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"Hobby and do-it-yourself drones are starting to make appearances in American skies, and as they get cheaper and more popular, we'll see more and more of them. But some of these drones aren't too easy to control from the ground, requiring a custom-built controller or computer software. That's where a new project to turn your iPhone or iPad into a drone \"ground station\" comes in. \nThe people behind the project, who are raising funds on Indiegogo, have created a snap-on, iOS-compatible device that can be used to control popular drones like the Parrot AR with a user-friendly interface directly on an iPhone or iPad. \nThe device, named the \"Fighting Walrus Radio\" (after its shape, which is reminiscent of a peering walrus), extends a drone's range from 200 feet to up to a mile. To achieve this range extension, the drone must also be equipped with a radio receiver, which connects to the Fighting Walrus antenna. It's important to note, however, that current Federal Aviation Administration regulations require amateur drones to be flown within the pilot's line of sight.\nThe basic accessory will cost $99, but the developers have a series of other ready-to-fly kits customized for different UAV models that can cost anywhere from $140 to $2,400.\nSEE ALSO: Amazing Infographic Tells Story of Every Pakistan Drone Strike\n\nThe project has raised almost $15,000 out of its goal of $50,000, but there are still 14 days to go (also, unlike Kickstarter projects, the developers will receive funds regardless of reaching the goal.) Andrew Aarestad, one of the developers, think this is just the beginning. \"It's a niche product for now,\" he told the US News and World Report. \"We feel that given a year or two, there will be exponentially more people using [drones] in ways that would benefit from the radio.\"\nTo learn more about this project, watch the video above.\nImage via iStockphoto, robertmandel\n"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://mashable.com/2013/04/02/iphone-drone-ground-station/>