First Impressions: Skydio R1 Raises The Bar For Drone Technology But It Will Cost You

Drones have become a mainstream product for businesses and consumers over the past five years, as functionality has expanded and pricing has dropped below $999. Companies like DJI, Yuneec, and Parrot have achieved significant market growth in the space, with affordable, relatively easy-to-use drones capable of capturing high-resolution (even 4K-class) content that would have previously required highly specialized equipment. Today I wanted to take a look at Redwood City-based startup Skydio's new R1 drone--a product that I believe has the potential to disrupt the crowded $5 billion drone market. Positioned essentially as a "self-driving camera," the R1 is embedded with 13 cameras. While this makes the R1 the definitive "follow me" drone, is it worth forking over the $2,499 asking price?