Sony just tested its first drone prototype

In announcing their collaboration, the two companies had said that they plan to create an all-purpose drone for business customers, to enable them to carry out activities like inspection and observation of facilities, survey and measuring land and properties, and other such things. Sony Mobile Communications owns just over 50 percent of the venture, with the rest in the hands of Tokyo robotics firm ZMP, which set up a robot taxi company earlier this year along with mobile gaming giant DeNA.

Drones drew scrutiny in Japan when an anti-nuclear power protester used one to deliver a payload of radioactive material to the roof of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s office in April.

The DTO1-E is like a miniature airplane with the ability to be able to take off and land vertically.

It can fly for up to two hours, maxing out at 106 miles an hour. The company has now shared a couple of videos showing off its new drones – AS-DTO1-E and AS-MCO1-P.

The AS-MCO1-P looks like a traditional quadcopter featuring a camera, GPS and navigation system.

Sony and ZMP had also said that their Aerosense collaborative company will make the all-purpose drone available to business customers in 2016. Sony hopes that adding its smartphone tech will “give Aerosense an edge”, the article noted.

We previously heard that Sony was working on a new drone project and now the first Sony Drone prototype has been revealed on video.