Parrot Bebop Drone Performance Review

Shop IrixGuy's Adventure Channel merchandise and join us on other social media too, by visiting the links below:

[johnwedrall]

your video here is intelligently presented. thank you. 😎👍!

[MichaelKincaiddontroughit]

Spot on! I've noticed most all uploaded videos have the "spasms"...including mine but I edit them out. Somewhat time consuming but usually not a problem but could see it being an issue if right in the middle of a important scene or moment. Just now getting a chance to get caught up from a week long business trip in San Francisco. I'm way behind on new content! Great review and looking forward to seeing more!

[billfarnham]

You're right on the money about the video. If it's gonna be 1080p, it should be clean, without spasms or video noise. That makes what would be a beautiful video into an unusable one. 

[billfarnham]

With regard to range... This is something I know a little bit about. Given the radio spectrum in which it operates (2.4 ghz and 5 ghz), signal strength attenuates rapidly with range. Within the current state of the art of RF devices in those bands, there are two ways to increase range. Both involve issues of signal strength both at the UAV and it the controller. But those two ways are: 1) increase raw RF output, which requires larger transmitting receiving devices, or 2) increase efficiency of transmission and reception without increasing actual RF output, which means adding high gain antennas. Which, by design and the nature of the beast, will be larger. So the decision has to be made - add size/weight to the transmitters/receivers in the system (there are transceivers in both the UAV and the controller), or increase the size of the antennas (which is the route the Sky Controller takes). One hugely limiting factor to this system is the phone. The wifi antenna in any phone - iPhone or Android - is tiny, tiny and very low gain. That's why the sky controller helps so much. The antenna on the UAV has the benefit of altitude, which helps its signal to be "seen." The phone, on the other hand, is kinda castrated.

[notoo]

Nice review,  agree with your assessment.  I have had mine since December,  still have video spasms in my movies.  Hoping the latest update corrects that.  Really wish Parrot would release the pre-programmed flight program upgrade.

[rickkelley]

I just ordered the Nvidia Shield Portable. It might be the controller you are looking for, but I doubt it will extend the range. Small and half the price of the sky controller.

[SmoktMedia]

IrixGuy's Adventure Channel    Great  review. I agree with the controller issue as well.  I have been lucky and do not have an issue with the spasms.  

[RebelDrifter]

The spasms are killing me and also the sort of glitched out or buggyness when you move the bebop it start to pixelate SOOO HEAVY!!! I went flying last sunday and for my 2nd time flying I had a fly-away. Yup! All on video. 1080p 30fps isn't true HD. I really hope they fix the spasms and the pixelations and the fly-away / waypoints. Then I am content. The lag I can live with on the controller for now. My new vid is up as well. cheers.

[OKBUDDY]

Umm one thing I need to know where do you mostly buy your quadcopters and another question is that a skunk or a cat?

[mjames]

Have you looked into using the nvidia shield portable as a controller?

[BuckeyeStormsProductions]

Small 'drone' (I cringe at that word) and small controller. THAT is really what I want. I like the idea of the whole system being extremely portable, but the SkyController just looks SO BIG. What is the point of having a quad you can throw in a backpack if the controller is big enough to require a separate carrying case? I think that Parrot has the right idea with the, "solid state gimbal, " and things will hopefully go even SMALLER, but there needs to be some give on the control system. The phone option is not ideal, but a huge controller isn't the fix.

I keep coming so close to pulling the trigger on one of these, but I just have a few issues, the controller being the biggest. The video glitches is second. Finally, an upgrade on the camera to give JUST A BIT better resolution. Hate to say, but I may just have to wait for the v2, which will likely resolve some of my conflicts, but...man, it is hard to wait.

OH, and a little addition, I do think Parrot has the potential to really move into a commercial market. I see people saying the Bebop is nothing but a toy, simply because they consider Parrot as a toy-maker, but their camera system is pretty revolutionary. The quad is nothing overly special, as an airframe, but as you said, it becomes a tool, not a toy, because of that camera. THAT is what Parrot needs to push, and improve upon.

[JarrodArencibia]

I been thinking about getting the quad copter how good are they.

[pricelessppp]

Is there any quality control issues in the software and the build quality?Like i have been hearing about in reviews i read?