They can already deliver pizzas , monitor endangered species and rain down Hellfire missiles from an altitude of 50,000 feet . But could the drone that follows us as we go about our daily business now be upon us ? Maybe so if the Mind4 quadcopter by Shanghai based startup , AirMind , reaches its funding target on crowdfunding website , Kickstarter . The nimble device has already been dubbed the `` stalker drone '' in early media coverage due to its ability to film and follow a designated person or target . While that 's not necessarily the most complimentary label , Mind4 's creators do n't see it as a snooper 's ideal gadget . `` This technology is actually not suitable for that kind of task , '' said AirMind founder , Ning Lu because of its high visibility and the difficulty of operating incognito in a busy public space . Rather , Lu sees the product being used by skiers , snowboarders , cyclists and the like to record awe-inspiring aerial shots of their daring activities . `` Mind4 is designed to be used to follow yourself , non-human being subjects such as animals , or in specific scenarios like film shooting , sports shooting etc . in relatively open area , '' Lu said . How does it work ? It uses what the promotional literature describes as the most `` powerful processor '' ever contained within a drone , the Mind4 syncs up with a specially designed Android smartphone app . All a prospective user needs to do is open the app to make the drone take off . They then choose a target to follow via the camera on their phone and hit start . Mind4 will then track the selected item from up to 20 meters ( 65 feet ) above and at maximum distance of up to 50 meters ( 164 feet ) behind using its autopilot feature . It can also respond to human hand signals . Waiving a right hand will instruct the device to come closer , raising both hands will make it take a picture while pointing the ground tells it to land . Reaching new heights . Quadcopter drones with mounted cameras are already widely available but most require a remote pilot to guide them . Some also use GPS systems to track subjects automatically , however Lu said such products are less reliable than Mind4 . `` GPS-based following technology can not ensure the subject is actually in that position ( where the camera points ) '' as civilian GPS is often not precise , he said . `` The camera on the drone may be pointing to 20 meters away from the subject , which will be totally out of view , '' he added . By comparison , Mind4 uses computer vision technology which allows for a much more reliable image capture . Then there is the potential of developing the technology that underpins the Mind4 . Lu describes plans to make the software the device runs on open source so that users can create their own , modified Android apps . `` With the power of developers all around the world the Mind4 can be boosted to ( the ) next level ... much more friendly and smarter , '' he said . An industry flying high . Given the rapid growth of consumer drone products in recent years , it 's perhaps no surprise that an item such as the Mind4 has come along . According to a recent study by aerospace sector analysts the Teal Group , the global unmanned aerial vehicle ( UAV ) industry could be worth as much as $ 91 billion over the next ten years . The Mind4 is looking for a relatively small sum of money to get off the ground . Lu and his colleagues are hoping to raise $ 100,000 on Kickstarter before December 23 to help the device reach the next stage of its development . Until then , take-off and all the pretty images that will go with it are on hold .
Mind4 drone can automatically follow and take pictures of specially selected targets . Device has been dubbed `` stalker drone '' in early media reports . The device is capable to track a target for up to 30 minutes, with the ability to identify its position using GPS or other means.