Many of us expertise a second of sheer terror after we by chance drop our telephones, even when it’s wrapped in a protecting case. But the makers of the AER TYP need us to intentionally throw our smartphones like a soccer, and promise they’ll survive the flight, even within the occasion of a crash landing.

If the AER TYP—quick for, Throw Your Phone—is an idea that appears vaguely acquainted to you, it’s as a result of again in 2016 its creators launched an analogous product merely known as the AER that did the identical factor for GoPro cameras. You’d pack the motion digital camera into the well-padded foam nosecone of what regarded like a novelty Nerf soccer with a tail, throw it as arduous as you possibly can, after which benefit from the distinctive aerial footage it captured whereas in flight. It required an excessive leap of religion, even for a tool as rugged and sturdy as a GoPro, however the payoff was footage that kiiiiiiind of regarded prefer it was captured by an aerial drone—minus the price of a quadcopter.

The AER’s creators are again, and this time they’ve introduced an up to date model with a redesigned nosecone that’s designed to securely maintain a smartphone on the good angle for its rear digital camera to seize compelling aerial footage. The cellphone will get sandwiched between two massive items of froth that are held along with a velcro strap wrapped round them. A foam tail is then connected, making the AER TYP prepared for flight.

Sending your smartphone hurdling by way of the air requires much more religion within the energy-absorbing properties of froth than with an motion digital camera, however the AER TYP’s creators promise they’ve spent years perfecting its design, discovering probably the most resilient foam supplies, and testing it, even to the purpose of dropping it off a constructing onto a concrete floor. The promotional movies created for the AER TYP do seem to guard smartphones from a number of cringe-worthy crashes, however with Apple formally cautioning customers in opposition to strapping iPhones to bikes and bikes, you do need to marvel what repeated crashes are doing to the internals of a smartphone, even when the surface stays in pristine situation.

As with the unique AER, the creators of the AER TYP have opted for a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign to assist put their creation into manufacturing. The most cost-effective approach to pre-order one is with a pledge of about $69 (full retail pricing is anticipated to be nearer to $100) with supply anticipated as early as May subsequent yr. However, throughout an ongoing pandemic the place manufacturing and provide chains have been thrown into chaos, it’s particularly vital to take supply dates and estimated timelines of crowdfunded merchandise with a grain of salt, given even massive multinational firms are struggling to get merchandise out the door on time. But this isn’t the primary product the AER workforce has efficiently crowdfunded, and for those who’re keen to belief your $1,000+ smartphone to a foam soccer, punctual supply dates don’t seem to be one thing you’d fear about.