THE VERDICT
Like its predecessor, the AR.Drone 2.0 is a really fun machine. Unlike its predecessor, version 2.0 requires almost no getting used to--it’s intuitively simple to fly right out of the box. The enhanced controllability enabled by the magnetometer and the “Absolute Control” feature make piloting this drone easy and extremely enjoyable. Children can fly it (with adult supervision, of course). Adults can fly it, and will enjoy it as much as children. The price, while perhaps not exactly right for every budget, is competitive in the context of higher-end model helicopters or airplanes, and where quadrotors are concerned it really doesn’t have any competition in its weight class. You can cobble together your own quadcopter from various DIY kits and the like, but you’re still going to end up paying dearly for the privilege. For a quality out-of-the-box technology at an accessible price point, Parrot is really carving out a nice little niche in the recreational drone space.
That being said, with battery life being so underwhelming it’s difficult to promise hours of free-flying fun--perhaps it’s more accurate to promise many 20-minute chunks of piloting glee. But Parrot got so many things right with this aircraft. It really is a significant improvement over the first-generation AR.Drone--which wasn’t a bad drone by any stretch. Batteries get better, and sensors and electronics get cheaper, smaller, and more efficient. I personally wouldn’t let the short battery life discourage me from taking the current AR.Drone 2.0 home from the store, but the trajectory of the product line thus far suggests to me that we’re only starting to scratch the surface of what these drones can do. I’m really more excited to see what improvements Parrot is able to pack into version 3.0.
And, yes, the drone’s front camera can now shoot in 720p HD at 30 frames per second, which it beams right to the screen of whatever smartphone or tablet you are using to pilot, giving you a drone’s-eye view. But it now also records that footage, dumping video and still images to an on-board USB drive or to the pilot’s control device. Privacy advocates might have something to say about that, but as a feature it lends the Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 an added aspect of utility beyond simple recreation.
