Bebop Droneby Parrot

When you compare its lens with what’s available in other DIY drones today, you’ll notice that the Bebop’s video clips aren’t that crisp. Its…

When you compare its lens with what’s available in other DIY drones today, you’ll notice that the Bebop’s video clips aren’t that crisp. Its color is decent, but the clarity and depth of detail are not that impressive. Nevertheless, the camera is usable and good enough for those who want to do some FPV flying.

The Parrot Bebop drone is a lot of fun. It's easy to fly using the smartphone app and captures clear, smooth footage to its on-board storage…

The Parrot Bebop drone is a lot of fun. It's easy to fly using the smartphone app and captures clear, smooth footage to its on-board storage with each flight. However, battery life lasts for around 10-minutes per charge – fortunately there's a spare battery in the box to double that – which isn't as strong as some competitors, such as the DJI Phantom.

The biggest issue are the restrictions on where you can fly a drone. It is still fun to fly around indoors, but the lack of precision contro…

The biggest issue are the restrictions on where you can fly a drone. It is still fun to fly around indoors, but the lack of precision control with a touchscreen leads to more crashes than you would like for a £400 machine.

The Bebop lacks the precision and range that more expensive drones have, but those are really its only shortcomings. What it lacks in precis…

The Bebop lacks the precision and range that more expensive drones have, but those are really its only shortcomings. What it lacks in precision it makes up for with simplicity, durability, and a really enjoyable flying experience.

In an attempt to capture some of those enthusiasts, however, Parrot perhaps stretched a bit too far, making something that was too pricey fo…

In an attempt to capture some of those enthusiasts, however, Parrot perhaps stretched a bit too far, making something that was too pricey for beginners and with not enough features or performance for experienced users. It's good for what it is, but in category that's growing rapidly, it's a tough sell.

My general impression of the video quality is that it trails the integrated Phantom 2 Vision+ camera by a narrow margin, and trails a GoPro …

My general impression of the video quality is that it trails the integrated Phantom 2 Vision+ camera by a narrow margin, and trails a GoPro camera by a wider one.

The shoddy build quality, lack of good documentation or online support, and finicky app are annoying, not deal breakers. But the limited bat…

The shoddy build quality, lack of good documentation or online support, and finicky app are annoying, not deal breakers. But the limited battery life and sporadic connectivity won’t pass muster with anyone, whether you’re serious about your drone hobby or not.

Onscreen controls just plain suck. Make no mistake, they work, they just lack the precision and responsiveness of tactile joysticks—and that…

Onscreen controls just plain suck. Make no mistake, they work, they just lack the precision and responsiveness of tactile joysticks—and that’s why the Bebop isn’t as fun as it should be. It’s really difficult to perform tight maneuvers when you’re constantly having to glance back down at the screen and reorient your thumbs.

You’re essentially getting a human-independent action camera with better stabilization that can fly for $500, or $900 with the extremely cap…

You’re essentially getting a human-independent action camera with better stabilization that can fly for $500, or $900 with the extremely capable controller thrown in. It’s a lot less than you’d pay the kind of gear you’d need to get these shots even just last year, and that’s the core value of what Parrot is offering here.

The Bebop’s most dramatic failing is that it comes with no manual. And this is a device that needs one more than any other product on earth.…

The Bebop’s most dramatic failing is that it comes with no manual. And this is a device that needs one more than any other product on earth. You get only a Quick Start leaflet that’s almost criminally sparse.

Some features in the app aren't yet functional. And two common complaints exist online: that the advertised Flight Plan feature to allow for…

Some features in the app aren't yet functional. And two common complaints exist online: that the advertised Flight Plan feature to allow for creating predetermined routes is still in development, and that Parrot backtracked on the pre-release announcement that head tracking via the Oculus Rift would be possible.

It’s also worth noting that for as rugged as the Bebop is, I did see a couple of minor build-quality issues on the drone and the controller.…

It’s also worth noting that for as rugged as the Bebop is, I did see a couple of minor build-quality issues on the drone and the controller. On the controller, the power button immediately popped off. I put it back in place and then a few days later, it popped off again. It’s back in place... for now.

The BeBop is not a beginners toy, this is for someone who has a little flight time under their belt and understands the basics of UAS flying…

The BeBop is not a beginners toy, this is for someone who has a little flight time under their belt and understands the basics of UAS flying. The prospective owner better know how to pick up instructions and read them first, or they are going to have problems…..and likely lose their BeBop!

The Bebop runs out of space for video quickly, without warning, and you’ve got to have the drone powered on (draining your battery) in order…

The Bebop runs out of space for video quickly, without warning, and you’ve got to have the drone powered on (draining your battery) in order to access that footage and delete it. So many of my dreams dashed for what this drone could do.

We would like to see better connections for batteries, the release of the GPS waypoint feature, and the addition of a car charger for batter…

We would like to see better connections for batteries, the release of the GPS waypoint feature, and the addition of a car charger for battery charging on road trips. The video performance in low light conditions is not great and the digital image stabilization under moderate winds results in jagged artificial edges on objects, but overall Parrot is offering a nice package, at a relatively affordable price.