I'm not sure whether this is the appropriate place to put my...

I'm not sure whether this is the appropriate place to put my comment in passing - but I've been reading lots of comments about the Phantom drones etc.

Short story: Phantom/Inspire drones are not competition for the Roam-e.

Long story: I personally have THREE drones in my household. One is a Phantom, and another is an Inspire. The third is some kind of small 'practice drone' to learn how to fly the Inspire.

They serve completely different purposes to the Roam-e. My flatmate owns a business taking aerial pictures of roofs/property for surveyors/real estate agents etc.

They are EXTREMELY expensive. The Phantom (4?) cost him about NZ$2,000, and the Inspire about NZ$4500 (but yes, there are cheaper ones). Plus not to mention all the accessories and gadgets which go with them. I'm fairly certain one of them didn't even come with a decent travel case - he had to purchase that separately. (Another note is most drones require you to also have a GoPro - another expense.)

They are not toys. They are extremely expensive. They can't be flown in any kind of wind or rain. They need to be listed as an added extra on any contents insurance (in NZ anyway). And most important - they're extremely hard to fly/get the hang of due to their controllers - it ain't anything like a kid's remote control car- hence why when you buy the Inspire it's recommended you also buy the practice drone too. They're VERY touchy. Some drones (eg the Inspire) ideally require two people to get footage - one to steer the camera, and another to fly the drone.

They're definitely not going to be bought as an impulse buy.

The Roam-e imo appears to be within a good retail price range, can be carried around easily, it's absolutely perfect for selfies (the photo isn't going to contain a massive controller in your hand). I think it's a fantastic product. And I'm sure it'll sell extremely well once promotional footage is released.