Skip to main content

Here’s the perfect drone for those who like to stand out from the crowd

gold phantom 4 drone
DronesDirect
If a gold-plated quadcopter sounds like a daft idea, that’s because it is. However, if it seems like something you might actually desire, then what are you waiting for? This special edition DJI Phantom 4 drone is on the market right now in the U.K., and costs just £20,000 (about $24,000). But keep in mind that you could also get about 20 bling-free Phantom 4s for that kind of money.

Offered by DronesDirect, the 24-karat gold-plated flying machine is likely to have any owner sweating profusely from the second they launch the unique copter until the moment they land it. If they do land it.

gold-drone-ad
DronesDirect
DronesDirect
Recommended Videos

It is without doubt the ultimate “look at me” quadcopter, though hopefully it won’t be a case of “look at me while I accidentally get it stuck on the top of that enormous tree over there.”

You certainly wouldn’t want to experience a flyaway incident with this particular Phantom 4, though it’d likely make the day of the person who finds it crashed in their yard. “Hey, honey, you’ll never guess what I just found out back. Maybe we can afford that vacation after all.”

“Fly in first class”

The copter’s listing says the “gold standard” Phantom 4 lets you “fly in first class with the Rolls-Royce of the drone world.”

It goes on, “You won’t find this masterpiece anywhere else, so it’s unlikely you’ll see one flying around. That means you’re bound to turn heads when you head out with this beauty.” Turn heads it certainly will, with most of them probably thinking, “Who’s that jerk with the flashy quadcopter?”

The Phantom 4 apparently still has excellent performance “despite the extra weight,” a note that suggests you really wouldn’t want to fly this over a crowd of people for fear of a sudden mid-air incident sending the heavy machine (precise weight not specified) at great speed toward people’s soft connective tissue.

OK, maybe there are people out there who could be tempted to add a gold DJI drone to their extravagant collection of pricey toys – Russian oligarchs, perhaps? Arab princes? Donald Trump? But for most regular folks, the standard Phantom 4 will seem like an altogether more sensible deal.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
The best portable power stations
EcoFlow DELTA 2 on table at campsite for quick charging.

Affordable and efficient portable power is a necessity these days, keeping our electronic devices operational while on the go. But there are literally dozens of options to choose from, making it abundantly difficult to decide which mobile charging solution is best for you. We've sorted through countless portable power options and came up with six of the best portable power stations to keep your smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other gadgets functioning while living off the grid.
The best overall: Jackery Explorer 1000

Jackery has been a mainstay in the portable power market for several years, and today, the company continues to set the standard. With three AC outlets, two USB-A, and two USB-C plugs, you'll have plenty of options for keeping your gadgets charged.

Read more
CES 2023: HD Hyundai’s Avikus is an A.I. for autonomous boat and marine navigation
Demonstration of NeuBoat level 2 autonomous navigation system at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show

This content was produced in partnership with HD Hyundai.
Autonomous vehicle navigation technology is certainly nothing new and has been in the works for the better part of a decade at this point. But one of the most common forms we see and hear about is the type used to control steering in road-based vehicles. That's not the only place where technology can make a huge difference. Autonomous driving systems can offer incredible benefits to boats and marine vehicles, too, which is precisely why HD Hyundai has unveiled its Avikus AI technology -- for marine and watercraft vehicles.

More recently, HD Hyundai participated in the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show, to demo its NeuBoat level 2 autonomous navigation system for recreational boats. The name mashes together the words "neuron" and "boat" and is quite fitting since the Avikus' A.I. navigation tech is a core component of the solution, it will handle self-recognition, real-time decisions, and controls when on the water. Of course, there are a lot of things happening behind the scenes with HD Hyundai's autonomous navigation solution, which we'll dive into below -- HD Hyundai will also be introducing more about the tech at CES 2023.

Read more
This AI cloned my voice using just three minutes of audio
acapela group voice cloning ad

There's a scene in Mission Impossible 3 that you might recall. In it, our hero Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) tackles the movie's villain, holds him at gunpoint, and forces him to read a bizarre series of sentences aloud.

"The pleasure of Busby's company is what I most enjoy," he reluctantly reads. "He put a tack on Miss Yancy's chair, and she called him a horrible boy. At the end of the month, he was flinging two kittens across the width of the room ..."

Read more