This is an overview of the Parrot AR Drone’s battery, specifically for people wondering how long the battery lasts. Share this information with anyone you know who is interested in the Parrot AR Drone or is in the market for a new drone. Powering a drone is serious business. Even the most expensive drones have to overcome physical limitations. They take a substantial amount of power to fly and use all of their functions. They also cannot be too large or too heavy, or physics will work against them. This is why the average maximum flight time of a typical drone is ten minutes. Many people interested in drones are unwilling or unable to spend over $1,000. For these folks, we have drones like the Parrot AR Drone 2.0. It can capture 720p photos and video footage at 30 frames per second. It can connect to a multitude of devices. All of that is available for around $300. How long does the battery last for the Parrot AR Drone 2.0? With no added weight and optimal conditions, the drone can fly for 12 minutes on a single charge.

That looks fine on paper, but how does it compare to others? is a more expensive unit. It retails between $800 and $1,259. As expected, it includes upgrades to many features provided by the . The quality of images and videos is 1080p for the Standard model and 4K for the Professional. The battery quality sings the same tune. DJI’s Phantom 3 uses an Intelligent Flight Battery. This not only tells users when the charge is running low. It also lasts for up to 23 minutes of flight time. That is almost double the Parrot AR. Granted, it is more than double the price. Consumers buying the Phantom 3 do not pay up simply for the battery life, though. They are more interested in the model, build, and functionality of the entire device. It isn’t worth $1,000 to keep a drone in the air for 23 minutes. It’s worth $1,000 to keep a 4K camera stable and rolling for 23 minutes. The HB Homeboat Quadcopter is a closer to the Parrot AR in price. It retails on Amazon for $179.99 with free shipping.

It has a basic camera to play around with and a fully functional controller. It works well for an early drone for new users. This drone has one major similarity to the Parrot AR. The HB Homeboat also has a 12 minute maximum flight time. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The Parrot AR has a more powerful camera than the Homeboat. It requires more energy to power it. That means it needs a more powerful battery to keep it in the air. Consumers picking up the HB Homeboat are in the market for something that doesn’t require a huge investment. Budding drone enthusiasts who worry about trashing their first drone may start with something like this. Experienced operators may find themselves unsatisfied with all the Homeboat has to offer. What a drone’s battery powers will depend entirely on its functions. At the very least, it must drive the motors and sensors. The Parrot AR has a lot more going for it. Primarily, it has a 720 HD camera to power. There a lot of other processes that require energy as well, though.

Stabilization, inner electronics, various sensors, wifi connectivity, and many more aspects all drain the battery. Below we have a list of all the things the Parrot AR’s battery has a responsible for powering. ● Lifting a 420g Body ● 4 Separate Motors at 14.5 W and 28,500 RPMparrot ar drone los angeles ● Electronic Controller for Motorsar drone power edition usa ● 1 GHz 32 bit ARM Cortex A8 Processorremote control drones melbourne ● 800MHz Video DPSar drone 2 joystick ● Linux 2.6.32 Operating System ● 3 Axis Gyroscope ● 3 Axis Accelerometer ● 3 Axis Magnetometer ● 60 FPS QVGA Camera to Measure Ground Speed

● HD Camera with 720p Resolution and 30 FPS ● Video and Photo Storage on Remote Device That is a very long list. A fully charged battery powers all of that for up to 12 minutes. Adding any extensions or other weight to the drone definitely drains power faster too. Considering how small and light the batteries have to be, it is unrealistic to ask for much more without considerable cost. The short answer is yes. For around $300, a 12 minute battery life is generally expected. This is especially true for a drone powering a built-in 720p HD camera. Drone enthusiasts with more money to spend may want to check out the Phantom 3 or Phantom 4, but not without opening their wallets. Even those can only stay in the air for 23 and 28 minutes respectively. The Parrot AR 2.0 is a very popular drone. It didn’t get that way without reason. It is user-friendly, offers a solid flying experience, and takes high definition video and images. That is difficult to find for under $500 anywhere else.

If you’re wanting to keep the drone in the air for longer, consider using the money you saved to buy a couple of extra batteries. They usually retail for $39.95, but you can typically find them on sale. That way, you can have the best value without compromising flight time. What do you think? Was there something we forgot to mention? Do you know a better drone to compare to the Parrot AR? Be sure to let us know in the comments or over at our Facebook page. Return To Full Course Outline »We live in an exciting time with technology that empowers individuals to explore our world in ways we could not have imagined. Parrot has given drone enthusiasts the ability to see the world from a whole new angle. This week the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced a program to improve safety and pilot responsibility for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), also referred to as drones. This program will require pilots to register within 30 days of purchasing a qualifying UAS.

Parrot believes the new FAA regulations will be helpful in providing consumers clear rules and guidelines to safely enjoy their toy drones. Qualifying drones are defined as being over 0.55 lbs. but less than 55 lbs. and flown outdoors. The pilot registration website will be available starting December 21st.  Anyone who owned a qualifying drone before December 21st has until February 19, 2016 to register. Drones purchased after December 21st must be registered within 30 days. The fee to register is $5, but it is refunded when registration occurs within 30 days of purchase. The FAA will also provide refunds until February 19, 2016 for those who had a qualifying drone before the start of this program. We are looking into ways to make the registration process easy for you and provide more information to help comply with the new rules. We will have a future blog post to walkthrough the registration process and answer your questions. As a quick guide, the following Parrot products need to be registered on the FAA site: