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Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 goes solo with GPS flight

The launch of a new GPS-powered Parrot AR.Drone quadcopter comes good on your biggest spook fantasy: flying autonomously.

Claire Reilly Former Principal Video Producer
Claire Reilly was a video host, journalist and producer covering all things space, futurism, science and culture. Whether she's covering breaking news, explaining complex science topics or exploring the weirder sides of tech culture, Claire gets to the heart of why technology matters to everyone. She's been a regular commentator on broadcast news, and in her spare time, she's a cabaret enthusiast, Simpsons aficionado and closet country music lover. She originally hails from Sydney but now calls San Francisco home.
Expertise Space, Futurism, Science and Sci-Tech, Robotics, Tech Culture Credentials
  • Webby Award Winner (Best Video Host, 2021), Webby Nominee (Podcasts, 2021), Gold Telly (Documentary Series, 2021), Silver Telly (Video Writing, 2021), W3 Award (Best Host, 2020), Australian IT Journalism Awards (Best Journalist, Best News Journalist 2017)
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Claire Reilly
2 min read

Fans of the Parrot AR.Drone quadcopter are going to have more power in their hands with the launch of a new GPS-powered Drone that comes good on your biggest spook fantasy: flying autonomously.

Parrot's AR.Drone 2.0 has been beefed up with new GPS capabilities. (Credit: Parrot)

The Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 GPS Edition will launch next month, keeping the same basic design of the French brand's AR.Drone 2.0, but it includes a GPS module that updates the feature set.

Once it's clipped into the AR.Drone 2.0 USB port, the GPS unit enables flight recording so users can view their flight after the drone has landed (in 3D no less), as well as GPS tracking of the journey and autonomous Drone flight. In total, it tracks and saves more than 350 parameters, and Parrot also promises that the module will improve flight stabilisation once the Drone climbs over six metres high.

In terms of autonomy, the Drone can be set to automatically fly to a destination (within Wi-Fi range) while the 'Return Home' feature brings it back without the need to steer. Keeping with the app-driven nature of the AR.Drone 2.0, the flights can also be viewed on the AR.FreeFlight app and shared within Parrot's dedicated Drone community.

The Parrot AR.Drone 2.0 GPS Edition will be available in May for RRP AU$489, and will be bundled in a single pack that includes the Flight Recorder GPS module, an AR.Drone 2.0 Elite Edition in a Sand camouflage colour and a rechargeable lithium-ion battery which promises roughly 12 minutes of flight.

The unit will be sold at EB Games, Harvey Norman and Apple online, though there's no word yet on whether the GPS module will be available for individual purchase to add on to older AR.Drone 2.0 models.