Parrot Bebop AR Drone 3.0 announced with Oculus Rift support

Parrot has introduced a new aerial drone with a built-in 14-megapixel camera and fisheye lens, which is called AR Drone 3.0, but will be referred to as Bebop.

One of the most popular gadgets made by Parrot is the AR Drone. The second generation was launched in 2012, while the original model became available in 2010.

The AR Drone 2.0 is now replaced by the third generation of aerial drones. It is called Parrot AR Drone 3.0, although it appears that it will be marketed under the name of Bebop when it becomes available later this year.

Parrot Bebop becomes official with 14-megapixel camera and f/2.2 lens

Parrot Bebop is a new aerial drone which features a 14-megapixel camera with an f/2.2 lens.

The new aerial drone from Parrot comes packed with an integrated camera that captures photos at 14 megapixels and records full HD videos.

Its lens consists of a fisheye model with an f/2.2 aperture which offers a field-of-view of 180 degrees. It is said that the Parrot Bebop features an electronic image stabilization system that is bundled with a special software.

According to the company, the AR Drone 3.0 captures a field-of-view wider than it requires. However, the special algorithm crops the image and only the part that you need remains in place. Additionally, the parts that have been cut out will be used to stabilize the shot and provide a fixed angle-of-view with panning and tilting support.

This is quite an impressive achievement and Parrot is happy to say that the Bebop is capable of capturing smoother videos with a lighter setup and fewer moving parts compared to what we can find in gimbal-based aerial drones.

Skycontroller expands WiFi range and brings support for Oculus Rift virtual reality headset

Parrot Bebop comes with four special antennas with 2.4GHz and 5GHz WiFi support, although the range is rather limited. The good thing is that a so-called Skycontroller will become available for the users who want to extend the WiFi range up to 2 kilometers.

The Skycontroller allows users to attach a smartphone or tablet, which can be used as Live View mode. Furthermore, the Skycontroller can be used in combination with Oculus Rift 3D, a virtual reality head-mounted display.

Even without the controller, the new AR Drone 3.0 sports a GNSS system that combines GPS, GALILEO, and GLONASS information allowing the drone to fly autonomously or to return to its take-off site.

The Parrot Bebop AR Drone 3.0 features an integrated flash memory of 8GB and a flight time of up to 12 minutes. It will be released on the market during Q4 2014 for a price bigger than $1,000.