Parrot Bebop 2 Drone Review
We take this fully loaded Parrot Bebop 2 Quadcopter Drone with Skycontroller 2 & Cockpit FPV Glasses package out for a spin in our full review
Parrot Bebop 2 Review
Parrot Bebop 2 (plus extras) Summary
Summary
The Parrot Bebop 2 with FPV goggles and Sky Controller 2 are a top buy for anyone wanting a mid range drone that comes with lots of perks. If you are looking for a good FPV experience and decent video/photography then you can’t go far wrong at this price. If you don’t want the FPV experience or you can afford to double the budget then go for the DJI – but at the price for all this gear – it’s a simple decision for most.
Overall
4.58- Ease of use
- Safety
- Camera
- Battery
- Value for money
- Controller
This is no standard Parrot Bebop 2 review, given this amazing 25% offer we are actually going to be reviewing this amazing Parrot Bebop 2 packaged that includes the Sky Controller 2 & Cockpit FPV Glasses that provides a fully immersive experience. The main competitor of the Bebop 2 is probably the DJI Spark now that it has launched, but this package might just breathe some new life into the Bebop 2 thanks to the the FPV glasses – the DJI alternative of course would set you back more than this whole package for just the goggles.
Parrot were one of the early adopters when it came to drone technology so it is good to see that they are trying to remain competitive against the drone powerhouse that is DJI. One thing that has always let the Parrot drones down (for some users anyway) is that they had to be controlled via a smartphone – now whilst that did keep costs down it was also a little irritating for those of us who like to have a firm grip of what we are controlling.
Now we get the best of both worlds with this package and all for less than £450! Yes, you read that correctly!
The Full Parrot Bebop 2 Review
The first thing that you notice when you unbox the Bebop 2 is that it is very lightweight – coming in at under 500g. If you are familiar with the original Bebop then you would be forgiven for thinking that Parrot had hardly changed a thing, but luckily the light cosmetic exterior upgrade is largely overshadowed by the hefty under the hood upgrade that number 2 gets to its hardware.
The largely plastic frame comes in two parts which is quite handy for transportation but also means that it is easy to take the drone apart should you need to make repairs at any time. The battery is also detachable and has seen a massive upgrade from the original – in fact, Parrot claim you can now enjoy a full 25 minutes of flying time with the Bebop 2 – this is pretty impressive for a drone of this size and weight.
What’s the Bebop 2 like to fly?
The Bebop 2 is a joy to pilot and whether you choose to use the FreeFlight app or the controller that is included with this package, you will find piloting the Parrot drone an absolute joy. It can handle some pretty testing winds and is a cinch to take off and land.
We found that the 25 minutes of flight time that Parrot claim is pretty accurate with this time reduced to more like 20 minutes when filming or taking pictures over a prolonged period of time.
Where this drone really comes in to its own though is with the FPV googles. You will need to use your smartphone as the display similar to other (cheap) VR headsets but the FreeFlightPro app really does work quite well with them and gives a whole new experience to flying a drone. We did notice some interference with the image from time to time but within around 100m the image quality was good.
The Sky Controller 2 was another massive bonus for us with this package as it allowed us to control our drone with more precision than the mobile app. What you lose in features (as found in the app) you gain in control but that being said, it is not the greatest feeling controller ever. It was a little too smooth in design for our liking but that is just a personal preference – it is comfortable and easy to hold for a long time.
One thing we were not a fan of and Parrot have seriously let themselves down with this is that some of the features that you would expect on a drone in this price range (like the ‘follow me’ feature for example) you have to pay extra for as an in-app purchase. This taints the experience somewhat but you should just budget this in to the overall cost when buying the drone.
Camera Quality and other features
The Bebop 2 boasts a 14MP fisheye lens that also captures video in full 1080p high definition. Image quality is excellent and the stabilisation of the drone helps keep video smooth even at moderate speeds. Some reports that we have read have suggested that the fisheye lens is susceptible to lens flare but we didn’t notice that in any of our tests.
Whilst you do not get 4K video the 30FPS video quality is excellent and compared to other drones in this price range the shakiness was minimal.
One great aspect of the Bebop 2 is how easy it is to take it apart and repair if needed. The propellers all detach easily with a special tool that is supplied and the camera and battery are also very easily accessed.
What else should I know?
One significant advantage that the Parrot has over other drones is that the parts are pretty reasonable should you want spares or need to repair it. For example, the hefty 2700mAh Lithium-Ion Polymer battery can be picked up at a great price on Amazon – given that 2 batteries would provide you with nearly an hours worth of flying time this could be a deal maker for some.
Overall
Check the box at the top of the article for our overall rating for the Bebop 2 FPV package – but suffice to say that we loved the amount of kit you got with this deal.
