Looks really interesting! I like the fact that it gives accountability as to who is using it, seems relatively safe given the prop guards and the flexible props, and at least there won't be any flyaways! This was done by some guys that worked in ETH Zurich's lab.
Here's the IndieGoGo link.
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/fotokite-phi-tethered-uav-for-aerial-filming
Comments
Thanks for posting this! @Dax - the Fotokite is quite different from CyPhy stuff (apart from the price) in that we don't use GPS or have dependency on RF-based control. What happens is the tether is kept taut and the tension force is used as the primary means of localization. This gives you some nice freebies like instant launch (really, as in up to 50m in 30s from touching the device) and working indoor/outdoor...
We're also pretty proud of the folding design and that it's a 12oz gopro quad, which is a whole lot lighter than certain other gopro-carrying devices :-)
On the other hand we don't have a gimbal (yet..) due to the same weight, and of course it's a different type of beast in terms of operating range - so hopefully in the end it's a new type of aerial photo device that can complement all the other ingenious conventional drone designs out there!
I've always wondered how feasible a tethered quad would be where power was supplied from the ground. If you lost the weight of the battery, how much copper cable could you lift to get unlimited flight times.