CES 2016: Watered down

The company, which is notable for its drones, is branching out with a smart solution that is set to save neglected house plants everywhere. Simply called the Pot, the device detects when the soil holding the plant is too dry and automatically waters it, drawing from a reservoir under the soil. Using an app to program the Pot, the device can hold and look after about 8,000 species of plants, knowing which need lots of water, and which are suited to dryer conditions.

At CES 2015 Parrot unveiled Flower Power H2O, a water sensor that measures soil saturation, an iterative step in the creation of Pot, which counts French company MEG as a competitor among others. 

‘We have many different types of consumers,’ says Arthur Petry, project manager of Parrot Pot. ‘There are people who know exactly how to look after their plants, but many don’t but still want to enjoy plants in their lives – even if they are busy or travel a lot.’

As well as regulating water, the Pot also has temperature, acidity and light sensors, which through the app tell you whether to alter the heat of the plant, the fertiliser you use or whether it needs more or less light. Parrot will begin shipping the item from April for £68 ($100, €92).