Most of the time, if your drone falls out of the sky and breaks into a dozen pieces, you’re going to have a really bad day. But with Airblock, the new modular drone from the Shenzhen-based robotics startup Makeblock, you can snap the whole thing back together and start flying in seconds. The central processor, motors, and rotors are all enclosed in a soft styrofoam frame, and the pieces fit together using magnetic connectors. The unit also comes with a large styrofoam base, and you can reconfigure the pieces used in the drone to make a hovercraft that zips over smooth ground or calm water.
The Airblock is available today through Makeblock’s Kickstarter project. It’s the company’s fourth Kickstarter, and this one passed its funding goal in less than 24 hours. Makeblock is part of an emerging Maker movement in Shenzhen, which has built a reputation as the Silicon Valley of China.
