Snap's next purchase might be a popular selfie drone maker

Snap's hardware business could soon extend well beyond cute-looking camera glasses. Sources speaking to The Information understand that the Snapchat creator is in discussions to buy Zero Zero Robotics, best known for its selfie-oriented Hover Camera Passport drone. It's not clear how advanced the talks are, or how much money the deal would involve. However, this might not be an impulsive decision. Snap has reportedly been talking about buying drone makers over the past year, allegedly bought a tiny outfit in Los Angeles, and was rumored to have built its own drone. This would just be the next logical step.

There's reason to be cautious about the supposed purchase plans. Snap isn't commenting on the report, but Zero Zero CEO Meng Qiu Wang denied that there was a deal in the making. We'd take that statement with a grain of salt (companies will sometimes deny negotiations until there's a finished agreement), but it certainly suggests that nothing is set in stone.

It's not hard to imagine why Snap would want a drone company. The more creative you can get with your Snapchat sessions, the more tempted you may be to use Snapchat in the first place. And it doesn't get more creative than having a robotic aircraft take those shots for you, does it? A Zero Zero acquisition would also give Snap a team with considerably more experience in hardware design, which could come in handy even if drone selfies don't make a lot of money.