This Guy Just Built An IRL Space Invaders Game With Drones And Lasers

It’s easy to hate on video games and their potential impact on kids. Much easier than say, teaching your kid the STEM skills required to recreate Space Invaders in real life. But if you want to take the harder and more hands-on approach, look no further than Tomer Daniel for advice. He’s founder of the drone software company vHive, who brought the 1978 arcade game to life at GeekCon 2016, and it’s the Bowiest video game build ever. It’s also a great way to get your kid into the classics.

RELATED: The Best Tablet Games for Kids

Daniel and a team of 12 geeks recreated a real life experience that could hypothetically put you at the helm of a giant laser cannon, that you would obviously use to shoot alien invaders, because this isn’t your first space rodeo. The aliens seen in the above video were made using 8 DJI Phantom 3 drones, decked out on in LED strips and laser sensors for added effects. Welders stepped in to assist in building 20 meters of rail track, for fighters to ride up and down while telling aliens to get off of their lawns.

Okay, so this is going to be incredibly difficult to pull off on your own in real life. First, DJI Phantom 3 drones cost upwards of $1,000 a pop and you’ll need 8. You’re better off saving those 8Gs for college, where your kid can learn everything they need to know to get into GeekCon 2034, and maybe give you a turn to play, too. Or, you can just wax nostalgic about how much better video games back in your day would’ve been if they were real and with drones.

[H/T] Business Insider