Parrot PF726203 Bebop 2 Quadcopter Drone with Skycontroller 2/Cockpit FPV

Product Information

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.

Instead of the motorized gimbals found on many other camera drones, the Bebop 2 uses three-axis digital stabilization for smooth video results. The white BeBop Drone 2 with 14 Megapixel Flight Camera from Parrot is a Wi-Fi-based, mobile device-operated RC quadcopter capable of capturing 1080p aerial video and taking 4096 x 3072 resolution still photos.It means that if you’re used to the leisurely pace of the video mode, the drone suddenly comes in hot on its way back and gives you a rather fun startle. The rear LED light that provides status indications – and that makes it slightly easier to identify the rear when up in the sky – is now blue; it was red on the previous model. I've covered cameras at PCMag for the past 10 years, which has given me a front row seat for the DSLR to mirrorless transition, the smartphone camera revolution, and the mainstream adoption of drones for aerial imaging. The main things that you need to know about the new Parrot Bebop 2 Power are that it’s come a long way since the lovable but restricted Bebop 2. If you're more interested in having fun piloting than nabbing aerial B-roll for your indie film or crisp images for your real estate business, the Bebop 2 is a solid option.

Where the Spark’s footage is sharp and detailed, the Bebop’s is fuzzier and much less impressive on a TV screen. You pick the videos to include and the software (which uses technology from muvee) generates a 15-second compilation with music (which you can also select). It weighs around 500 grams and has a 14-megapixel camera, capable of recording up to 1920 x 1080 pixels video resolution.

It’s a lot like DJI’s Go app, in fact, and we like that you can cache local map data before you head out. 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. You use your phone to view FPV, either on the controller (single view) or in the FPV googles supplied (FPV View). It’s a little top-heavy for my liking, due to the large transmitter and receiver that gives it a range of up to 2km. These accessories help to give pilots more flexibility, both in terms of flight time and what they can actually do with the drone.

But once it passed about 100 meters, the video feed began to get choppy, freezing up and pixelating.The Parrot Bebop 2 is a well-designed, reliable drone that is ideal for both beginners and professionals. A follow-up to the popular quadcopter has been in the wings while DJI has gone on to establish its Phantom range, launch the Mavic Pro and the miniature Spark. 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. Other than that, a fantastic budget 1080p 30 fps flyer that I would recommend to anyone starting out or on a tight budget who cannot afford more expensive drones.