Released in last November, the Bebop 2 is the new high-end video drone from Parrot. More powerful, more robust and with an increased autonomy, the Bebop 2 is the first leisure drone of 500gr with 25 minutes of flight time! We will focus in this article on the major evolutions between the Bebop Drone (still available) and the new Bebop 2. First of all, in terms of size, the Bebop 2 is bigger than the Bebop 1, the Bebop 2 has a 290mm frame type while the Bebop 1 has a 250mm frame type. Its overall dimensions are now 32.8 x 38.2 cm (Bebop 2) versus 28 x 32 cm (Bebop 1) The Bebop 2 now has 6 inches propellers versus 5.5 inches propellers on the Bebop 1 which gives it more thrust (+10% output)! A Bebop 1 propeller (in black) and a Bebop 2 propeller (in red) The new Bebop no longer has dual arms but aviation inspired single arms. These new arms, flexible and robust give it a clean and aggresive look. The new Bebop 2 also has a new LED tail light, which is also the on / off button.

This very bright LED is visible from a great distance and helps you spot your Bebop 2 and checks its orientation while flying. A major improvement of the Bebop 2 is its new high capacity battery ! The capacity of the Bebop 2’s battery has been highly increased (2700 mAh) in comparison to the Bebop 1’s battery (1200 mAh). The battery also has a new locking system using a latch on its back which means velcro strap are no longer needed to keep it in place.the Bebop 2 now has an outstanding 25 min fly time in “Normal” piloting and about 21 minute in aggressive flying style or with heavy winds. The Bebop 1 has a 11 min flight time in normal piloting. The Bebop 2 has a whole new 180° fish-eye lens, more tilted towards the ground than the one of the Bebop 1 which allows the Bebop 2 to catch more ground and less sky. You can also shoot from above (up to 90° on Bebop 2). The lens also catches more light for a better video quality in low light conditions. 

Click here to watch a video recorded by the Bebop 2 in low light conditions. With a maximal inclination of 35° versus 30° on the Bebop 1, the Bebop 2 is faster and quicker than its predecessor. It can now reach a top speed of 18 m/s (65 kph) versus 13  m/s (47 kph) on the Bebop 1. The climbing top speed has also been increased since the Bebop 2 can now have a maximal vertical speed of 6 m/s versus 2.5 m/s on the Bebop 1.parrot ar drone d&r The new Bebop 2 has a new Ublox Neo 8M GPS chip with an increased precision! parrot ar drone siteThe number of maximum visible satellites has also been increased (12 satellites max on the Bebop 1 VS 19 satellites max on the Bebop 2)parrot ar drone 2 spare parts

This increased GPS reliability is a real advantage for automated flight modes (Return to Home, Flight Plan) and high altitude stability. The Bebop 2 also has new optimized motors with a higher winding density and reinforcements giving them a better resistance to shocks. The ESC (Electronic Speed Controllers) have also been improved for more power, reactivity and performance (+10%). Thanks to theses upgrades, the Bebop 2 now has a way better wind resistance than the Bebop 1.drone machine buy Watch Bebop 2 wind turbine test video here!parrot ar drone webbhallen The Bebop 2 is sold alone or in a bundle with the new “Black Edition” Skycontroller . drone 2 buyThis new controller features a black body, a new position of buttons and a new battery connector identical to the one of the Bebop 2 allowing it to use the Bebop 2’s 2700 mAh batteries.

The Bebop 2 remains entirely compatible with the older Skycontrollers to ensure a great connectivity on long distance flights (2km max) and a video streaming through the HDMI port. This HDMI port can be used to connect optional FPV goggles. In the same way, the automated flight planification tool: Flight Plan (available though in-app purchase) of FreeFlight 3 can be used on both Bebop 1 and Bebop 2 drones. You’ll be ask to choose which drone you want to use before planning your flights in order to adapt the settings to the chosen drone. Whether you have a Bebop 2 or a Bebop 1, join the Bebop community without waiting further! Hands-on: Parrot AR Drone 2.0 packs new features and better hardware 01.10.2012 :: 3:13PM EST @russellholly In many ways, you could attribute the current rush of toys accessories powered by our smartphones to the Parrot AR Drone. The ability to fly a really cool looking quad-copter through the office with your smartphone was enough to excite any geek, and Parrot made that happen.

The eventual growth to include both iOS and Android software to control the drone meant a massive market of people to enjoy the device. Now, as other smartphone-controlled gadgetry, like Sphero, is hitting the market, Parrot felt the need to refresh the AR Drone and give it some new bragging rights with the Drone 2.0. New and Improved Hardware The original AR Drone is still incredibly fun to operate, but the first thing anyone does with one is crash it into something. Unfortunately, for some, that’s the last time your AR Drone 1.0 is intact. Parrot redesigned the hulls for the Drone 2.0 to handle much more stress. When using it indoors, the foam composite hull that goes around the blades has been improved, without being any heavier. In the demonstration, the AR Drone 2.0 rammed the wall of the convention center as fast as it could go, and bounced off without a scratch. When you take the Drone 2.0 outside, you remove that outer hull and let the new aerodynamically engineered EPP hull protect the quad-copter without risking it being blown away.

EPP is a damage resistant plastic commonly used in car bumpers. The Parrot guys weren’t quite as willing to crash the AR Drone 2.0 with the foam core off of it, since your blades are exposed in that configuration. The camera on the AR Drone 2.0 took a big boost as well, offering a 720p view of the world from your controller. The camera records at 30 fps, and allows you to upload the videos to YouTube as soon as you are finished recording them. Since your only rage limitation is how far your point to point WiFi connection with the Drone 2.0, the end result is a high definition aerial view that you have complete control over. The App Store and the Android Market are now serving up the AR FreeFlight 2.0 app to complement the new hardware from Parrot. This update includes a significant UI update and several new features to play with. With FreeFlight you can control the drone and record your flights or take pictures as you fly around, but you can also take the flight data and share it with other AR Drone users.

Altitude, duration, location, and speed information are all recorded and easily shared through the app. To compliment this ability, the AR Drone Academy function lets you see how-to videos and location data for the best flight zones in your area. Firmware updates for the AR Drone 2.0 are also handled through the app. When an update is available for your drone, the icon will light up, and you can install the update with a tap. The update is sent over the WiFi connection with the Drone, so everything can be done quickly and efficiently. As more developers take advantage of the open development platform for the AR Drone, the AR Games section of the app will fill with more augmented reality, tag, and other inventive ways to play with the Drone. When you fly the AR Drone, you can do it by looking at the drone and piloting with the FreeFlight controller, or you can use Absolute Flight, and use just your smartphone or tablet. The app will show you from the camera how the world looks from the drone’s perspective, but there are a few more things going on here.