Paper Airplane Drone Aces Kickstarter Goal

The makers of the first paper airplane drone to garner FAA approval are flying higher than ever after doubling the expected Kickstarter goal for its newest project.

With 54 days remaining as of Nov. 15, Tailor Toys raised $220,401, more than doubling its $100,000 funding target with 1,100 backers for the PowerUp FPV – the “live streaming paper airplane drone.”

“In just a few short hours, you all have exceeded our expectations and proven to us that we’ve created something that is truly un-freaking believable, Tailor Toys CEO Shai Goitein gushed to his backers.

“We are working hard to make this a reality and are thrilled with your response and that you’re just as excited for our idea. We will stay focused in meeting our promise, delivering the first ever paper airplane drone with a live streaming camera,” he added.

In a partnership with noted UAV manufacturer Parrot, Tailor Toys is hoping the company’s expertise with the AR Drone and its Wi-FI streaming tech will create a virtual-reality experience for customers.

“PowerUp FPV lets you experience flight as if you were sitting in the cockpit of your very own paper airplane. Wearing your smartphone with a head-mounted display — cardboard viewer included — you see what your plane sees, controlling your paper drone with intuitive movements of your head,” Goitein wrote.

The PowerUp FPV will fly up to 300 feet and as fast as 20 mph with 10 minutes of continuous battery life. Although it is in essence a paper airplane, the drone is actually constructed of carbon fiber and nylon and includes crash detection (the motors shut down and the rotors stop) as well as take-off assist.

The project is Goitein’s second major UAV success. In August, FAA critic and attorney Peter Sachs helped the company get a Section 333 exemption for its first paper-airplane drone, the PowerUp 3.0 as a “possible sign of how seriously FAA is taking unmanned aircraft operations in national airspace — or maybe just a sign of how absurd matters have gotten.”

“With this grant, the FAA has abandoned all logic and sensibility by declaring that a 19-gram paper airplane is legally an ‘aircraft,” Sachs said.