A new crowdfunded invention allows you to design and create your own paper airplane then attach a motor to it and fly it with control from your smartphone. Currently being funded on Kickstarter, the Powerup Dart has already reached its fundraising goal of $25,000 and will begin shipping to backers in December.
The Powerup Dart in a nut shell is a conversion kit for your hand-crafted paper airplanes that makes them able to do tricks and fly around. All you have to do to get started is fold a small paper airplane, attach the Dart, and then fly it around with control of your smartphone. With practice, you’ll be able to do a “ton of cool tricks” with just a paper plane jet you fold yourself.
The Darts are reported to be incredibly durable and are built with carbon fiber and nylon reinforced plastic with a rubber tip that can withstand the force of a harsh crash landing.
The makers of Dart even added a crossbar and improved the paper airplane templates you can make. The crossbar enables the Dart to withstand high G Force during tight maneuvers that you may put it through. Plus, you can adjust the plane’s stability by moving the bar up and down the spine of the craft.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PHnyi4UdFY
Loop, flip and barrel roll with tiny smart paper airplanes designed to do a variety of mind-blowing aerobatics.
The Dart has 33 days left in its campaign, but has already surpassed its fundraising goal by over $100,000. A pledge of $29 or more will get you your own Dart from its early bird special. That’s down from its future retail price of $45. The makers of Dart will be getting started with production in early October and will be shipping by mid-November to ensure delivery by Christmas.
If you can’t wait until December for your Dart, Powerup makes a similar engine for paper airplanes and it’s already available at Amazon for $16 Prime shipped. There’s no app control for this one, but it does offer enough power for 30 seconds of flight with just a 20-second charge of the battery. It also comes with directions for making 4 paper airplanes, and has links for even more cool plane designs.
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