The reborn Lily drone isn’t what you were expecting
To say that Lily drone backers were disappointed would be an understatement. They were promised a cutting-edge machine only to watch the $34 million crowdfunding campaign go up in flames, and only some contributors have received their funds so far. However, Lily is back — sort of. Mota Group (which bought the brand name) has introduced a reborn “Lily Next-Gen” that includes the the same cute black-and-chrome look as the original, but not much else. You’re not going to launch the drone by throwing it, and it’s definitely not waterproof. Its biggest selling points are 4K video and one-button takeoff.
The machine will normally sell for $699, but early adopters can buy it for $499 during the drone’s “first few days” on sale.
Mota’s version of Lily is bound to be a bit frustrating if you poured hard-earned money into the crowdfunded project, especially knowing that another company (LR Acquisition) holds the patents for what made Lily special. With that said, the very fact that it exists could be important if you’re a former backer. The sale of the Lily badge could help more people get refunds and put an end to the whole tragic tale.
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