Snap’s Pixy drone was supposed to be a unique option for self-flying aerial photography. But now the device has become another casualty of battery issues.
Snap this week announced that it is recalling and refunding the purchase price for every Pixy drone it has ever sold. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, that amounts to about 71,000 units.
The reason for the recall stems from the lithium-ion battery, which can overheat and possibly catch fire. Snap said it has received four reports of batteries overheating, resulting in one minor battery fire and one minor injury.
Most Read on IEN:
- What You Actually Need to Know About Wintertime Driving with an EV
- Tyson Opens Kentucky Bacon Plant
- Podcast: Toyota Company Won't Reopen Factories; Space Station Blows Up; Ford Cuts Lightning Production
- Kubota Hit With Record 'Made in USA' Penalty
- How to Pull Teens Into Manufacturing
The company is asking consumers to immediately stop using the Pixy, take out the battery and stop charging it. It’s also providing instructions on how to participate in the recall, receive a refund of the purchase price, and “dispose of the battery in accordance with local and state regulations.”
The Pixy was first announced in 2022. The device, roughly the size of a CD case, was designed to pair with a smartphone, take off from and land in a user’s hand, and tag along using different preset flight patterns like Hover, Reveal, Follow and Orbit.
The recalled drones were sold online at Pixy.com and through Amazon from May 2022 through December 2023 for between $185 and $250. The recall also impacts batteries and chargers for the device that were sold separately.
