Gone with the wind smart health innovation

May 24, 2020

Parrot innovates and offers a high-end drone, the Bebop with “Sky Controler”: understanding a remote control device that resembles a radio control where you install your smartphone or tablet. It passed into the hands of the editorial staff.

Bebop Parrot, high-end drone

Mark : Parrot

Category : Drone

Release date : available

Price: 495 euros on conec-t.com, 899.99 euros with the Skycontroller

Main competitor : In front of the Bebop and its Skycontroller, the Phantom 2 Vision + from DJI which enjoys better video quality, but sold for more: 1000 euros.

Tested with a Nexus 5

(embed) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUpmPUcnuBY (/ embed)

Unboxing

The machine is well packaged, we simply regret the opening system. Indeed you have to turn the box 90 degrees to be able to open it, dropping the contents of the box if you are not warned. Moderately well thought out, but fortunately, no breakage.

Inside we fall on the drone, already mounted. Phew! no need to spend hours installing everything, a good thing. Under the drone, the famous Skycontroller with a collar to pass it around the neck. Note that additional sets of wings are provided.

A large user manual is provided in different languages, including French. Not necessarily very clear, especially for installing the smartphone and tablet on the Skycontroller, but with a little perseverance you can do it.

Design & Ergonomics

You still have to admit, when you open the box, the design of Bebop is a pleasure to see. To the touch, nothing very different from the competition, plasticized material and always very light. Maybe even too much, but we'll come back to that later.

Like many drones, it feels like there’s a child's toy there. By the way, if the design is really nice the colors (blue, yellow, red) lack class even if they have the advantage of allowing recognition of the craft from a considerable distance, especially when the sky is very white and bright.

As for the Skycontroller, it looks a lot like a conventional radio control except that the center can accommodate a smartphone or tablet. It is also very light and easy to handle.

Application

As always with Parrot, we find the application dedicated to all FreeFlight 3 brand drones on Android and iOS which still has tendency to plant fairly regularly. Fortunately, the configuration is simple: just go to the preferences of your smartphone or tablet and then start the connection with Bebop. Note however, no password required, anyone can connect to your device as long as you have the application.

Use / Getting started

Settings: Before you start, there are still a few small adjustments to make. Besides installing the app, you have to charge the battery (everything is provided, and that's a good thing). Allow approximately 50 minutes. It will then be necessary to connect the latter, a process that would have been a little simpler. You have to pull a string in order to access the socket, connect the battery to it, push the assembly forward without forgetting to strap it to prevent it from falling in mid-flight. In short, nothing serious, but we saw more practical.

The flight : Remember to calibrate the craft before making your flight, this will save you a lot of inconvenience. That's it, it's ready, you can take off. Once the device is in the air, it’s very nice, especially indoors or in extremely low wind conditions. The camera is quick and fast, novices will therefore necessarily need some time to adapt to master the craft. The figures are extremely simple to perform, enough to have fun without taking the lead.

The Bebop also has some interesting settings since it is possible to set a height not to be exceeded. Clearly, avoid your ceiling or soar high, very high in the sky. And it works pretty well, no problem encountered during the Review.

Where it gets tough is when the flight conditions are not optimal. Clear, the slightest gust of wind will disrupt the craft making it quickly out of control. The Bebop therefore pays for its extremely light weight here.

The video : The spearhead of Bebop is its integrated Full HD camera 1920 x 1080p coupled with a new image stabilization system. In terms of stabilization, it's really impressive. The image moves very little and the captures are always straight.

Beside, Full HD only has the name. The colors lack spice, and a blurring effect, probably induced by stabilization, reduces the video performance of the machine. True drone video lovers may prefer to turn to the competition for including a GoPro.

About 20 minutes of videos in Full HD, this is the limit that you will not be able to exceed since the Bebop only has 4GB of internal memory. Not necessarily a handicap since the battery in flight does not last this time (10 to 20 minutes). So often remember to empty the memory card. On the photo side, the reviews are the same as for the video.

The Skycontroller : The strength of the Skycontroller is the ability to have a greater range, namely 1 km and to take advantage of more intense controls.

The principle is nice, very nice even. In perfect conditions, namely no wind and an extremely clear terrain, we take our foot to pilot the Bebop with. Intuitive, more reactive and precise, the radio control really does its job. However, in slightly less favorable conditions, the problems of lightness of the drone are still present and it is not easy to avoid obstacles by sight alone on a smartphone or tablet. But for the most assiduous, it is a real pearl. A pearl which at a price since it is necessary to add 400 euros in addition to the price of the drone to be able to get it.

Against competition

For 100 euros more than the Bebop package including the Skycontroller, the DJI Phantom 2 Vision + allows the installation of a GoPro, supplied in addition, inducing much better video results. He also has a radio control inside.

Compatibility

Apple : iOS 7.1 minimum

Android : 4.0 or later

Feature reminder

Full HD 1080p camera with image stabilization.

14 Megapixel camera.

Skycontroller with a range of 1 kilometer with the possibility of installing a smartphone or tablet.

Bluetooth and WiFi.

Our feeling

What I liked : Flying the drone in perfect conditions is a real pleasure, even more with the Skycontroller. The image stabilizer. Ease of use of automated figures.

What I did not like : Full HD video which does not keep its promises with a very disappointing result.

Together for 900 euros, the Bebop and its Skycontroller are too expensive compared to the performances they deliver. Alone, the Bebop can be worth it provided that it is not too watchful on the video quality.

Use / Getting started

Overview

Design : Pleasant to the eye with quality finish, we regret the available colors, a bit garish.Application : The application fulfills its mission, easy to use and allows very simple control of the device. Too bad she plants regularly.Features : The promise is not kept, at least on the side of the video. Bebop films in 1080p but the image lacks bite and sharpness. Fortunately, impressive stabilization saves the end result.Use / Getting started : The Bebop flies extremely well but remains confined to use without wind. It's a shame as the pleasure is present once we have it in hand. Same observation with the Skycontroller which adds real added value to the product but does not overcome the problem of lightness of the drone.Value for money : Alone, Parrot Bebop is sold for around 500 euros, a fair price for the features it offers. If the Skycontroller will delight all fans of piloting and new sensations, the additional 400 euros that it requires are a real brake. For 100 euros more, we prefer to turn to the competition including, the radio control and a GoPro.

3.25

 3.25 out of 5 

In the average

Bebop Parrot and Skycontroller Review: as much blows the wind 

Reviewed by Thomas Remilleret  

we 2015-03-23

   Design : Pleasant to the eye with quality finish, we regret the available colors, a bit garish.Application : The application fulfills its mission, easy to use and allows very simple control of the device. Too bad she plants regularly.Features : The promise is not kept, at least on the side of the video. Bebop films in 1080p but the image lacks bite and sharpness. Fortunately, impressive stabilization saves the end result.Use / Getting started : The Bebop flies extremely well but remains confined to use without wind. It's a shame as the pleasure is present once we have it in hand. Same observation with the Skycontroller which adds real added value to the product but does not overcome the problem of lightness of the drone.Value for money : Alone, the Parrot Bebop is sold for around 500 euros, a fair price for the features it offers. If the Skycontroller will delight all fans of piloting and new sensations, the additional 400 euros that it requires are a real brake. For 100 euros more, we prefer to turn to the competition including, the radio control and a GoPro.

Rating: 3.25