The famous AR drone, It’s been one of the reviews i have long wanted to do, Simply because this geektech is just awesome and the an obvious choice for hardcore geeks. I was going to include an unboxing video done by me for the review, but the good folks at Parrot already have an unboxing video made by themselves. So check that out just below
Okay, So now that you can see what it comes with, Unless you just skipped the video, Which was a bad thing to do, So i will list the contents of the AR Drone, Just so you know anyway!
Contents
1 x AR Drone(Obviously)
1 x Indoor Shell
1 x Outdoor Shell
1 x 1000mAh 11v battery
1 x Balance charger adaptor
1 x Power plug, With multiple adaptors for different countries
Inside the box is also the manual, and some stickers for the drone, That is if you would like to add them yourself.
The AR Drone isn’t just a remote control car that can fly, In the sense it’s straight forward, Parrot have packed this thing with so many features, It’s unreal to feel how light this thing is when you pick it up. Let’s take a look at the specs of this Quadrocopter.
Embedded Computer System
ARM9 468 MHz
DDR 128 Mbyte at 200MHz
Wifi b/g
USB high speed
Linux OS
That is some list, The fact that it has an embedded computer system is staggering, The computer inside actually runs a version of Linux, This allows it to make all the necessary calculations for stability and controls, Including running the Wifi and streaming the video from the cameras.
That’s right, This thing packs alot more then just and embedded computer.
Front Facing camera specification
93° wide-angle diagonal lens camera, CMOS sensor
Encoding and live streaming of images on iPhone/iPad/iPod and Android devices
Camera resolution 640×480 pixels (VGA)
Other AR.Drone detection
-Validation of shots fired at enemy drones
-Estimate of distance
-Detection distance: 5 meters(16.4 ft)
3D tag detection
Positioning of virtual objects
Calculation of markers of virtual objects
Detection distance: 30 centimetres to 5 meters (1ft to 16.4 ft)
Video feedback on the iPod touch /iPhone screen and Android devices
Vertical Camera Specifications
64° diagonal lens, CMOS sensor
Video frequency: 60 fps
Allows stabilization even with a light wind
Two Cameras built in to the AR Drone, The front facing camera gives you the ability to see exactly what is going on straight ahead of the drone, This make’s it easy for you to control the device, The Vertial camera makes landing it much easier, But it’s also used to stabilize the Drone aswell.
Sensors
3 Axis accelerometer
2 Axis gyroscope
1 Axis yaw precision gyroscope
Ultrasound altimeter
The Drone is packed with tons of different sensors, All controlled by the ECS that allow for more stable control which in turn allows for faster speeds and better and more skilled manoeuvring.
Motors and Battery
4 brushless motors, (35,000 rpm, power: 15W)
Lithium polymer battery (3 cells, 11,1V, 1000 mAh)
Battery charging time: 90 minutes
Other Specifications
Running speed: 5 m/s; 18 km/h (16.4 ft per second; 11.2 miles per hour)
Weight: – 380 g with outdoor hull (0.8 pounds)
– 420 g with indoor hull (0.9 pounds)
Flying time: about 12 minutes
That’s pretty much it for specs, While there isn’t a small list by any means and the fact the drone weighs only 0.8 pounds with just the outdoor hull is no easy feat, Parrot sure have crammed alot of stuff in there and still kept the weight down a marvellously.
Check out the next page to find out if the AR Drone can actually preform well. On to the actual review
