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. The new Bebop 2 has a new Ublox Neo 8M GPS chip with an increased precision! The number of maximum visible satellites has also been increased (12 satellites max on the Bebop 1 VS 19 satellites max on the Bebop 2) 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. Watch Bebop 2 wind turbine test video here! The Bebop 2 is sold alone or in a bundle with the new “Black Edition” Skycontroller . This 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.ar drone 2 pil 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. parrot ar drone long distanceThis HDMI port can be used to connect optional FPV goggles.ar drone parrot distanza

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!black ops 2 parrot droneParrot’s A.R.Drone has gone through a couple of iterations so far, with the 2.0 model now in an “Elite Edition” that seems to indicate a solid push upwards, though this may be more a case of style over substance. phantom 2 drone kopenNo matter the focus, the unique quadricopter is still a lot of fun no matter what moniker you attach to it.parrot ar drone avis

If you’re a bit confused, don’t feel bad. After the launch of the original model in 2012, there are now three variants out on the market. The Power Edition is essentially the same model and design, except it comes with two 1,500mAh batteries and three sets of coloured propellers. The GPS Edition doesn’t have the batteries and coloured propellers, but includes Parrot’s Flight Recorder GPS, which improves stabilization and allows users to map out flight paths for the drone in advance. The Elite Edition offers none of those things, focusing more on the aesthetics, which include sand, jungle and snow camouflage hulls, giving this model a slightly more military look. Of course, you won’t be firing any weapons from this thing, but the design aims to cater to those who want something a bit less flashy. Though it comes with the smaller 1,000mAh battery, it can also run on the larger 1,500mAh ones, too. Even the Flight Recorder GPS can work with the Elite model, since Parrot had designed accessories to be interchangeable across the lineup.

You would just have to buy them separately, which is worth pointing out, given the drone’s $350 price tag. If you’re unfamiliar with Parrot’s drone, it comes with both an indoor hull (with foam rings to keep them from chopping things up indoors) and an outdoor one that improves its performance when dealing with wind. It’s controlled via the free FreeFlight app on iOS, Android and Windows 8. Other than its look, there isn’t anything uniquely different about the actual performance of this Elite version. That’s not to knock it, necessarily, but more to point out that this isn’t a stepped up iteration of the 2.0 drone. The word “Elite” might suggest that, but it flies and maneuvers the same as the others. It’s the accessories that make the difference between them. Parrot has been active in supporting the whole line, updating the app to push the drone just a little bit further in ability, but these features aren’t necessarily exclusive to one over the other, unless they’re specific to the accessories that come with it.