AirBlock – A Review of Modular Programmed Drone

Modular programmed drone Airblock is an excellent gadget for beginner pilots as well as those who have experience in flying on drones. The drone is truly unique drone due to the combination of interesting forms with spectacular multifunctionality and a possibility of programming. In this article, we will review the main characteristics and features of Airblock from Makeblock.

Design features

Primarily, a unique design solution that manufacture (the company Makeblock – the famous producer of educational meccanoes and STEM-solutions) chose stands out. Airblock is the first in the world modular drone: there are a main (basic) module and 6 modules with propellers in the kit. This device is marked as a 2-in-one drone as the kit provides the basis for creating an air-cushion craft. It allows the device to fly as well as glide on water or land surface like the hoverboard from the famous movie. There are waterproof and “Boat on an air cushion” mode in the drone for water travel.

There are a 6-shafted gyroscope, a barometer that controls the change of height and an ultrasound sensor that controls the distance of flight.

The modular design makes from Airblock a real meccano and allows to assemble drones of different configuration (with a different number of propellers that can be attached along the basic module or at an angle of 90, 180, 270 degrees). Thus, this transformer leaves the owner enough space for creativity and testing his/her own models. The blocks are easy connected due to magnetic connectors no tools are needed for this. For convenience purposes, the Airblock propellers are painted in different colors (black rotates in a clockwise direction, red – counterclockwise direction) and the connection ports are numbered. No doubt that the assembly will be quite easy for even a kid.

The manufacturer has established the pilots’ age restriction and it is 8 years and older.

It is important for beginners that the drone is not afraid of falls or clashes: you can quickly connect the parts that fell apart and continue the flight. The manufacturer has anticipated the comprehensive protection for the device. So propellers are safely “hidden” in plastic “cells”. Moreover, there are specially protected covers for propellers in the set. All parts of the main module are also well protected with plastic frame. No doubt the device will forgive newcomers’ pilot errors.

Airblock came to the market in 2016 and became a winner of two designer awards (Reddot Award: Product Design и Good Design Award) in 2017, in the framework of one more (K-Design) was awarded with the Grand-Prix and also became a finalist for IDEA award. Thus, unique design and opportunities of drone spark the interest of not only regular users but also experts.

Flight features and programming

The flight features of Airblock are enough to the owner to fully experiment with the model, make different tricks in the air and home skills of drone pilotage or manage a craft on an air cushion:

1. Maximum speed – 5,5 km/h in drone mode and 7 km/h in hoverboard mode (boat on an air cushion);
2. Maximum distance – 8 m in the air and 6 m above the water;
3. Flight time – up to 6 minutes in drone mode and up to 16 minutes in hoverboard mode.

The fact that the drone does not have a built-in camera and does not offer the possibility to set up one outside is considered to be a main disadvantage of Airblock.

Controls

The device can be controlled via Bluetooth from a smartphone or a tablet on Android or iOS – for this purpose just download a free application from the manufacturer. An interesting feature of Airblock is that its flight can be programmed. The application supports visual programming language Scratch 2.0 and has an intuitively understandable interface. The process will not be difficult for even young pilots: by putting the sequence of icons in a special area the user defines the sequence of drone’s actions. The drone can do a bank-to-bank reversal or fly in a circle, shaking of crafts, automatic landing and execute other commands (you can find the full list below).

By default the drone has the next modes and features:

1. Height retention;
2. Hanging in the air.

Programmed functions are included:

1. Automatic landing;
2. Fly in a circle;
3. Fly in a triangle;
4. Bank-to-bank reversal;
5. Shaking of crafts.

As can see, the initial set of functions is small but it can be expanded considerably.

There are tree LED-indicators in the main module. Their color and brightness can also be programmed.

Configuration

There are the following parts and modules in the kit:

1. Control module:
2. Motor blocks (6 units);
3. Extra aircraft propeller (6 units);
4. Two types of propeller protections(6+4 units);
5. Platform for creating a boat on an air cushion;
6. Battery of 700 mAh;
7. Charger;
8. USB cable;
9. Set of stickers;
10. Detailed instructions.