It pops easily onto the top of the Mambo, and stays put, even through some pretty turbulent landings.Ĭharging the Mambo is easy thanks to a micro USB port at the rear, and there’s an LED indicator that lights up red to indicate charging, and turns green when the drone is fully charged. The camera itself (like the drone it sits on) is tiny and made out of white plastic. It's comfortable to wear, can sit over prescription glasses, and even has sliders that allow you to adjust the lens position for pupillary distance, making for a more comfortable viewing experience. The headset is collapsible, making it easily transportable the Parrot team demonstrating it said you could toss it in your backpack, although given that the lenses are exposed we would worry about them getting scratched or dirty. You strap your smartphone to the front of it, and the lenses within convert the footage on your phone’s screen into an immersive image. The Parrot Cockpit 2 headset, meanwhile, is like a rudimentary Gear VR headset. There are a couple of buttons that activate special acrobatic moves (which you may want to avoid performing with the headset on, unless you have a barf bag to hand) and a button for take-off and landing. The controller looks and feels like a simplified Xbox controller, with two multi-direction sticks that control rotation, elevation and motion. That said, it’s the technology you’re really paying for, and the Parrot’s ease of use is testament to the learning that has gone into the Mambo, and the inclusion of the controller and FPV headset helps to allay any sense that the Mambo is overpriced. The Mambo does feel fragile, and it is made of plastic, which adds to the toy-like impression and may cause you to look twice at the price tag, but it’s able to take a significant beating and keep going. If your Mambo has managed to flip onto its back, however, there’s nothing you can do but climb up onto the roof and retrieve it. More often than not, after a crash you’re able to take off again immediately with a simple press of the take-off button. Because the controls are so intuitive, it’s easy to get over-confident and crash into a house at full speed. The Mambo comes with blade protectors that are easy to pop on and off – and when you first start flying it around they’re an essential addition.

Parrot drone smartphone