Are you looking for a fun summer camp near you, an after school program or maybe a monthly virtual class that teaches coding for kids? Maybe a coding class with virtual games that would pump up your kids to get more interested in robotics learning? Get ready as Robolink has something awesome for you!
Introducing CoDronia
Robolink is so thrilled to give you something different that would help students understand where their kids are in their classes and what kinds of things they are learning. Introducing CoDronia!
CoDroneis a pack of islands where drones live. Each island has challenges to be solved through learning different coding concepts. Students in this journey will learn flight variables to land on platforms on one island. The next island, they’ll be given a chance to learn how to control the drone’s lights and create a rainbow with red, green and blue values. A different island will teach them how to program their keyboard to be their drone remote. All islands have their unique set of challenges to finish, and throughout their journey, they will be given a passport to see how they’re doing during the adventure.
The Passport and Lanyard
You’ll be provided with a passport and a lanyard at the start of your adventure. The passport will be used to keep track of your progress throughout your CoDronia journey. You’ll see different maps of CoDronia’s three regions there.
The lanyard will be for you to place the metallic badges that you’ll earn along your journey through CoDronia, when you’ve reached certain milestones and completed various challenges.
Earning Badges
The badges below will be earned from each milestone of your journey. They are well-designed with its metallic and sleek material to go neatly and attractively when pinned on your lanyard.
Achievement Stickers
Achievement stickers will be placed at the back of the passport. These are for optional challenges that you can try once you’ve met the requirements. For instance, after learning the flight commands, you can attempt to earn the “Perfect Landing” achievement by perfectly landing in a specific target. Or you can attempt to fly your drone through a hoop using a code if you’re more into basketball. You can also earn those stickers when you have a perfect attendance or when you bring a friend onto your team.
The Award Ceremony
To top it off, Robolink students who have earned badges or achievements will be given an award to be received during the virtual awarding ceremony at the end of each month. In the ceremony, students will be anointed with their newly earned badges and achievements and it’s their perfect chance to show off what they’ve accomplished to all attendees including instructors, parents and fellow students.
Takeoff to CoDronia starts in February! So, come and join this adventure now!
This journey is for Codrone Programming with CoDrone Mini – Blockly students. But if you are a fan of text-based coding, we are offering Python for kids. Robolink’s Virtual camp 2021 is on the go as well for aspiring programmers and coding enthusiasts who want a week-long camp — Afterschool Camp or for those who have spare time on weekends with our two-day camp — Weekend Camp.
Summer break is something kids are looking forward to every year because of certain activities that they can participate in. Due to the pandemic situation, a lot of outdoor activities are being cancelled or postponed or even transitioned to virtual. It is important that kids still have something special despite the changes.
So, if you’re looking into a camp that can bring your kids innovative minds into reality, Galileo learning is perfect for you!
Galileo’s mission states, “Our world needs solution-oriented innovators like never before. We also believe that kids who learn to explore and fail with courage—the essence of innovation—are happier, more creative and more confident when faced with life’s challenges. This is why we’re so committed to bringing these tools and skills to families and communities. In fact, tens of thousands of kids have experienced Galileo since 2002.”
Galileo has more than 70 convenient summer camp locations throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, Silicon Valley, Southern California, the greater Chicago Metro Area and now in the Denver town of Stapleton. Check their summer camps bay area here. They offer several exciting camp options for kids which vary by location.
Camp Galileo for rising Pre-K through 8th graders. This Galileo camp gives campers the opportunity to be innovative through hands-on art, science and outdoor challenges that build their confidence and transform their way of thinking.
Galileo Online is also for Pre-K through 8th graders. Little innovators are engaged with one another and an enthusiastic instructor via Zoom where they get immersed in inspiring and fun projects and activities in this Galileo summer camp.
Enjoy their Galileo at Home camp as well for grades K to 5 where instructors bring the camp magic at your humble home whether it’s for 2 of your own kids or a pod of 8 kids formed with other families or anything in between.
Kids from different families being engaged in a fun activity at home
A lot of things can be done at home. Hands-on activities, collaborative games and engaging projects focused innovation are what you can expect in this kids camp. Making wax hands is one of the fun activities you can experience with Galileo camp where kids make wax molds of their hands. Another awesome activity is building a super tall straw tower out of just a few simple materials.
Counselor in Training for teens in grades 7th through 10th. This is perfect to students who are too old to be campers and too young to be staffers, but just right for taking on more responsibility and contributing in meaningful ways.
Galileo camps are suitable to little innovators. The curriculum is thoughtfully designed to nurture the innovative potential in each camper. All instructors make sure to have a fun atmosphere while keeping everyone safe at the same time.
To learn more about Galileo camps, go and check https://galileo-camps.com/
Have you seen your kid playing a Minecraft game online? Did you know that you can engage your children in learning how to build this game by teaching kids coding language through a variety of online courses which are popular nowadays? CodaKid is something you’re looking for! CodaKid is an award-winning kids online coding school dedicated to teaching kids how to code. They offer a series of online courses and classes that teach kids coding with game design. Coding for kids is made easy using on-demand and real life programming languages such as Python, JavaScript, C# and more. They combine coding lessons with activities that kids love to play like video games and online apps.
CodaKid offers free trial class and a full money-back guarantee if you want to cancel after the first two sessions. They offer two kinds of subscriptions – monthly & yearly. Monthly plan costs at $25/month while yearly plan offers $299/year.
CodaKid teaches kids through a self-paced coding system. The students are given access to a variety of tutorial videos that are hosted on their servers that look like YouTube-like videos so that kids can familiarly relate to them. A lively, energetic host explains a topic to its viewers by showing them coding with actions displayed on the screen real time. Some parents admired the hosts as they were really connecting with their kids by explaining coding very well and at the same time making them laugh. Even kid ages 8 years old and below can actively relate to the host and can get started with coding quickly because of the way they explain the coding topics easily.
One popular game for kids online like Minecraft has been used as backdrops to some of their online lessons – this means that a topic to be discussed can be about Minecraft house ideas or how to create cool Minecraft houses or even just the basic Minecraft house. They also have engaging video tutorials where they discuss Minecraft building ideas and Minecraft mods explaining those Mod creation essentials which include topics like How to make Minecraft Mods and Minecraft Potions. They even have tutorials Minecraft Forge where students design their very own customer sword and customize it with awesome powers using Java Programming – all of these and more are found in their website under gamepdia (Minecraft wiki) where they have links to Minecraft building tutorials and other helpful information about Minecraft gaming. These lessons are super fun for kids and even allow them to be engaged in building their very own favorite game! To learn more, visit their website: https://codakid.com/
Are video games good for you? A question that arises mostly with parents who have children that are so passionate about video games. Believe it or not, video games are good for both your body and brain according to a lot of scientific studies. As a matter of fact, it is also considered a sport nowadays!
But why will you consider video games as part of your child’s learning options? Will they learn from it? Well, the answer is yes! Video games can greatly impact one’s brain development. There are games which require gamers to plan ahead and contemplate how to use and interact with objects in a virtual world. They can also help improve hand-eye coordination, and could be used to help disabled patients as a type of digital therapy.
With the current situation due to the coronavirus, students’ lives are being boxed within the four corners of their houses so learning could be challenging and boring. But with some virtual learning schools, they fill the needs of students through STEM education to learn more academically in an engaging, fun way yet meaningful and competitive. Scavenger hunt riddles for kids are being used by instructors to make the class more interactive and fun. But incorporating some types of video games or popular Google doodle games might also be an option instead of scavenger hunt clues.
With iD Tech, the world leader in tech education, kids can learn and at the same time enjoy video games through their STEM education. They’re offering virtual classes taught by live instructors not just with the usual virtual lessons but also with active education where students can engage with their instructors and work together with peers in the hottest tech courses built around tools from Adobe, Epic Games, Roblox, Sphero, and more.
Different courses are being offered by iD Tech from Coding to Game Development to Robotics. Let’s take a look at some of them:
Explore the world of Minecraft with their 1-on-1 tutoring sessions for Game Design Tutoring or Modding with Java Tutoring. With their Minecraft course, you would know how to make a minecraft server and can learn how many game modes you can play in Minecraft. Below is the video of a success story of a student who took Game Design course and now a Gameplay Designer at Epic Games.
If you want to open your door to the vast world of coding and development, Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence Tutoring or C++ Tutoring might be suitable for you. You’ll develop your newfound coding skills through fun and practical programming problems, from basics to algorithms.
Being home all day is a challenge for both kids and parents especially the time afterschool or with school closures. So, iD Tech is offering After school and Virtual Tech Camps (iD Tech Camp) too.
There are a lot more exclusive lineup of courses in coding, game dev, robotics, creative arts, and math as well as coding camp for kids where you’ll hone an impressive skillset, flex your creativity, and experiment with the newest and best tools with iD Tech. To learn more, visit iD Tech’s website: https://www.idtech.com/
Have you ever felt completely inspired after creating your own animated movie? Are you into computer animation? How does 3d video game model maker sound?
Seems like a great deal to let your kids spend their time in a digital world with a video game camp or a digital camp! Yes, you heard it right — DIGITAL CAMP!
There are a lot of academies offering animation classes for kids, a photoshop summer camp, coding summer camp and even 3d video game model maker courses! But one tech company pops into my mind when I hear animation, Digital Media Academy! It is a digital art and technology education company, located in Palo Alto, CA, and Vancouver, BC, primarily offering STEM summer camp and arts programs for students, age 9-18, at several universities in the US and Canada.
Digital Media Academy (DMA) designs, develops and delivers STEM curriculum for students of all ages. It offers different courses mainly related to creative design, computer science + AI, digital storytelling, game design, music production and robotics + engineering. They put together hundreds of technology educators from all over Northern America to lead, empower, encourage, and inspire the thousands of students who come through their summer camps each year.
Let’s look at the most popular courses being offered by Digital Media Academy to give you a fresh perspective!
Adventures in Animation
“If I were to give you a stack of post-it notes and say, “Make a flip book,” would you have any trouble figuring out how to do it? Probably not! If that sounds like a fun way to burn an hour, you’re in the right place!” – Austin, Digital Media Academy’s Approach to Animation Courses
Adventures in Animation is a week of one of the most popular animation courses of DMA for kids ages 9-12 where you will learn how to produce animated cartoons and movies using the same processes as animators at Pixar, Cartoon Network, and Disney do. You’ll also create drawings and bring them to life, using production techniques such as timelines and keyframes in Toon Boom Harmony™- the same software used to create Spongebob and many more popular cartoons.
What Students Learn
Animation skills and the fundamentals of storytelling
How to create “claymation” and “humanimation”
Cartoon drawing skills
How to develop a cartoon and create a character
How to use Toon Boom Harmony, professional animation software
What Students Create
Digital illustrations and simple drawings
Storyboards and project plans for their animation projects
2D animated short films using keyframes and simple drawings
A stop-motion animated film using clay and props
A final animation reel that shows off their work as well as their final project
Adventures in 3D Printing & Modeling
Explore a week of adventure in 3D Printing and Modeling for 9-12 years of age. Students will spend the week using a CAD (computer-aided design) software program called Tinkercad and learning how to break down real-world objects into 3D shapes. They’ll also learn about the 3D printing process, taking the objects from Tinkercad and setting them up for printing in an application called Cura, and then printing them on the Ultimaker 2+ printers.
What Students Learn
How 3D printers are changing the world
How to download pre-made 3D models
How to make a 3D model using TinkerCAD
How to print a 3D model using a 3D printer and game modeling software
The design and engineering process used by professionals
The thinking behind the industrial design and consumer goods
What Students Create
Printed 3D models (including dice & a treasure chest )
A final project designed from the ground up that gets printed!
A variety of 3D Models inside TinkerCAD
At least one 3D print designed for somebody else
Robotics & Engineering Academy
Get yourself ready for a two-week course in designing, building and programming your own creations in Robotics and Engineering Academy course for ages 12-18 where students will learn how to build and program a robot using Arduino and a pi-top laptop using Python then they’ll take it home!
What Students Learn
Programming in Arduino
Signal processing and electronic circuit building
How to troubleshoot errors and solve logical problems
Raspberry Pi setup & usage
Command line interfaces
Python coding
Physical Computing
What Students Create
A robot that performs autonomous tasks
Unique code that they understand
Designs for robot improvement and test courses
Projects that utilize the power of Python, Raspberry Pi, and the Internet
Basic code that they will be able to modify themselves for future projects
A fully functional laptop
Audio & Music Production Academy
Be prepared for an exciting two-week course of producing and mixing your own music in Audio & Music Production Academy course for ages 12-18. Here, you will explore professional music production as you learn how to use the most important tools of the industry, like Ableton Live, create and modify sounds while learning layering, mixing, and sampling. You’ll also program your own beats while making your digital music.
What Students Learn
The fundamentals of music production
Rhythm and drum machine patterns
Sampling and synthesizers
MIDI and audio effects
Mixing and mastering basics
The technical theory of audio engineering
The creative process of songwriting Music
Theory and composition
How to record a song from start to finish
How to Use EQ, effects, and automation
Advanced mixing and mastering techniques
What Students Create
Original compositions, mashups or remixes
A polished final mix of their finished tracks
A group collaborative project
An original composition or remix
A polished final mix of their finished song
A rough mix of another student’s song
There are still a lot more courses that DMA is offering to all aspiring artists and roboticists at techcamps.digitalmediaacademy.org/
Get the most out of your summer with Digital Media Academy. Here’s a video of satisfied parents and students who took courses from DMA.
While most people consider drones as toys, a high-quality drone is a thoughtful investment and will give you lots of learning and fun at the same time – as drones have greatly diversified its use for the past years. A lot of learning institutions have managed the use of drone kits as tools for teaching codes or for general STEM education.
We look at some of the best drones that can be used for fun while learning codes all at the same time. Though not really the supreme-kind, these drones can be just the perfect tools for developers, even students who are learning the basics in programming.
Nowadays, a lot of learning institutions have put a huge amount of time on education in the field of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). These have been relevant these days as more industries move towards automation, programming and data-driven decision making. With this, a lot of parents involve their children in after-school programs that teach robotics and drone coding – this is a good investment for their development and kids love to learn with drones too as these are considered cool and exceptional learning for them these days.
Looking at a drone for STEM education, you need something that is not ready-to-fly. A development kit for DIY programming is a must, where assembly of its individual components and parts are required before flying.
Programmable robots or drones are best when you can customize it from the inside and also a great deal if it gives access ports where you can connect your computer. Additional features like Gyros, barometers and sensors can make the drone more exciting to develop. But the best measure for a programmable drone is when it allows for third-party programming languages and development for coding. Making the code programming easier makes you focus on the features you are trying to develop and not on the side bugs.
Here are the best products that can be used to learn fun and exciting way of flying and developing programmable drones:
CoDrone Pro, Lite and Mini
Drone
CoDrone Mini
CoDrone Lite/Pro
Price
USD 89.99
USD 119.99/179.99
Color
Black/Yellow
Black
Battery
Single cell Lithium ion battery (3.7V 220mAh 30C)
Single cell Lithium ion battery (3.7V 300mAh)
Charge Time
40 minutes
40 minutes
LED
1 full color (RGB) LED
8 full color (RGB) LEDs
Flight Time
< 5min
5-8 min
Communication Protocol
Radio Frequency (RF) 2.4GHz
Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) 2.4GHz
Range
80 meters
20 meters
Sensors
-High resolution air pressure sensor for altitude control-3-axis gyroscope and 3-axis accelerometer for attitude control
-Infrared-High resolution air pressure sensor for altitude control-Optical flow sensor for auto hovering-3-axis gyroscope and 3-axis accelerometer for attitude control
Weight
20g (with battery)
9.1 ounces
Dimensions (cm)
8 x 8 x 3.4
13 x 13
Programming Languages
Blockly, Python
Blockly, Python, Arduino
CoDrone Mini
It is a miniature programmable drone at a much more affordable price. With its smaller propellers, the ability to flip, a rounded frame, lighter form factor, this drone is suitable for younger audiences who are interested in getting into programming with drones. It’s also a great starter drone. CoDrone Mini is for younger audiences the same as CoDrone Lite. It is small and has a durable build. Lessons and tutorials can be accessed for free through Robolink’s learning site. Fly it around and make it do acrobatics with the remote, with block coding using Blockly for CoDrone, or with text-based coding using Python.
CoDrone Pro
CoDrone Pro does everything the CoDrone Lite does, but it also comes with an Arduino-compatible buildable remote. The CoDrone is a tiny quadcopter computer vision drone that you can easily program to do whatever you want: follow you, engage in laser battles, go through a maze and more. Whether you are brand new to drones and coding or you’re a longtime drone lover, you will have a blast with the CoDrone.
Text-based coding is done in the Arduino or Python coding environment but can also be explored through block-based coding with Blockly.
It is considered the best selling drone programming kit of Robolink and was featured in CNBC, CNET and Mashable. It is not only for kids but it is also a robotic kit for adults who want to expand their robotics learning on coding and programming. Currently, it is also being used by a lot of teachers and schools for their programming lessons.
CoDrone Lite
CoDrone Lite is the same drone as CoDrone but lighter. It doesn’t have a buildable remote and Smart Inventor main board. It features the new hardware with an additional distance sensor for better fixed height.
It is for younger audiences who want to learn basic concepts behind coding and programming, but may not be ready yet for full-on text-based coding. Learn how to program your own custom flight patterns, how to navigate through obstacles, and more.
Lite can be programmed with Python, a text-based programming language or Blockly for block-based coding.
Manufactured by a French-based company, Parrot ANAFIbase drone is designed with a slick foldable arms, making it more convenient to carry – best for travelers who get the most out of a smaller design and ultra-compact.
This drone is smart and powerful as it has an omnidirectional transmission system (4km range) with 50km/h wind resistance / 55km/h top speed in Sport mode. It has approximately 25 minutes of flight time (Smart Battery) and has super quiet flights.
It is easy to use as it has a new FreeFlight 6 application for an intuitive and ergonomic experience. It also comes with advanced visual tracking powered by A.I., SmartDronies for easy aerial selfies and CineShots for automatic landscape videos. You can also play with slow-motion and Hyperlapse modes (speeds footage up to 240 times). Additionally, it offers smart filming and flight modes like auto-follow, orbit and GPC waypoint flying. You can also find a cool Dolly Zoom mode that adds dramatic & suspense shots.
The Parrot ANOFI base price is at $549 and extended price is $699 where the extended version comes with two extra batteries, a compact travel case and additional goodies – not bad for a powerful pack it brings!
As for the camera specs, the ANAFI has ½.4-inch CMOS sensor from Sony, along with a wide-angle f/2.4 ASPH lens. It has 21-megapixel still shots and can shoot video in 1080p FHD at up to 60fps, 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160) at up to 30fps, or Cinematic 4K (4,096 x 2,160) at 24fps. Best part is the camera can shoot HDR video and has digital zooming capabilities. It is also capable of tilting the camera up and down with 180 degrees of range – this is one unique to the ANAFI and not something you can find with other drones within the same price range.
Weight: Approximately 80 g (Propellers and Battery Included)
Dimensions: 98×92.5×41 mm
Propeller: 3 inches
Built-in Functions: Range Finder, Barometer, LED, Vision System, 2.4 GHz 802.11n Wi-Fi, 720p Live View
Port: Micro USB Charging Port
FLIGHT PERFORMANCE
Max Flight Distance: 100m
Max Speed: 8m/s
Max Flight Time: 13min
Max Flight Height: 30m
BATTERY and CAMERA
Detachable Battery: 1.1Ah/3.8V
Photo: 5MP (2592×1936)
FOV: 82.6°
Video: HD720P30
Format: JPG(Photo); MP4(Video)
EIS: Yes
The Ryze Tello is a toy quadcopter controllable by a smartphone or laptop (using Scratch). It is a drone kit for adults and kids that you can enjoy while learning all at the same time.
This quadcopter is VR headset compatible for breathtaking first-person view flights and has DJI Flight Tech to ensure stable flights and can give you awesome experience with just a tap on the screen. This can be controlled easily using the Telllo app where it has a user-friendly interface that’s why getting started is extra easy. It also has 8D flips to perform cool aerial stunts and has bounce mode where it flies up and down from your hand automatically.
As for the camera, Tello quadcopter is equipped with a high-quality image processor, that’s why it shoots awesome pictures and videos. IT has EZ shots where it records coordinated short videos with Circle, 360, and Up & Away. It has electronic image stabilization which captures consistently clear images. This drone comes with an Intel processor for professional processing that yields high-quality footage.
Tello quadcopter is controllable with Mobile scratch programming through Tello Edu. Students can command Tello to perform corresponding movements by dragging coding blocks on their smart mobile device. Students can also develop programming skills by playing games and completing levels. Scratch is a simple, block-based visual programming app that allows students to learn the basics of programming while having fun. For more advanced players, they can develop software applications for Tello using the Tello SDK.
Remote Controller: WiFi 2.4 GHz (included in the set)
Camera: N/A
Live Video Transmission Range: N/A
Weight: 75g / 2.64oz
Working Temperature: 5°C to ~ 40°C
Rated for indoor and outdoor use
No GPS
Position Hold
Speeds of Roughly 25 mph
8 Built in Stunt Abilities
Motors: Brushed Coreless
The Sky Viper e1700 is somewhat different compared to the other drones reviewed earlier. This is considered a stunt drone builder and is perfect for those who really want to appreciate the inner workings of their device.
It comes with a kit where all necessary equipment is there to build your own stunt drone and once the drone is built, it can identically resemble the s1750 model, with eight one-touch stunt buttons perfect for those awesome midair maneuvers.
To start off, there is an available app through the Sky Viper website that gives you step-by-step, illustrated instructions on how to assemble your drone. Also, Sky Viper provides you with an Iphone app suited for Apple users where it gives a step-by-step guide as well in the building process.
The Sky Viper e1700 should not be recommended for anyone who wants to start flying their drone right away. For those individuals who want to fly drones easily, the S1750 is best for them – this is the same product as e1700 without the difficulty of building from scratch.
Drones are tools for fun and at the same time something that can delight your brains for learning. They are interesting to fly, take pictures and record videos with but on the other hand, they can also be a tool for awesome learning on programming, math, physics, and engineering.
These drones are best for learners who just started exploring the world of drones and also for those experience developers in programming languages as they can test the limits of their skills and even be thrilled that there are numerous tools and videos online that can help them their learning curve and help them improve so as to join the expert group in the testing grounds.
Bringing cutting-edge STEM education to your students, go for an excellent educational programmable drone. But it doesn’t need to cost an arm and a leg as you can have an affordable one yet helps you build and code the UAV.
There are a lot of drones for education that you can learn at home or in the classroom. Top drones in the market are awesome to fly with incredible features and stability, can capture stunning aerial photography and even bring innovative solutions to different fields. However, these drones could cost a lot yet not ideal to learn coding.
With so many of them in the market, how would you know what drone is perfect for you and your students?
No worries as we’ve searched some programmable drones for sale for you! Here, we highlight exceptional drones for education, which give you what you need for coding and building. We’ve also added some videos and links where you can find more information about them.
Exceptional Educational Drones
These drones have exceptional programs and features but really affordable.
Robolink CoDrone Pro, Lite and Mini educational kit
DJI Tello EDU drone
DJI Tello Iron Man edition
Parrot Mambo Fly educational drone
Makeblock Airblock educational drone
Drona Aviation PlutoX kit
Sky Viper e1700 stunt drone kit
Robolink CoDrone Pro, Lite and Mini educational kit
Robolink’s goal is to make fun and approachable robotics kits that bring computer science to life and teach real industry competency. They were the first to make a programmable educational drone which is CoDrone Pro, their best selling programmable drone kit. Later on, they introduced CoDrone Lite at a more affordable price without the use of a remote control. CoDrone Mini, the latest model of CoDrone with a remote controller, is being offered at a really low price of $89.99 and being used in Robolink’s learning curriculum through virtual classes and virtual camps. Their curriculums, including how to build the remote and how to program the drone, can be accessed for free from their website and they have a community forum where most questions/concerns related to the product are being addressed. All of these drones can be shipped across the world.
CoDrone Mini
CoDrone Mini is a mini drone that’s smaller than Pro/Lite. It’s programmable in Blockly and Python, which you can use to make the drone fly in patterns, control the lights, and even do flips. It’s an awesome way to get introduced to basic coding concepts, then see your code take flight.
CoDrone Mini Features:
Flight Time: 5 min
Battery Charge time: 40 min
Flight Range: 160ft.
Gyroscope: 3-axis gyroscope and 3-axis accelerometer for altitude control
Gyroscope: 3-axis gyroscope and 3-axis accelerometer for altitude control
Barometer Sensor: Assists with altitude control
Radio Frequency Connection
Dimensions: 80mm x 80mm
Weight: Just 20 g
CoDrone Pro
The CoDrone Pro is the same as the CoDrone Lite, but it also comes with an Arduino-compatible buildable remote. It can be programmed with Arduino, Python and Blocky.
CoDrone Lite has everything CoDrone Pro has, but without the complexity of the Arduino-based remote controller. It can be programmed with Python, a text-based coding language or a block-based one which is Blockly.
Gyroscope: 3-axis gyroscope and 3-axis accelerometer for altitude control
Barometer Sensor: Assists with altitude control
Hovering: Optical flow sensor for hovering
Dimensions: 133mm x 133mm
Weight: Just 37 g
IR Sensors
Bluetooth 4.0
DJI Tello EDU drone
Tello EDU is an impressive and programmable drone that suits well for educational purposes. It can be easily programmed with Scratch, Python and Swift. They can fly in a swarm and develop amazing AI functions. With an upgraded SDK 2.0, Tello EDU comes with more advanced commands and increased data interfaces.
Inspired by Iron Man’s classic armor, Tello Iron Man shell includes the heroic Arc Reactor, motors and propeller tips dipped in gold. It’s the same with Tello EDU except for it’s frame design of the Iron Man character. It’s a minidrone that gives you an immersive experience into Iron Man’s world.
It supports the Tello EDU app and Swift Playground app in addition to Python and Scratch, a visual programming language.
DJI Tello Iron Man features:
Intelligent Flight Functions: 360, Throw and Go, 8D Flips
FPV camera: 720p HD transmission, 5MP Photos, Electronic Image Stabilization
Parrot Mambo is a fun and easy to fly racing drone for beginners. It’s a small plastic drone that’s intuitive to fly, small enough to fit in the palm of your hand and so lightweight (at 63g without its propeller guards) you’ll barely feel it. It is considered one of the most stable mini-drones on the market because of its intelligent auto-pilot system, advanced flight controller and powerful sensors.
Parrot Education was launched to support the drone revolution occurring in academic institutions across the globe. From primary schools to PhD’s, drones offer an astonishing new aerial perspective with countless applications that cut across disciplines, including science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), as well as film, media, and journalism.
Parrot Mambo Fly Specifications and Features:
Dimension: 5.2 x 5.2 x 1.6 inches
Weight: 2.2.4 ounces
0.3–megapixel camera and 1GB internal storage
Battery life: up to 9 minutes of continuous flight
Charging time: 30 minutes if connected to a 2A USB adapter
Makeblock introduces the first modular and programmable drone, the Airblock. Airblock is not just a drone but can also be switched to hovercraft and be transformed to numerous shapes, which can be exciting to kids and adults. It is a learning toy which aims young pilots to dive into the basics of STEM education.
Airblock has won several awards including the German iF Design Award, the German Reddot Product Design Award, the Korean K-Design Award, the American IDEA Award for Makeblock Neurons, the Japanese Good Design Award and other international industrial design awards.
Pluto X is a programmable crash resistant nano drone with a camera. The SDK for PlutoX is based on the Cygnus IDE and API so playing around with the code and teaching it new tricks is a lot easier than one would imagine. It can be programmed with C++ programming language. Drona Aviation claims that PlutoX’s 3D printed frame is sturdy enough to survive through any and all torturous experiments that you can think of. Just be open to experiment!
Sky Viper e1700 is a buildable drone that comes with an app that makes its assembly easy with step-by-step animated instructions. It’s a great deal for building and flying with its high performance.
Sky Viper e1700 Features:
Improved auto hover: release the left thumbstick until the next command.
Flight sensitivity: choose the responsiveness to your controls based on your skill level.
Dual Flight Mode: choose an auto or manual flight.
Flight Controller board: comes pre-programmed with ViperFlight 5, a state-of-the-art control firmware based on platforms commonly used in racing-class drones
Flight Assist: makes flying easier for casual flyers and beginners
Sky Viper e1700 is lightweight and safe to use indoors. It’s perfect for flying outdoors to perform awesome stunts with its speed of up to 25 mph.
Parrot Mambo is a fun and easy to fly racing drone for beginners. It’s a small plastic drone that’s intuitive to fly, small enough to fit in the palm of your hand and so lightweight (at 63g without its propeller guards) you’ll barely feel it. This minidrone is more expensive than many of the more basic minidrones out there, but it’s accessories mean that it’ll give you so much fun that will last much longer – you can get a cool grabber claw device and an awesome little cannon that really shoots actual BB pellets (accessories sold separately).
Mambo is considered as one of the most stable minidrones in the market with a cool grabber claw device and an awesome little cannon that shoots actual BB pellets.
Mambo is considered as one of the most stable minidrones in the market. With a size of 5.2 x 5.2 x 1.6 inches, it weighs just 2.2.4 ounces, so it does not need FAA registration. It also comes with a 0.3–megapixel camera and 1GB internal storage (not expandable) which is not that great. It can be compared to an old VGA webcam level of quality – it’s a bit blurry and the colors are not so good. But still, it can be fun to get a top-down view of your lawn space. As for the Battery life and charging, you can expect up to 9 minutes of continuous flight – good enough to have a quick round of fun. Charging takes only 30 minutes if connected to a 2A USB adapter, which is fast.
One of the most notable features of this minidrone is its auto-pilot feature, there will be no trouble in controlling and to take pictures from the air. There is also a ‘cut-out system’ feature where it will automatically shut off just in case an impact takes place. Additionally, this minidrone performs aerial stunts, barrel rolls and flips. Also, with the three piloting modes (Easy, drift and racing), this minidrone adapts to all skill levels.
Mambo can be controlled through an app, a remote control or with your favorite tablets and chromebooks. Parrot partnered with the best coding platforms to offer many options to code drones. This is supported with block coding (Tynker, Blockly) and also text coding (Javascript and Python).
Generally, if you are looking for a starter drone that does a lot of things than flying, Parrot Mambo is the drone for you. But if you are looking for high quality photos or videos, this might disappoint. Also, it doesn’t do well in light wind outdoor venues. Since its lightweight, even small amounts of wind affect its speed and controllability.
Parrot has confirmed it is discontinuing its minidrone manufacturing as the company is now focusing on commercial drones and withdrawing from the toy and mini-drone industry, so items are not available online for sale.
Makeblock introduces the first modular and programmable drone, the Airblock, which can be bought at a very reasonable price of $99. Airblock is not just a drone but can also be switched to hovercraft and be transformed to numerous shapes, which can be exciting to kids and adults. It is a learning toy which aims young pilots to dive into the basics of STEM education.
What’s in the box?
1 x Main Control Module
1 x Hovercraft Base
1 x Battery
10 x Protective Cover
6 x Rotor
1 x Charger
1 x Charging Cable
Airblock is basically made up of 1 master module and 6 power modules or rotor blades that are magnetized for its easy-to-assemble feature. It weighs around 141g to 200g with a measure of 230 × 222 × 53 mm (L × W × H) for Aircraft and 335 × 192 × 127 mm (L × W × H) for the Hovercraft. The battery is a 7.4V, 950mAh lithium battery only provides about 6-8 minutes flight time while it can last about 20 minutes if you’re playing it as a hovercraft. Its battery can be fully charged in 45 minutes.
Airblock’s body construction is made of expanded polypropylene (EPP), which is a molded closed cell foam so it makes Airblock light and floaty and durable so nothing breaks even if it crashes. It also has a moulded foam hull so it won’t sink in water. The distance can be controlled up to 10 meters and be programmed with the Makeblock App’s graphical programming. You can easily perform stunts that you code or make use of the pre-programmed maneuvers from the app so even if you don’t have any programming experience, you can fully enjoy it. The build can be controlled on IOS or Android via Bluetooth.
Check Robolink’s CoDrone Pro for a programmable drone with Arduino-based remote controller.
The distance can be controlled up to 10 meters and be programmed with the Makeblock App’s graphical programming.
If you’re looking for something ideal to teach aerodynamics and coding, an ease-of-use and customized drone, ability to crash over and over again without thinking of any repair costs, this would be perfect for you. But this would test the patience of new programmers or fliers because of its short battery life. In addition, as it is very light, it can be easily blown by the wind so it is hard to fly this outdoors.
DJI Tello or also known as Ryze Tech Tello is one of the best beginner drones you can get at an affordable price of $99.
DJI Tello or also known as Ryze Tech Tello is one of the best beginner drones you can get at an affordable price of $99. The Tello flies attractively but has some restrictions when it comes to its aerial capabilities because of its inability to deal with wind. However, it can be a fun simple drone to fly with awesome programming features that make it easy to use.
What you can get in the box:
1 Aircraft
4 Propellers (Pair)
1 Propeller Guards (Set)
1 Battery
1 Propeller Removal Tool
1 Micro USB Cable
DJI Tello Drone is a small drone, with a size of 6 x 6 x 1.3in/98 x 92.5 x 41mm. It weighs just under 3 ounces, so it does not need FAA registration. It also comes with an onboard nose-mounted camera that’s capable of capturing 5MP (2592 x 1936) photos and streaming 720p HD video at a resolution of 1280 x 720. The 1100 mAh battery that powers the Tello only provides about 3 to 5 minutes of flight time, which isn’t that long, especially when you are using the programmable features of the drone. The charging time of the battery though is about 1hr and 15 min, which isn’t too bad.
See small programmable drone with remote controller at an affordable price of $89.99 – Robolink CoDrone Mini
Tello can be controlled through an app, a remote control or through the Scratch programming interface. The Tello app is free for iOS and Android smartphones. The program is very simple and it has a good level of control for beginners and experienced ones. It’s a pretty fast maneuverable drone with amazing speed for its size. GPS is not available on this drone, so you can’t program a course and set the drone to follow it through the smartphone app. If the drone flies out of Wi-Fi range, it hovers in place until it reacquires the signal. The maximum range you could control the drone at was closer to 30-40m, and there are limits on its altitude too.
Overall, you buy Ryze Tech Tello if you want to learn the basics, looking for a drone to use for travelling, want to fly or play it indoors with responsive controls. This is not advisable for those living in windy places, if you are looking for high quality videos or a high range drone to fly or want to learn programming as the Scratch support is sloppily created, very limited and incompetently documented.
