Intel Slam Dunk Drone, hidden communications.
Intel may have used a Yuneec based platform, a company they have bought into, to drop a basketball for the Verizon Slam Dunk challenge. Yuneec seems to be the ugly step child of the Intel Drone group. We have not really heard much of the company recently. They were heralded as a DJI beater, that has not happened. On a second look its an Asctec NEO, so still no primetime love for Yuneec.
I found the B roll from Cindy Ng most interesting. This really is the real story behind the headline.
Cindy speaks about capturing and processing inspection data. This is the story within the story. Also the mention of regulations in different countries, a drone outfit that is thinking about compliance all around the world.
I have a great deal of time for the Intel Drone group, yes they have to do the sizzle pieces but it seems they are focused on the important things behind the scenes.
Why have they started calling hexacopters, hexicopters though, I have corrected the press release for them ;-)
During the 2017 Verizon Slam Dunk Contest, as part of NBA All-Star festivities, NBA forward Aaron Gordon and Intel wowed viewers by collaborating on the first-ever slam dunk with assistance from an unlikely teammate: a drone powered by Intel.
Gordon’s performance featured a never-before-seen assist from a drone, making it the most highly-technical dunk ever attempted during the NBA slam dunk contest. His showmanship was on display in full force with the inclusion of advanced drone technology powered by Intel.
“I’ve been thinking about what I wanted to do for this year’s contest pretty much since the contest ended last year,” Gordon said. “I wanted to incorporate technology and do something creative and unique, which is why I was so excited to partner with Intel. Originality for me is key. I wanted to avoid doing anything gimmicky and get back to the creativity of the contest. And what better way to do that than to surprise the crowd with a drone powered by Intel?”
Born and raised in Silicon Valley, technology is embedded in Gordon’s background. His mother, Shelly Davis Gordon, is an Intel employee who worked in the semiconductor industry for 35 years.
“When Aaron Gordon approached Intel with the idea to complete the first-ever drone assisted slam dunk, we couldn’t wait to support him in his quest,” said Anil Nanduri, vice president of Intel’s Drone Segment. “Intel is leading and committed to bringing new capabilities and innovations to the drone ecosystem, so obviously our team saw this as an opportunity to do just that. Our goal as a brand is to use technology to create amazing experiences and I can think of no better way to prove that than by working with Aaron on this historic dunk attempt.”
The drone powered by Intel that starred in the 2017 Verizon Slam Dunk is a fully-redundant hexacopter. It is designed with safety in mind and is resistant against any single point of failure. The drone has a flight time as long as 26 minutes, weighs just less than 11 pounds and can carry a payload of up to 4.4 pounds.
