If you’re feeling less than confident in your performance in your bi-weekly tennis games at the local recreation center but too embarrassed to take lessons, Virgin Active is here to help. Virgin Active, a chain of health clubs located around the world has just released a drone to help improve your game so you stop missing the ball every other serve and start playing like a professional.
The drone, cleverly named the Drone-ovic after number 1 ranked men’s tennis player, Novak Djokovic, is designed to teach you how to mimic the Serbian tennis god’s famous serve by dropping the ball in various angles and heights, unlike a traditional ball machine.
“The great thing about Drone-ovic is it recreates the serve and smash experience with greater accuracy,” Virgin Active’s Head of Racquets, Gary Stewart, said in a press release sent to Mashable. “By dropping tennis balls from high and unexpected angles it keeps members on their toes and improves technique and agility.”
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The ball is suspended by a thin plastic line and released from its hook upon command from whatever angle the player desires. In addition, the Drone-ovic also has a 4k camera, allowing players and coaches to analyze their performance from a different perspective.
Although the drone is still in the trial stages at Virgin Active’s Northwood location in the United Kingdom, the idea of using a drone to improve sport performance shows great promise for the future not only for tennis, but other sports as well.