Imation has announced that it has begun shipping the Pro WX, the world’s first wireless external hard drive.

The Pro WX houses a 1.5TB hard drive that links to its host via Wireless USB; given a clear signal, Imation claims the drive transfers data at 15MB/s. The firm rates the operating range of the Pro WX at 30 feet, and also claims that the drive uses an “innovative one-to-one connection that limits the possibility of signal interception.”

On a sobering note, the firm has flagged the 1.5TB Pro WX with an MSRP of $499, while standard external disks of the same capacity are about $170. Three Franklins is a hefty premium to pay for the ability to keep the drive physically disconnected from the PC.

The Pro WX is being demonstrated at a gala event tonight in New York, and retail availability will follow shortly.