Watch These Guys Play Space Invaders With Real Drones And Laser Cannons

All work and no play… makes Jack a dull boy. The guys from vHive, a company specialized in programming autonomous drones, know that better than anyone else. At the GeekCon 2016, they showed off their technical skills in a way that’s sure to be remembered for a long, long time. The team played Space Invaders in real life, with drones #actionmagic

The game was recreated with eight DJI Phantom 3 drones pumped with LED strips and laser sensors. Each drone was controlled by a specially developed autonomous flight software so it would move in formation, in a game like manner.  But how to “shoot” them? Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Players devised a controllable, motorized car seat that would move from side to side on lateral trails. Each player had a laser gun to point and eliminate the aliens a.k.a. drones.

To make things even more realistic, vHive enabled the seat with audio, video and haptic feedback. That means each time an “alien” is hit, the player can feel that “pain” physically and gloat. That’s how great game nights begin, right?