The Parrot AR.Drone 2.0

Many companies have already unveiled their goodies even before CES 2014 officially kicks off tomorrow.

One example is Parrot, the drone maker, which has just announced two commercially available drones, which somewhat uniquely, can  be controlled using a smartphone app available to download on both Android and iOS devices.

Parrot’s MiniDrone and Jumping Sumo drones can both be controlled using an iOS or Android smartphone or tablet.  The biggesth difference between the two drones are the various functions each one is capable of.

The MiniDrone is the successor to Parrot’s AR.Drone.  It can roll around on the ground using its two detachable wheels, or else it can fly around and pester the people inside your house – whatever you desire. It connects to mobile devices via Bluetooth, and so it does has a limited range, but that also makes it suitable for inside use.  We should also point out that it doesn’t have a camera, and so you won’t be able to use it to spy on your roommates or the kids.

The Jumping Sumo has a broader range of fucntions, as it connects to your device via a home WiFi network.  As the name implies, this little drone can jump around as well as roll on the floor.  It is equipped with its own camera so you can view a real-time video feed from your smartphone or tablet as you control it.  It’s able to jump about 35 inches or 90 centimeters on a single bound, which is cool to watch.

Both devices can be charged using a micro USB cable.  The MiniDrone can fly around for seven to eight minutes on a single charge while the Jumping Sumo can keep up its antics for as long 20 minutes.

Parrot plans to make the drones commercially available this year, but no news yet as to when exactly that will happen, nor is there any indications as to how much the drones will sell for.

You can watch the Jumping Sumo in action here:

Parrot drones may have been given a bad reputation when security researcher Samy Kamkar used an AR Drone 2 equipped with the Skyjack app to hijack other drones, and he even discussed how to use them to intercept Amazon’s delivery drones.  But at least these two new Parrot drones, especially the MiniDrone, seem harmless enough, so we may not have to worry about them being used for spying or hijacking.