Parrot and Brookstone Host AR. Drone Flight School Across the United States

Consumers can demo AR.Drones in New York, L.A. and Washington D.C.

NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 04, 2010 – Parrot, market leader in wireless devices for mobile phones, is taking the Parrot A.R Drone across the country at select Brookstone locations so would-be pilots can get a hands-on demonstration of this season’s hottest tech toy.

New York, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., Brookstone stores will host the AR. Drone Flight School, where trained Drone pilots will assist consumers with tips and tricks to fly the Parrot AR.Drone.

Those eager to get their hands on the season’s hottest holiday toy, which combines real video images with virtual worlds to create a flying video game, can attend Parrot’s Flight School at:

New York: Wednesday, Nov. 10 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Brookstone’s Rockefeller Center Store, 1230 Sixth Avenue (at 49th), New York

Los Angeles: Friday, Nov. 20 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Third Street Promenade 1311 Third St., Santa Monica, Calif.

Washington D.C.: Friday, Nov. 26 from 5:30 a.m. to 5 pm. at Fashion Centre at Pentagon City, 1100 S. Hayes St., Arlington, Va.

Parrot’s copter, with four propellers, has been featured in scores of newspapers and TV newscasts, as well as on The Late Show with David Letterman and Jimmy Kimmel Live.

The AR. Drone is the first quadricopter controlled by an iPod touch®, iPhone®or iPadTM. Using any of these mobile devices as controllers, citizen pilots can direct the AR. Drone to take off, fly 160 feet in any direction, soar 20 feet high and land, all while it broadcasts live video from two cameras, one front-mounted and another looking downward. The live images are streamed to the mobile device, where they can be combined with software-generated graphics and characters to transform any landscape into a video game. Brookstone is the only brick-and-mortar retailer where consumers can see the AR. Drone fly.

Brookstone’s exclusive AR. Drone Flight School will put consumers in the pilot seat to teach basic and advanced maneuvers with the craft.

About the Parrot® AR. Drone Quadricopter
The Parrot AR.Drone is extremely easy to fly in both indoor and outdoor settings. The AR.Drone generates its own Wi-Fi network at which you simply connect an iPod touch or iPhone. The AR.FreeFlight application is a free app in the App Store and allows for the AR.Drone to be piloted via the iPod touch/iPhone/iPad. Once in-flight, the accelerometer of the iPod touch/iPhone/iPad detects all of the movements and the AR.Drone will mirror all movements made by the iPod touch/iPhone/iPad while the pilot’s left thumb is on the control button.
The AR.Drone uses MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanicals Systems), three axes accelerometer, two gyrometers [one axe & two axes], one ultrasound sensor and one vertical camera to automatically stabilize once it takes off. This allows for very stable flights for even beginner pilots.

The AR.Drone-Pilot Academy at www.ardrone.com provides multiple videos and instructions that prepare aspiring AR.Drone pilots for flight. It also connects AR.Drone fans from around the world. More information about the AR.Drone can be found at www.parrot.com/facebook or www.twitter.com/ardrone.

About Brookstone
Brookstone, Inc., is an innovative product development company and specialty retailer of unique gifts. Brookstone operates 310 stores nationwide and in Puerto Rico. Typically located in high-traffic regional shopping malls and airports, the stores feature unique and innovative consumer products. The Company also operates a Direct Marketing business that includes the Brookstone catalog and an e-commerce Web site at Brookstone.com. More information about Brookstone can be found at www.brookstone.com or www.facebook.com/pages/Brookstone/68120344353

About PARROT
Parrot, a global leader in wireless devices for mobile phones, stands on the cutting edge of innovation. The company was founded in 1994 by Henri Seydoux as part of his determination to drive the inevitable breakthrough of mobile phones into everyday life by creating high-quality, user-friendly wireless devices for easy living. Parrot has developed the most extensive range of hands-free systems on the market for cars, motorbikes and scooters, including wireless multimedia products geared towards audiovisual applications. In 2008, Parrot launched a new prestige line of high-end products bearing the hallmark of renowned artists and in 2010, the AR.Drone, the first quadricopter piloted via Wi-Fi and using augmented reality.

Parrot, headquartered in Paris, currently employs 450 people worldwide and generates 85% of its sales overseas. Parrot is listed on NYSE Euronext Paris since 2006. (FR0004038263 – PARRO)
More information : www.parrot.com / www.ardrone.com / www.parrotoem.com

®The Bluetooth word mark and logos are owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Parrot S.A. is under license. Other trademarks and trade names are those of their respective owners.

Parrot, a global leader in wireless devices for mobile phones, stands on the cutting edge of innovation. The company was founded in 1994 by Henri Seydoux as part of his determination to drive the inevitable breakthrough of mobile phones into everyday life by creating high-quality, user-friendly wireless devices for easy living. Parrot has developed the most extensive range of hands-free systems on the market for cars, motorbikes and scooters, including wireless multimedia products geared towards audiovisual applications. In 2008, Parrot launched a new prestige line of high-end products bearing the hallmark of renowned artists and in 2010, the AR.Drone, the first quadricopter piloted via Wi-Fi and using augmented reality.

Parrot, headquartered in Paris, currently employs 450 people worldwide and generates 85% of its sales overseas. Parrot is listed on NYSE Euronext Paris since 2006. (FR0004038263 – PARRO)

Tim Wieland
Airfoil PR for Parrot
Ph: (248) 304-1414
Email: parrot@airfoilpr.com

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This release was published on openPR.