Parrot Minidron Overview

Gone are the days when a toy machine that wraps backwards from a click caused delight in children. Modern toys are more than just radio-controlled cars, but their distribution is still limited by the large number of numbers on the price tag. Well-known manufacturer of drones - the company Parrot - has introduced several new products to the market, which can be attributed to the niche of available mini-robots.

Parrot Jumping Sumo, in our opinion, is not only entertainment for children, but also a timekiller for their bored parents. Managed via Wi-Fi (using a smartphone or tablet), this device is capable of jumping to a height of over 70 cm and moving, instantly turning 90 or 180 degrees.
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Parrot Rolling Spider - minidron suitable for the first acquaintance with the world of quadrocopters.

We will start from the earthly but jumping into the sky Jumping Sumo.

Appearance

Close to ipad mini scale

A small, lightweight box with an even lighter device inside.



Jumping drone, cord with microUSB connector, rechargeable battery, user manual. Three stickers are attached to the box, giving a touch of light individuality.



The main part of the Jumping Sumo is placed in the male palm, and the width does not exceed 20 centimeters.

Let's face it: the robot is not like the monsters of Boston Dynamics, it looks fragile and a bit ridiculous - huge wheels are molded to a small plastic case. However, the actual operation of the Jumping Sumo impression changes the opposite - it is extremely difficult to “kill” the robot. It weighs almost like your smartphone - only 180 grams.



On the back side is a slot for installing the battery. The “tail” of the robot, reinforced with an iron structure, is necessary for making jumps.



On the front are two LED “eyes”, a power button, a microUSB port and speakers for small noise effects.

Control

Jumping Sumo connects to the phone or tablet via Wi-Fi - to do this, select the appropriate network from the list of wireless networks. Control is carried out through the application Free Flight, running Android, IOS and Windows Phone. Despite the sequence number 3 in the name of the application, it is not free from glitches: the connection does not always happen immediately, sometimes the program just “freezes”, and the image from the camera disappears.

A child can quickly deal with Free Flight 3, but the developers for insurance added a detailed tutorial to the application that includes links to training videos (in English).



After connecting on the display of a mobile device, we see what the Jumping Sumo camera “sees”, plus virtual buttons are available: the long bar on the left of the screen is designed to control forward / backward movement, the buttons on the right are responsible for a quick turn of 90 and 180 degrees. On the right side are all the additional buttons that allow you to perform vertical and horizontal jumps, as well as show a number of programmed tricks (for example, a short jerk along an S-shaped curve). A small number of actions on the movement can be programmed independently.

In the upper right corner of the display are the photo buttons with a resolution of 640x480 and video recording in the same resolution. Hundreds of photos can be stored in the internal memory of the device, but to record video you need a USB flash drive with a MicroUSB connector.

Is it possible to attribute Jumping Sumo to a class of spyware? In the world of almost silent drones that monitor nuclear power plants , there is definitely no. But you will definitely be pleased to see photos of a shocked cat, caught off guard, or the puzzled face of a colleague, on whose table instantly ascended Jumping Sumo.

Jumping Sumo has a maximum range of 50 meters (if there are no obstacles on the way), but the battery life from a fully charged battery will be a maximum of 20 minutes.

Tests

The big problem of all robots, small and large, is to overcome obstacles. A gadget that successfully chases a domestic cat across a carpet becomes almost helpless on an uneven surface. Parrot Jumping Sumo comes to the solution of the issue fully armed. Equipped with retractable wheels for greater stability, built-in gyroscope and accelerometer, the robot is capable of sharp turns and high jumps from the starting position.



The main feature of the gadget is fascinating jumps from a place. By squeezing the two springs, and then releasing them, the drone launches itself forward or upward by 80 centimeters. Climbing the stairs, jumping on a bed or a table is really fun.

The machine will accelerate to 7 km / h, which is convenient when you need to properly kick a piece or slip through a fleecy carpet. You can only move in a straight line, turning is possible at 90 and 180 degrees.

Wheels that provide good protection against falls, quickly wear out from driving over rough terrain outside the home / office. Movement on the grass is extremely difficult - Jumping Sumo does not have enough weight, the wheels slide. The conclusion is simple: the device is not intended for use outdoors.

Battery

With such dimensions, installing a more powerful battery was problematic, so 20 minutes is the limit of work. Not terrible, if not for the next 90-minute charge, which can only be done via the microUSB cable of the drone, in which the battery is installed.

Rolling spider

Rolling Spider from Parrot is a flying drone, in many respects similar to its “land” fellow. It is controlled in the same way, via the Free Flight application, which is connected via Bluetooth 4.0, and is capable of doing several acrobatic tricks.


Rolling Spider, rechargeable battery, 2 wheel safety

The drone is miniature (55 grams!) And absolutely safe - it can be used in an apartment without fear for the safety of things and the device itself. The robust plastic case easily copes with numerous inevitable collisions. In case of blows the screws are instantly blocked. And no - they will not cut the finger :)

For greater security, two plastic wheels can be attached to the drone to protect the hull, but without the added weight the Rolling Spider flies faster.

Drone makes high-speed turns at an angle of 90 ° and 180 °, performs loops back and forth, and thanks to the safety wheels can roll on the floor and on the ceiling.



Cycling the motion sensor in the phone, you can send a drone in the right direction. The drone responds well to commands, and it's not at all difficult to control.


On the aggressive "face" you can stick a fanged face-sticker - 12 pieces are included

Unfortunately, a small drone is very voracious - the battery lasts only for 8 minutes of continuous flight, and it has to be charged in exactly the same way as Jumping Sumo. By the way, minidron batteries are interchangeable.


The camera is located on the bottom

During the flight, you can take several photos with a 0.3 MP camera installed in the lower part of the body. They are stored in internal memory (32 MB) and are available after connecting the device to the computer.



In rainy and windy weather, using the drone outdoors is extremely difficult. A barely noticeable breeze will be able to carry the drone, but even in calm the “ceiling” of the flight is 5 meters high. The drone is well controlled in the room, shows tricks literally inches from the wall, and the flight completes a neat landing.

Summing up

Minidrony - a new generation of gadgets designed to kill time. Not many toys can boast jumping like a Jumping Sumo. The compact dimensions of the device will allow you to explore the inaccessible (or captured) territory of your own apartment.

None of these drones are intended for covert surveillance. Their goal is to demonstrate a few tricks that you will soon learn, based on the programmed commands.

Jumping Sumo, due to its low cost, becomes a good alternative for machines controlled via Wi-Fi \ Bluetooth in a poor niche of mini-robots.

Rolling Spider will introduce you to the concept of a drone and demonstrate quadrocopter flights in a miniature scale. Drone may recommend to those who want to master the skills of unmanned flights, but is afraid of losing an expensive device.