Consumer drones were supposed to be everywhere by now. Instead, most people who buy one fly it twice, then leave it in the closet. Honestly, drones are loud, and they make people uncomfortable in public. Plenty of parks and beaches have flight restrictions, and that’s before you even get to learning how to fly one well.
I’ll admit it, I have drone hangups (I live in a popular tourist destination). And that’s why a new robot camera caught my attention. Instead of hovering overhead, it rolls and jumps along the ground next to you, filming as it goes. I don’t know if this specific product will make it to market. But I think it’s a far more considerate direction for personal cameras than a drone could ever be.
Drones Never Became an Everyday Camera
Drones promised cinematic footage without the camera crew. But few people ever got there. Flying well takes real practice, and getting a drone into the air safely and legally is its own project. Recreational pilots in the US are supposed to pass the FAA’s TRUST safety test, register their aircraft, and stay within visual line of sight limits (FAA). Then there’s the social cost: a drone buzzing overhead draws stares, complaints, and sometimes a park ranger.
Most people who buy a camera drone aren’t trying to become pilots. They just want good footage of themselves skiing or playing with their dog. So, if people don’t actually want to fly, maybe camera drones are solving the wrong problem?
A Robot Camera Solves Different Problems
A robot camera like the Mondo Robotics Beni does the same job as a drone—but from ground level. It rolls, jumps, and climbs stairs to keep pace with a runner, cyclist, or a dog on a walk, tracking its subject with onboard cameras and built-in stabilization.
Mondo Robotics, the Shenzhen-based startup behind it, says Beni tops out near 18 mph, can jump about 10 inches into the air, and shoots stabilized 4K video for roughly 1.5 hours per charge (Mondo Robotics).
But the numbers matter less than the change in approach. Beni is easy to use. Just point it at your subject, hit go, and the robot handles framing and obstacles. Yes, really. And it looks pretty cute while doing so. Apparently, you can pet its head, and it will purr at you.
A robot camera on wheels is also just less alarming than something buzzing over a beach or a backyard. You can easily step out of Beni’s way if you don’t want to show up in an influencer’s post on your not-best-hair-day. I speak from experience.
Consumer Robotics Needs More Products Like This
Most consumer robots today exist to save you time: robot vacuums, robot mowers, robot pool cleaners. They’re useful, but not much fun to be around. A robot built purely for creativity and play is a nice change of pace. It’s still rare to find one whose entire pitch is come outside and do something fun, rather than let me handle a chore so you don’t have to. Not every robot needs to save you fifteen minutes. Sometimes it’s enough if it gets you off the couch.
The Takeaway
I don’t know if Beni will make it out of the Kickstarter phase. But the company has already raised nearly $1.5 million, when its goal was $50,000. And there are still 58 days left in the campaign. So there’s definitely public support for a product like this.
As someone who has run into too many drones unexpectedly, I definitely find the idea behind it interesting. As AI tracking and legged robotics keep improving, hopefully the next generation of creator gadgets spends less time in the air and more time running alongside us.
Lauren has been writing and editing since 2008. She loves working with text and helping writers find their voice. When she’s not typing away at her computer, she cooks and travels with her husband and two kids.