Parrot AR Drone First Hands-on Overview!   by Mark Winston

in Technology / Gadgets and Gizmos    (submitted 2010-09-16)

The package: The box includes the AR Drone, inside and outside bodies, a 1000 MaH LiPo battery as well as 12v charger, plugs for several country electric outlets, and also a target.

About the Inside flight: This is when the Parrot AR Drone stands out. Push 1 button, and the propellers spin up, then move into high-speed to get a clean and stable take off. After that it hovers at three feet, awaiting more instructions. In rookie mode (right button), it is easy to turn and go up and down. In the pilot mode (left button), you could fly ahead and backward and left and right. Mix both, and you basically have total control.

The optical flow placement hold is most effective on a textured floor, as a patterned floor covering or tiled floor. On a absolutely featureless floor (concrete floor or sleek, unpatterned floor covering) it could tend to float slightly. Total flight time is a bit below 10 minutes in my experience.

While you fly above furnishings, the ultrasonic elevation hold could get confused. It often climbs up while you fly over a couch and often it decreases. Sometimes it gets so puzzled the AR Drone goes to the ceiling. But in general, it does a pretty decent job.

Open-air flight: This is simply not the AR Drone most robust suit. To begin with, it won't fly more than fifteen feet (because of the range of its ultrasonic sensor I guess). Furthermore, the position hold really only functions when there is zero breeze. When the wind picks up, the AR Drone starts to lean and rattles, plus the optical flow camera will lose its lock. Oftentimes this means it really drifts, in other cases it is going to scoot off in a random direction after having a blowing wind gust.

Though should there be no wind, it is possible to fly as far as the wi-fi connection allow you to. I have successfully tested up to a hundred feet.

About the Author

Dr. Mark Winston greatly loves Rc flying as a leisure activity, because of that the AR Drone is like a dream coming true! You can find a Commonly asked questions about the Parrot AR Drone here for yourself and find out why this specific toy has captured so many grown ups.