PowerUp 3.0  A paper airplane controlled by your smartphone PowerUp 3.0 Scientists have spent so much time making amazing airplanes, such as this�solar-powered one that flew cross-country using the power of the sun. But, for all that great work, there s been surprisingly little work in the creation of better paper airplanes. Luckily, PowerUp 3.0 fixes this oversight. � � Though it s called 3.0, it s the paper airplane 2.0 for most of us. What s the worst part about paper airplanes? If you picked either ��running to retrieve it�� or ��total lack of control over its flight path�� then this innovation is for you. Basically, PowerUp 3.0 allows you to control a paper airplane with your smartphone. Exactly what we ve all been waiting for, ever since the first man got bored in class and folded his paper into aerodynamic forms. Here s how it works: take a piece of construction paper and make the paper airplane of your choice. (My favorite is the one that does loop-de-loops, but whatever you like is fine.) Then, you attach the small propeller and rudder piece to the back of your plane, slide the carbon fiber frame thought the paper s cleave and attach the crash-proof bumper/battery pack to the front. That front piece also has Bluetooth capabilities, so turn on your iPhone and go nuts controlling your paper airplane. The battery charges via mini USB and lasts for 10 minutes of continuous flight. The app itself gives you a pilot s view, complete with a range indicator, a thrust level indicator, and a magnetic compass. To ascend or descend the plane, use the throttle level. To turn it, tilt your iPhone in the direction you d like the paper plane to head. Real talk for a moment: It s somewhat depressing that we re now controlling our paper airplanes with iPhones. I feel like I m supposed to think that, and in some dark recess of my tech-loving heart, I do. But mostly? I can t freaking wait to play with this thing, so you people better pledge enough to keep this off the ground. See, it s a Kickstarter project at present, and if the video is believable, it took 57 prototypes to land on PowerUp 3.0. If nothing else, that sort of dedication to the paper airplane seems worth a $30 pledge. Via Dvice Share ThisSubscribedel.icio.usFacebookRedditStumbleUponTechnorati