After trial and error with lackluster quadcopters, Parrot is taking another jab at the consumer drone market with Disco. Revealed earlier this year at CES (Consumer Electronics Show), Disco is the company’s first foray into fixed-wing drones, and it’s offering consumers long-lasting, high-speed, and VR-friendly drone flight.
Much of the hardware has remained untouched since debut; Disco still weighs in at 1.6 pounds with a chassis made of durable, flexible foam. A singular rotor is mounted in the rear, and a 14-megapixel 1080p camera rests at the front. There’s also a suite of sensors to assist the drone in flight: GPS/GLONASS, a barometer, a magnetometer, a gyroscope, and an accelerometer. Disco is capable of flying 45 minutes on a single charge with a max speed up to 50 miles per hour. Additionally, Disco’s Cockpitglasses act as a VR-like headset so pilots can view the drone’s perspective during flight. Cockpitglasses work with your iPhone or Android, like Google Cardboard and such.
SkyController is Parrot’s answer to the old-fashioned remote controller but with a slew of added features. The new (and re-designed) SkyController 2 allows pilots to fly Disco over an extended range of 1.2 miles. An adjustable slot located above the joysticks can fit a smartphone for FPV (first-person view).
Pilots will appreciate Parrot C.H.U.C.K or Control Hub and Universal Computer Kit. With the suite of sensors as described above, C.H.U.C.K is an onboard computer that handles automatic takeoff and landing. For takeoff, C.H.U.C.K sends Disco up some 164 feet and keeps it flying in circles until the pilot takes over. Landing is somewhat the same. When a pilot presses “landing” on the remote controller, C.H.U.C.K activates Disco’s landing flaps, reverses throttle, and grounds Disco in a smooth, straight line.
As a fixed-wing drone, Disco (with its SkyController 2 and Cockpitglasses) has a price tag of $1300. It’s more expensive than, say, a Parrot Bebop (or even a high-end 4K Phantom
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