Parrot has become a popular name in the drone industry, with different drone models to cater to different needs.
Four of the company's drone models are the Bebop, the Jumping Sumo, the Rolling Spider and the AR.Drone 2.0. These four models share certain similarities but also have several differences among them, and, for customers looking to purchase drones, these four models are good choices depending on what the user wants.
Design and Build
The high-flying Bebop is very light, but that does not mean that it is fragile. Its light frame allows it to be controlled with precision, and the drone's polystyrene and moving joints are durable enough to function as shock absorbers. The battery is the Bebop's biggest and heaviest part, but it can be disconnected from the drone and placed into its charger with ease.
The Jumping Sumo, on the other hand, does not fly like the Bebop but rather rolls on the ground as a remote-controlled vehicle. Its design is how it got its name, as the user can make it jump at either one of two angles by compressing the springs in its rear wheels then releasing them. The Sumo can jump forward or straight up by around 2.6 feet.
Parrot returns to flying with the Rolling Spider, a mini-quadcopter that is called as such due to the two wheels that can be attached to either end of the drone. The optional wheels will allow the drone to roll across surfaces while protecting the Rolling Spider and its plastic rotors when it is in flight.
The AR.Drone 2.0 is another quadcopter that features two styrofoam bodies, one being an indoor body that has foam rings surrounding the rotors and the other being an outdoor body that allows the rotors to remain exposed. The bodies can easily be slipped over the frame of the drone and will securely remain there.
Camera
The 14MP camera of the Bebop features an f2.2 fish-eye lens that has an angle view of 180 degrees. It is able to take 1080p full HD videos that are recorded in MP4 format, while pictures taken can either be in JPEG format or DNG raw format. The files are stored on the drone's 8GB built-in memory.
The quality of the camera of the Jumping Sumo is much lower, as the video taken is at 640 x 480 pixels at 15 frames per second, but it is enough to allow users to see through the "eyes" of the drone.
The camera of the Rolling Spider, on the other hand, is only able to take 640 x 480 pixel still images with quality that is not so great.
The AR.Drone 2.0 is packed with a pair of cameras, one facing forward and the other facing downward, which can record in 720p quality. The videos and pictures that the cameras take are stored directly in the user's tablet or smartphone or in a USB plugged into the drone.
Controls
Parrot drones can be controlled using its FreeFlight app, which allows users to operate the movements of the drones and controls their cameras. The app is compatible with iOS, Android and Windows Phone devices.
The Bebop has the bonus of featuring a GNSS chipset, which allows users to set certain waypoints and flight plans to make the Bebop fly autonomously. Parrot also offers the Skycontroller for the Bebop, which features a pair of sticks for piloting, camera controls, take-off/landing, emergency motor cut-off and return-to-home buttons, and battery status lights. The Skycontroller can also be paired wirelessly with a smartphone or tablet to provide the user with a first person view of the drone.
Both the Bebop and the AR.Drone feature GPS to allow users to track the drone's flight.
Price
The MSRP of the Bebop is $499, the Jumping Sumo is $159.95, the Rolling Spider is $99.95 and the AR.Drone 2.0 is $299.99. Users may find better deals for the drones on their favorite online or physical retail stores.
