Parrot has unveiled the second-generation of its flagship Bebop quadcopter.
Aptly named the Parrot Bebop 2, the drone boasts a number of improvements compared to its predecessor.
The Bebop 2 is a lightweight bit of kit at just 500g, and comes equipped with what Parrot describes as “the latest generation of sensors and technology”.
Speaking at the launch event, Michael Luke, Parrot’s sales manager for UK and Northern Europe, said that “every part has been revisited”.
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The headline feature of the Bebop 2 is its impressive flight time of 25 minutes. That comes courtesy of a rechargeable 2,700mAh battery.
It’s also a nippy flier, boasting top speeds of 37mph horizontally and 13mph vertically.
The Bebop 2 can reach its maximum speed in 14 seconds, and takes 4.5 seconds to break.
It can also resist head winds of up to 39mph, and can reach an altitude of 328 feet in less than 20 seconds.
Other improvements include larger, flexible 6-inch propellers, a new lens, a new Wi-Fi antenna – which provides a 984-foot range – a new cooling system, and a glass fibre reinforced ABS chassis.
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But this isn’t just a drone – it’s also a flying photography rig, boasting an embedded fish-eye camera capable of shooting Full HD videos. Luke says the Bebop 2 offers “crystal clear and sharp images”.
To that end, the Bebop 2 features 8GB of flash storage, which should be plenty for 1080p footage.
The Parrot Bebop 2 is available from December 2015 – just in time for Christmas – at a price of £439.99. Retailers include Amazon, Apple, John Lewis, Argos, Curry’s, and Maplin.
There’s also an optional Parrot Skycontroller Black Edition, which extends range up to 6,561 feet – this combined with the drone will cost you £759.99.
Have you bought a drone yet? Let us know in the comments.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.