Parrot SA, developers of the popular AR.Drone mobile AR game, has announced that their application will be available to Android users beginning next month. Thus far, the application has only been available to iPhone users, but growing demand for augmented reality games has spurred Parrot into expanding the availability of their program. Augmented reality is becoming very popular amongst gamers, many of whom are constantly on the lookout for a new experience.
The AR.Drone program allows users to pilot their own Parrot quadrocopter with their mobile device. There are a number of games available through the platform, each involving the quadrocopter in some way. While the application essentially turns a mobile device into a sort of remote control, it is the AR component that is truly interesting.
A camera is mounted to the front of the quadrocopter, which is linked back to the mobile device. Using virtual controls, users will be able to control the copter, guiding it through obstacles or even racing other copters. There are even combat controls that let users fire off missiles, making for interesting displays of aerial combat.
Augmented reality technology has come a long way and the programs making use of the technology are becoming more sophisticated. AR has been a hit with gamers so far, but it also has its uses in the world of marketing. Many companies all over the world are seeking to expand their use of augmented reality to take advantage of what is still considered an exotic technology.
