Parrot Unveils New Bebop Drone [Video]

Parrot has unveiled the Bebop Drone, a new super-high-tech leisure quadricopter with professional features.

Equipped with a 14 mega pixels fish-eye camera, the Parrot Bebop Drone takes video and pictures in a 180-degree field with remarkable image quality. Digital image stabilization helps minimize the movements inherent in aerial footage.

A combination of sensors gives the Bebop improved stability and maneuverability when piloting with a smartphone or tablet. It uses 802.11ac MIMO Wi-Fi with four ceramic antennas 2.4GHz and 5GHz to provide unequalled reach. The drone can also be piloted with an optional controller compatible with FPV glasses.




180-degree vision
Parrot Bebop Drone is equipped with a 14 megapixels (fisheye-lens) front-facing camera that records video in Full HD (1080p x 1920p) and streams live immersive views of the flight on the screen of the piloting Smartphone or tablet. The pilot can control the angle of the camera simply with his thumb, directly from the piloting application. The shifting on a 180-degree angle is fully digital.

Thanks to algorithms developed by Parrot engineers, the Bebop Drone benefits from an exclusive 3-axis image stabilization system that maintains a fixed angle of the view, regardless of the inclination of the drone and movement caused by turbulence. The camera of the Parrot Bebop Drone is mounted on an ingenious structure with rubber shock absorbers that cushion vibrations.

The images taken by the Bebop Drone are digitally treated thanks to the Parrot P7 Dual core processor, its GPU and a proprietary Image Signal Processor. The landscapes are captured on the 8 GB flash memory of the Parrot Bebop Drone with a gripping precision and sharpness.


After the landing of the drone, videos (MP4 format) and photos (JPEG and DNG formats) can be transferred onto the piloting device or a computer via Wi-Fi or via the embedded micro-USB connector.



Stability
The Parrot Bebop Drone is piloted via Wi-Fi through a free application available for iOS and Android Smartphone and tablets. To guarantee optimal stability of the quadricopter, without compromising maneuverability, the Bebop Drone integrates data coming from numerous sensors:

● One 3-axis accelerometer
● One 3-axis gyroscope
● One 3-axis magnetometer
● One ultrasound with a reach up to 8 meters
● One pressure sensor
● One vertical camera
● MIMO Wi-Fi connection
● GNSS chipset that associates the GPS, GLONASS and GALILEO data. The Bebop Drone is capable of autonomous flight and automatic return to the take-off position.



Technologies
01. Mother board (Parrot P7 dual core CPU and quad core GPU - 8Gb flash memory - All are fixed on a magnesium shelf that acts as electromagnetic shielding and as a radiator.)
02. Fisheye lens (6 optical elements – 14 Mega pixels sensor)
03. Brushless out runner engines
04. Glass fiber reinforced (15%) ABS structure
05. Three-blade propellers in Polycarbonate with fast disassembly system
06. Inertial measurement unit (GPS+Glonass+Galileo - 3-axis accelerometer - 3-axis gyroscope - 3-axis magnetometer – pressure sensor)
07. Wi-Fi MIMO antennas (2 double-set of ceramic antennas for 2.4 and 5 GHz)
08. Vertical stabilization camera (Every 16 milliseconds, an image of the ground is taken and compared to the previous one to determine the speed of the Bebop Drone)
Ultrasound sensor (Analyzes the flight altitude up to 8 meters)
09. Hull in EPP (Clip and unclip easily to adapt to indoor and outdoor flight - Protects the propellers against potential bumps - Can be removed to reduce wind factor )
10. Anti-vibration Bumpers

FreeFlight 3.0
The Parrot Bebop Drone comes with a free piloting application, FreeFlight 3.0, for iOS and Android Smartphones and tablets. The ergonomics of the application have been developed to offer a perfect ease-of-use and to let the pilot focus on the pleasure of flying.

On the welcome screen, the pilot accesses the ground functionalities: Piloting, photos/videos, flight plan, Cloud 'Pilot Academy'.). When the 'take off' button is touched, the Parrot Bebop Drone starts its engines, takes off, stabilizes and awaits the pilot's instructions.

The left thumb activates a virtual joystick that enables control of the altitude of the drone, its rotation and movements while tilting the smartphone/tablet, to indicate the direction: forward, backward, left, right. The right thumb enables control of the angle of tilt of the front camera while flying.

A 'flight plan' piloting mode enables the pilot to program an autonomous flight, using the functionalities of the GNSS chipset. When the 'landing' button is touched, the Parrot Bebop Drone lands smoothly. A 'Return Home' button makes the Bebop Drone come back to its take-off position, guided by GPS.



Skycontroller
To benefit from a more powerful Wi-Fi connection, Parrot will offer the Skycontroller as an option. Equipped with an amplified Wi-Fi radio and with 4 antennas, the Parrot Skycontroller extend the Wi-Fi range up to 2 kms.

The piloting Smartphone or tablet is fixed on a shelf that is compatible with the vast majority of the tablets available in the market. The pilot takes the helm of the drone via 2 joysticks.

For extreme sensations, it is possible to connect FPV (First Person View) glasses to the Parrot Skycontroller with the HDMI plug. Then, leaning the head will position the camera of the Bebop Drone!



The Parrot Bebop Drone and Parrot Skycontroller will be available in Q4, 2014. Please follow iClarified on Twitter, Facebook, or RSS for updates.

[via Desire This]