integrated" systems require you to carry several different devices to set behavior and monitor live feed video. The dream of the perfect flying action camera becomes lost in multiple controllers, inability to easily check what you're shooting and cumbersome equipment to lug to your filming site.
It doesn't have to be this way!
Enter C-mi. The first drone designed to easily transport to cool locations and that you can seamlessly control from a single mobile app. You can capture and share your images and videos with a touch of a button - it's that simple.
Equipped with its own 1080p HD camera in a protective case and on a high-precision gimbal, you'll capture smooth impressive video. The camera housing automatically extends down from the flyer at takeoff and tucks away upon landing - no snagging during packing or crunching on rocks when landing. The camera enclosure also makes it weather-resistant. Don't let a little snow, rain or desert dust ruin your fun.
C-mi has multiple flight modes built into the software. You can pilot C-mi manually, but the flyer really shines in its various automated modes. Just tell C-mi where you want it and it will maintain that position wherever you go. With GPS and camera feature tracking built in, you can change camera targets seamlessly during flight. Direct your own multi-character movie!
C-mi makes sharing painless with its built in network. C-mi can support multiple interacting GPS target devices, relay data between multiple C-mi vehicles, and share footage directly to the cloud and social media. You get to focus on the imagery you want to capture, not how to fly or manage the system.
C-mi takes advantage of having multiple sensors – including the camera system – wired directly into its "nervous system." High level processing allows camera targeting based on:
- fixed orientation;
- GPS tracking from the control app, target apps, and custom C-mi remotes; and
- feature tracking within the C-mi camera feed.
C-mi is fundamentally designed to be modular. The high-level image processing and flight behavior is separated from the low-level flight control, and multiple C-mi flyers can be networked into a larger, modular swarm. However, this modularity also extends to the vehicle structure.
C-mi's six arms attach and detach from the core module for easy transport and storage. Taking advantage of this design feature, the core C-mi module has been built from the ground-up for plug-interchangeability with future heavier-duty six and eight arm configurations that can carry compact and DSLR cameras.
C-mi is designed to make it easy to focus on what you want to capture. It does this by packaging a wide range of flight and camera behaviors into a number of intuitive flight modes, all easily selectable from C-mi's mobile app graphical user interface.
If you want to create the perfect selfie, you can have C-mi stay in position and track you as you approach. If you want to add a richer element to the selfie, you can have C-mi orbit you creating a 360 degree panoramic backdrop. C-mi can also follow along with you from any angle. Create a video game-like 3rd person view from behind, a reporter-style moving context shot, or shoot the ideal ride along view from the side. If you want to direct your own multi-character movie, C-mi can track multiple GPS targets with the same framing options.
C-mi provides three main modes that control the flyer and camera from your tablet or smartphone. All three modes are easy to configure using the intuitive iOS and Android apps.
FOLLOW MODE:
Simply select C-mi's relative position and the camera viewing angle. C-mi will follow you maintaining its position. C-mi's camera will automatically and continually adjust its aim to keep you in the center of view. C-mi will follow you at speeds up to 40 mph.
ORBIT MODE:
C-mi is designed to be able to orbit your position or to sit in one fixed location with the camera tracking you as you "orbit" around C-mi.
C-mi Orbits You: C-mi will fly a circular path around you. If you point the camera at you, C-mi will place you in the center of a panorama.
You Orbit C-mi: C-mi will stay in one position but the camera will continue to track you. This setting is perfect for putting C-mi in the center of the action.
Pano: C-mi will hover and take a panoramic video. You can easily select C-mi to rotate clockwise or counter clockwise to produce stunning 360 degree panoramic shots - or create a single 360 panoramic image.
MANUAL MODE:
Whether you're a novice or an experienced remote control (RC) pilot, you’ll love C-mi’s manual flight modes. You can draw flight paths relative to C-mi's current location using a simple map pane within the app. C-mi also provides a simulated "twin sticks" option on top of the live feed video. You can even let C-mi hold altitude while you enjoy "first person view" (FPV) flying.
ONE-CLICK COMMANDS:
Low Battery / Return Home: C-mi is smart enough to automatically return to the mobile device when it senses the battery is running low. You can also ask it to return at any time during flight by simply pressing a button in the app.
Pause / Panic Button: We hope you don't need it, but it's always nice to know you have a big "pause" button. If anything is going wrong, simply hit pause and C-mi will stop and hold position.
Director Mode: Easily switch focus between multiple C-mi GPS trackers and smartphones.
The C-mi User Interface has been designed to be intuitive and simple to use. Before flight, the UI allows you to easily setup the flight and camera viewing modes. During flight you can easily switch between the live camera and map views, and also change the flight or camera mode.
We’ll always be adding new flight modes and UI improvements through firmware and app updates based on user feedback to continually improve C-mi.
Smartphone Precision: We developed our software so that a smartphone can be used as a precise camera tracker.
In Unit Camera System: C-mi's integrated, weather resistant, HD camera system extends at takeoff and retracts when landing.
Remote Audio Capture: Record synchronized audio from your smartphone device while C-mi is recording video from above.
Share Instantly to Social Media: Our app makes it simple to share your C-mi video on major social media platforms.
Wireless Data Transferring: Easily move images and videos that are saved onboard C-mi to your laptop with no wires.
Portability and Storage: C-mi's removable arms makes it easy to take anywhere and quick to get into the air.
Brushless 2-Axis Gimbal: C-mi's gimbaled camera provides precise targeting and shake-free video.
GPS Tracker: Use our GPS tracker so you can have C-mi follow where you might not want your mobile device to go. Track your friend while they're swimming or surfing!
Swappable Battery Pack: Run out of power on your battery? No problem, just swap in another C-mi Battery and you're ready to fly again in seconds! With the C-mi Quick Swap Battery Packs you can fly and film longer. Don't let your filming get interrupted, just swap it, snap it , and keep flying!
Rapid Battery Charger: With the C-mi Rapid Charger you can easily charge batteries in minutes. Charge at home or on the go with our car adaptor.
A Modular Multirotor Brain
C-mi is driven by a modular flight control system. A higher level processor deals with computationally heavy but less time-critical tasks such as imaging processing, communications, and high level flight behaviors. Below this high level system is our own flight processor, the AshimaCore. The flight processor has much faster and more direct access to "twitch" sensor feedback from its gyro and accelerometer sensors, much as your brain is fast wired to the balance sensors in your inner ear. Sitting beneath the AshimaCore are dedicated controllers that make sure the motors spin at the required speed.
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