It’s been a big week in the consumer drone market. Two exciting launches have helped reinvigorate interest in a sector where – at least since the release of the DJI Phantom 4 and Yuneec Typhoon H – things at the top of the spectrum have become a foregone conclusion.
It’s about time DJI and Yuneec had some worthy challengers at the top end. This week two have emerged from opposite levels of obscurity. Parrot’s new drone, the Disco, was initially unveiled at CES earlier this year to plenty of excitement – it’s been a matter of time until it hit the shelves. But the PowerEgg, from PowerVision, although expected, comes from a company with no prior history of putting together drones for the consumer market. So how do these two drones compare? And how will they stack up against the established contenders?…
Design
Both look set to shake things up for a number of reasons. The first is simply design. The PowerEgg and Parrot’s Disco drone are approaching aerial photography from a totally different angle to industry leaders DJI.
The Disco is a fixed-wing plane powered by a single prop, while the PowerEgg folds up into what looks like a cross between a fortune teller’s orb and an egg from Alien vs Predator. The Disco’s fixed-wing form make it lightweight and extremely efficient in the air, giving it a top speed of 50mph and over 45 minutes of flight time. PowerEgg looks like nothing else on the consumer market, which is perhaps a selling point in itself. But the fact that it can be neatly tucked up into an egg shape should make it less hassle to carry around than its competitors.
Powervision wanted to create a beautiful yet functional design for the PowerEgg. We think the oval shape is not only clean and pure but also has the structural and functional benefits. This simple yet vital design means that this is more than a flying robot, it’s a work of art.” – CEO Wally Zheng
A nice design point for Parrot – The Disco takes off with a simple throw into the air, before climbing to a preset altitude and circling while it awaits further instructions.
Range
Both the Disco and the PowerEgg come with a range ready to compete with the players at the top of the market. The PowerEgg can deliver real-time video transmission from up to 3.1 miles (5km) away – on top of this, the images sent back to your monitor are in HD.
Parrot’s new Skycontroller 2 comes with an XS-format Wi-Fi MIMO remote control, which offers a not too shabby 1.2-mile range.
As long as flying beyond the line of sight remains against the rules, these drones are able to take you right up to the edge.
Camera quality
This is maybe where the Disco falls short of the existing competition and the new PowerEgg – It has a built-in 1080p Full HD, 14-megapixel wide-angle lens camera, which comes with full stabilization, but doesn’t have the picture quality of some of its rivals. The PowerEgg on the other hand, has an integrated 4K UHD camera that can produce professional-grade photographs and videos with panoramic 360-degree views on a 3-axis gimbal.
These are compared to the Phantom 4 and the Typhoon H, which both include 4K, 12 MP cameras connected to three-axis gimbals.
From an aerial photography perspective, if you’re willing to sacrifice image quality for flight time and speed, the Disco is for you – but it looks as though the fabled package of all three isn’t here yet.
Durability
In its compact egg shape, the PowerEgg seems designed to be durable in transit. But what it’s like in the air or when it’s inevitably involved in a crash, we can only speculate. The Disco, on the other hand, appears to have been built with potential accidents in mind. The wings are crafted out of expanded polypropylene, and are designed to snap off on impact, leaving just the rugged central unit. These wings can be easily repaired, but Parrot also has plans to sell spares for what we expect will be a fairly cheap price. In short, the Disco is a top-end drone that you can crash into trees over and over again. This makes up for its lack of obstacle avoidance
In short, the Disco is a top-end drone that you can crash into trees over and over again. This makes up for its lack of obstacle avoidance tech, and means you’re unlikely to be left infuriated when your piloting skills let you down. As far as we can see, DJI’s Phantom 4 and Yuneec’s Typhoon H, although both fitted with obstacle avoidance tech, wouldn’t handle impact anywhere near as well as the Disco.
Price
At $1288, the PowerEgg is cleverly priced above the DJI Phantom 4 ($1199) but below the Yuneec Typhoon H ($1299). Parrot’s Disco drone will be available for $1299 on the company’s website in September. With the prices so close, clearly the two main contenders at the top of the consumer market have some new competition.
Malek Murison is a freelance writer and editor with a passion for tech trends and innovation. He handles product reviews, major releases and keeps an eye on the enthusiast market for DroneLife. Email Malek
Twitter:@malekmurison
This website uses cookies and third party services. By clicking OK, you are agreeing to our privacy policy. ACCEPT
Manage consent
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
PowerEgg and Parrot Disco make it a big week for consumer market
It’s been a big week in the consumer drone market. Two exciting launches have helped reinvigorate interest in a sector where – at least since the release of the DJI Phantom 4 and Yuneec Typhoon H – things at the top of the spectrum have become a foregone conclusion.
It’s about time DJI and Yuneec had some worthy challengers at the top end. This week two have emerged from opposite levels of obscurity. Parrot’s new drone, the Disco, was initially unveiled at CES earlier this year to plenty of excitement – it’s been a matter of time until it hit the shelves. But the PowerEgg, from PowerVision, although expected, comes from a company with no prior history of putting together drones for the consumer market. So how do these two drones compare? And how will they stack up against the established contenders?…
Design
Both look set to shake things up for a number of reasons. The first is simply design. The PowerEgg and Parrot’s Disco drone are approaching aerial photography from a totally different angle to industry leaders DJI.
The Disco is a fixed-wing plane powered by a single prop, while the PowerEgg folds up into what looks like a cross between a fortune teller’s orb and an egg from Alien vs Predator. The Disco’s fixed-wing form make it lightweight and extremely efficient in the air, giving it a top speed of 50mph and over 45 minutes of flight time. PowerEgg looks like nothing else on the consumer market, which is perhaps a selling point in itself. But the fact that it can be neatly tucked up into an egg shape should make it less hassle to carry around than its competitors.
A nice design point for Parrot – The Disco takes off with a simple throw into the air, before climbing to a preset altitude and circling while it awaits further instructions.
Range
Both the Disco and the PowerEgg come with a range ready to compete with the players at the top of the market. The PowerEgg can deliver real-time video transmission from up to 3.1 miles (5km) away – on top of this, the images sent back to your monitor are in HD.
Parrot’s new Skycontroller 2 comes with an XS-format Wi-Fi MIMO remote control, which offers a not too shabby 1.2-mile range.
As long as flying beyond the line of sight remains against the rules, these drones are able to take you right up to the edge.
Camera quality
This is maybe where the Disco falls short of the existing competition and the new PowerEgg – It has a built-in 1080p Full HD, 14-megapixel wide-angle lens camera, which comes with full stabilization, but doesn’t have the picture quality of some of its rivals. The PowerEgg on the other hand, has an integrated 4K UHD camera that can produce professional-grade photographs and videos with panoramic 360-degree views on a 3-axis gimbal.
These are compared to the Phantom 4 and the Typhoon H, which both include 4K, 12 MP cameras connected to three-axis gimbals.
From an aerial photography perspective, if you’re willing to sacrifice image quality for flight time and speed, the Disco is for you – but it looks as though the fabled package of all three isn’t here yet.
Durability
In its compact egg shape, the PowerEgg seems designed to be durable in transit. But what it’s like in the air or when it’s inevitably involved in a crash, we can only speculate. The Disco, on the other hand, appears to have been built with potential accidents in mind. The wings are crafted out of expanded polypropylene, and are designed to snap off on impact, leaving just the rugged central unit. These wings can be easily repaired, but Parrot also has plans to sell spares for what we expect will be a fairly cheap price. In short, the Disco is a top-end drone that you can crash into trees over and over again. This makes up for its lack of obstacle avoidance
In short, the Disco is a top-end drone that you can crash into trees over and over again. This makes up for its lack of obstacle avoidance tech, and means you’re unlikely to be left infuriated when your piloting skills let you down. As far as we can see, DJI’s Phantom 4 and Yuneec’s Typhoon H, although both fitted with obstacle avoidance tech, wouldn’t handle impact anywhere near as well as the Disco.
Price
At $1288, the PowerEgg is cleverly priced above the DJI Phantom 4 ($1199) but below the Yuneec Typhoon H ($1299). Parrot’s Disco drone will be available for $1299 on the company’s website in September. With the prices so close, clearly the two main contenders at the top of the consumer market have some new competition.
Malek Murison is a freelance writer and editor with a passion for tech trends and innovation. He handles product reviews, major releases and keeps an eye on the enthusiast market for DroneLife.
Email Malek
Twitter:@malekmurison
Subscribe to DroneLife here.
See Also