Snap Inc. has started playing with drones! The company is working on building its own drones.
Snap is a camera company. “We feel like we’re really at the beginning of what cameras can do, to evolve from just being a piece of hardware, with software that connects to the Internet,” Snap CEO Evan Spiegel said in a 35-minute video. So far, Snap Inc. has only released sunglasses with a built-in camera, Spectacles, to market as a “camera.” Snap will begin trading on the stock market on Thursday, giving investors a glimpse into its future prospects.
Snap Inc., based in Venice, California, has a division of the company called Snap Labs, which is working on secret projects including wearable cameras, facial recognition and 3D scanning technology, according to Reuters.
Snap is also in talks with drone companies. Snap was interested in acquiring Lily Robotics, Business Insider reported in December, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Lily Robotics offers an unmanned aerial vehicle that tracks and follows its owners and simultaneously captures video, creating a hands-free recording experience similar to that of glasses.
What goes on inside Snap Labs is unknown to most of the company, even top executives, according to a person familiar with the matter.
But it's clear that some kind of gadget is being built – or at least the knowledge for such an effort is within the walls.
Over the past year, Snapchat has hired dozens of mechanical engineers who previously worked at Apple, Google, GoPro, Motorola and Qualcomm. Marketing firm Mediakix recently envisioned what a Snap Inc. smartphone might look like.
