News: Propel Star Wars drones are here
Propel’s battling Star Wars drones are finally here. Launching on 1 December, these hand-painted Star Wars ships offer a glimpse of the battles to come in 2017, with these numbered limited edition drones being the hot toy this Christmas.
Having been pre-order only for a few months now, Propel’s Star Wars battling drones are now in shops, although this initial limited run means they may not be on shelves for long. If you’re thinking of picking one up for Christmas, now’s the time to do it.
You can choose to fly for either the Rebel Alliance or the Galactic Empire, with a choice of three different ships. There’s Darth Vader’s TIE Advanced X1, an X-Wing and a speeder bike to choose from this year, with Han Solo’s Millenium Falcon making an appearance in 2017.
The first editions cost £230 and are sold in a wax-sealed special edition box at Maplin, Currys, Argos, Disney Store and Hamleys from 1 December. Read on to find out more information about these nostalgia-triggering Star Wars drones.
Propel Star Wars drones
If you spent countless hours running around with toy Star Wars ships and action figures, recreating the Death Star trench run as a kid, then you should be asking Santa for these super-premium Star Wars-branded drones this Christmas.
Officially licensed and made by the toy team at Propel, which has over nine years of experience in drone manufacturing, the Star Wars battle drones are a fanboy’s dream. They may look like they’re for kids, but these drones are quintessentially a big boys’ toy, catering to those who fell in love with the Star Wars movies way back in the late 1970s.
Childhood imagination meets practicality with a choice of three iconic Star Wars ships, and a fourth on the way for 2017. I’ve always been a bit of an Empire fan, so Darth Vader’s TIE Advanced x1 would be my go-to, but the X-Wing and speeder bike models are just as awesome. If you want Han and Chewie’s Millennium Falcon, though, you’ll have to wait till next year.
These highly detailed ships aren’t just for show, with some surprisingly high-tech features for a drone this affordable. They’re blisteringly fast little things, going from 0 to 35mph in just three seconds, with a supposed top speed of around 40mph. Expect your drone to last around eight minutes on a single charge, but don’t stray too far away, as there’s only a 3-5 metre range. The blades themselves are glass-polished, so you don’t even notice them when in flight. The arms may be a little unsightly, but they still fit in nicely with the Star Wars aesthetic on the whole.
A fancy barometric algorithm helps keep the drones in the air for longer, constantly checking for differences in air pressure. That way, you can co-ordinate group squadron-like movement and make sure your drone doesn’t needlessly crash into any potential obstacles. It’s stuff like this that makes these battle drones one of a kind, and able to perform some pretty impressive manoeuvres such as an evading corkscrew roll, just like in the movies.
If you’re a bit of a drone newbie like myself, there’s a handy training feature to get you started. In the novice-friendly T mode, there’s a 3m-high invisible ceiling and a 1m-high floor, boxing in your movement to make sure you don’t come crashing to the ground. There’s also an app-based training mode, allowing you to hook your controller up to your smartphone via Bluetooth and control a virtual drone in-game. Of course, the real fun starts when you actually get into battle with friends.
Catering for up to 12 players, you can create your own light side versus dark side engagements, complete with infrared lasers, real-time leaderboards and life indicators. Each drone starts with three lives, and the last team standing wins. If you’re hit, your ship will rock and you’ll get a bit of feedback on your controller. Lose all lives, and you’ll be knocked out, with your drone auto-spinning and dropping to the floor. Drone gaming is yet to take off, but what better way to ignite it than with one of the world’s most beloved franchises.
With sound effects blasting from your controller, from Star Wars soundtracks to laser bolts and explosions, it’s wonderfully immersive and I can see this being a hit when they officially launch in the UK for £200 a pop on 1 December.
If you want to pick one up before Christmas, you best be quick. Propel won’t be making enough to meet demand, instead offering a numbered, limited-edition line in the run-up to Christmas. There’s no word yet on how many units we can expect in shops and online, but with pre-orders already open, it’s likely they’ll sell out faster than Han Solo made the Kessel Run.
Disclaimer: Some pages on this site may include an affiliate link. This does not effect our editorial in any way.
