NEW YORK — Santa’s sleigh isn’t the only thing taking off this week.
Drones — flying devices that often carry cameras and can be navigated remotely by smartphones or controllers — have taken off as popular gifts as novices have become just as interested in the devices as serious hobbyists. The demand has grown as the industry and government are working together to address safety concerns.
Best Buy expanded its selection from one model last year to eight model in stores and five more online this year because of rising demand. offers more than 140 models online that range from $50.99 to $6,500. And Amazon says the Parrot’s $160 MiniDrone Rolling Spider and DJI’s Phantom 2 Vision+ Quadcopter, which costs about $1,000, have been “popular sellers.”
All three of the biggest personal drone makers — DJI, Parrot and 3D Robotics — have formed a coalition to lobby the Federal Aviation Administration to help develop standards for personal drone use.
