Parrot

In 2009, one frisky bird put a spotlight on his extremely endangered species when he mounted a zoologist’s head and proceeded to show the world his best mating skills. Now, in another bold move, four of his flock are returning to New Zealand's mainland.

Much as we may like pigeons, they can make quite a mess of buildings and other structures, potentially posing a health hazard. According to new research, autonomous drones may be ideal for harmlessly chasing the birds away.

For some applications, the wireless communications range of traditional drones just isn't robust enough. That's where Parrot's just-announced ANAFI Ai quadcopter comes in, as it uses 4G cellular data when Wi-Fi doesn't suffice.

Parrot has launched a rugged drone for first responders and enterprise operators. The Anafi USA features a 32x zoom 4K HDR camera and FLIR thermal camera, can fly for up to 32 minutes per charge and has a top speed of 13.42 mph.

Parrot has jumped on board the HD FPV train with a new camera drone that lets you strap your phone to your face.

Though Parrot hasn't reached the heights of some drone companies in terms of popularity, its expertise has seen it earn a contract with the US Department of Defense to adapt its technology for military surveillance. ​

Parrot says that the Anafi drone has been 2 years in the making, and has looked to insects to inform its design. Two rotor -packing arms fold out on each side of its thorax, its head is home to the camera and gimbal and the abdomen contains the drone's battery.

Parrot has today announced an upgrade to its Bebop 2 drone, the Bebop 2 Power. As its name suggests, this flavor has been given a power boost. Pilots can now get an hour's worth of flight time, though that will need to be split into two sessions.

Earlier this year, DJI announced it would be taking on the entry-level, selfie drone market with its Spark. Along with challengers like the Yuneec Breeze, the smallest DJI quadcopter is priced within touching distance of the bigger Parrot Bebop 2. How do they compare?

Drones and cars have combined on plenty of concept cars in recent times, but the idea took a bit longer to be deemed feasible enough for production. Nissan has decided to make the X-Trail, a family SUV, available with a follow-me drone as part of its optional X-Scape pack.

​​For almost a decade, scientist Todd Dawson has studied the giant sequoia trees of California's Whitaker Forest. But as the region suffers through a record-breaking drought, Dawson and his team are now getting some much needed help, by way of sensor-equipped drones

​A few years back, drone-maker senseFly launched its eBee fixed-wing drone with a firm eye on agricultural applications. Now the company has announced an upgrade, the eBee Plus, which along with longer flight times, packs a new sensor promised to provide more precise mapping.