[REVIEW] PARROT ANAFI – DJI MAVIC AIR KILLER ?

In the drone industry, Parrot is a well-known brand. In fact, it ranks very high in my opinion, very close to DJI. However, they’ve been unusually quiet in recent months. To be more specific, no true high-end models have been released in the last year. True, they had a plethora of variations of their best-selling Bebop 2… But, by no means, can those be considered new drones.

Having said that, the unveiling of Parrot Anafi and the videos on YouTube caught most of us off guard. I mean, it’s not that Parrot had dropped off the radar, but we weren’t anticipating a new drone… let alone a new drone like this one.

With all that being said, the announcement of Parrot Anafi and first emerging videos on YouTube really struck most of us by surprise. I mean, it’s not that Parrot had gone off the radar, but somehow we weren’t expecting a new drone from them… let alone a new drone such as this one.

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But now that I think about it… Anafi represents the current state of the drone market. A small, foldable drone with a high-quality camera, stabilization, and intelligent, self-driving features. The most obvious competitor would be the Mavic Air… However, before comparing these two models (more on that below), let’s take a deeper look at the Parrot Anafi! So, if you’re interested in the Parrot Anafi and its specs, design, features, and so on, don’t stop reading because the fun part is about to begin!

SPECS

Max Flight Speed: 33mph
Battery : 2S 2700mAh LiPo
Battery Duration: 20 to 25 minutes

Operating range: up to 4 kilometers
Imaging sensor: Sony IMX230

PARROT ANAFI REVIEW : CAMERA PROMISES A LOT!

The Parrot Anafi drone is very similar to the most recent DJI model, the Mavic Air. It has a Sony IMX230 sensor that produces 21 effective megapixels. This is, without a doubt, a significant number; in fact, it is higher than that of the DJI Mavic Air. However, the megapixel count is not the only difference between these two cameras.

Video bitrate is equivalently (if not even more) important – and fortunately for each of these drones, video bitrates can reach up to 100mbps. This is due to the fact that the Anafi and Mavic Air are able to record 4K Ultra HD videos at a steady 30fps. However, whenever it happens to come to lower resolution frames per second, the DJI Mavic Air excels. More specifically, the Parrot Anafi shoots 1080p videos at 60fps, whereas the Mavic Air shoots at an incredible 120 fps.

However, Parrot Anafi’s camera has a unique feature that makes it quite interesting. It has the ability to zoom! It supports lossless zooming up to three times, but the video resolution suffers as a result. But that is not, by any means, the best part. The gimbal on the Parrot Anafi has a pitch motion of 180 degrees. This means it can look upwards, which only a few drones are capable of. Without a doubt, this is a significant advantage; a unique feature that provides drone operators with a completely new shot perspective.

MAIN FEATURES

Moving on to the features, Parrot has done an excellent job with this one. You will be able to use features such as dronie, orbit, follow me, and even dolly zoom, which is a brilliantly implemented feature that will transform your small sketches into works of art!

The dedicated controller looks sleek but does not feel as premium as the drone itself. It has two sliders, one for gimbal and one for zoom. There aren’t many buttons on it, but that’s because the app will handle all of the functions you’ll need.

We should also not overlook some of the most basic features that we have come to take for granted. GPS, altitude hold, smart return to home, and geofence… Parrot Anafi supports all of these features.

There is one aspect of Parrot Anafi that you’ll despise. Although WiFi transmission technology has advanced significantly over the years or so, drone enthusiasts are still unimpressed.

The Parrot Anafi has a range of up to 4 kilometers. However, keep in mind that in urban areas with a lot of interference and obstacles, you’re unlikely to get anywhere near 4 kilometers.