Is the ‘Lily Next-Gen’ Really All it Claims to Be?

The last time we reported on the Lily drone, it was to announce that the company’s crowdfunding campaign was coming to a close, with refunds on the way to disappointed customers. The promise was quite appealing: here was an action cam drone that could take off by throwing it into the skies, would track and follow you around, and cost about as much as a GoPro ($499). The company managed to raise $32 million for the drone, and wowed more than 12 million YouTube viewers with its pitch video, before pulling the rug out from underneath this newly acquired fan base. Now, it seems the drone is back, under a new monicker – welcome to the Lily Next-Gen.

So what’s so next-gen about this updated version? Well, according to TechCrunch, the Lily Next-Gen sports a 4K capable camera (HD video at 60 fps), is designed to easily fold into itself and has the exciting “follow-me” mode implemented. As far as appearance goes, this model looks just like its predecessor, though the color-scheme is now blue and black. 

So is this model what consumers have been waiting for? Or does this UAV barely deserve to have the promise of an innovative device as part of its name? Let’s take a look at what’s missing, shall we?

According to TechCrunch, the Lily Next-Gen is not launchable by throwing it into the air. It’s quite baffling to leave this perk out of a drone trading on the Lily brand, especially with ‘next-gen’ as part of the new identity. Leaving out one of, if not the main selling-point of this drone is a decision that boggles the mind. Added to that, the drone isn’t waterproof. Sure, here we have a drone with 4K abilities, a sleek design, and respectable functionality, but we’re not sure that’s enough to raise the Lily brand out of the muck. This is an inferior version of the earlier, failed version. Surely, this is something that will put most potential customers off, rather than enticing them.

If you’re in the latter category, however, feel free to head over to Lily Next-Gen’s website to order a model for $499. Just be aware that there are other drones (like DJI’s Spark) that may be smarter purchases than this one.