The Anafi FPV marks the latest addition to the Parrot family, dominating the drone industry with features we've never seen on the market before. Every single detail of the device has been designed specifically on how to create a first-class flying experience, from its unique folding design allowing for the drone to take off in seconds, to the best safety features on a drone of its kind. The Anafi allows users of all ages to benefit from the drone with simple-to-learn controls right out of the box through its arcade mode.
The soft, silky carbon fibers are structured specifically to resist bumps and obstacles getting in the way of the drone, so I was never concerned about it crashing whatsoever. Unlike its competitors, flying the Anafi gave me a relaxed peace of mind. Through its companion app, I was able to create a custom geo-fence allowing the drone to only fly in my surrounding area around the neighborhood. Even better, the app tracks the drone consistently, allowing the user to locate it on a digital map and ping the drone to detect it. Not to mention, the return to home feature allowed for the drone to circle back to its original launching location after the battery was slowly decreasing.
Furthermore, the drone's light, portable design allows for it to be taken anywhere and anytime where both everyday and special memories want to be captured. It has a wind resistance of 31mph, allowing the drone to be flown in almost any weather condition. It's light, compact backpack serves as an all in one storage hub with multiple compartments to hold the device, allowing for all parts of the Anafi experience to come together. Additionally, the backpack even serves as a launchpad for the device in case there is either no flat area for the drone to take off or if there are damp grounds. If you don't want to use the backpack or a flat surface, you can even hand launch the drone, which made for an even more gratifying takeoff experience.
Its optimized battery capacity features a smart battery and propulsion engine that can reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour for a whopping twenty-six minutes of spectacular flight performance to record in the air. Connecting to a power bank allows the user to charge the device in any circumstance, and an additional backup battery is available to purchase for an extra hundred dollars.
With an advanced 4k imaging system and a 21-megapixel camera, the Anafi features a 180-degree tilt gimbal, which allows for newfound angle perspectives and 4k video from a wide variety of angles, as well as a 3-axis image stabilization to guarantee balanced, smooth video and photographs. Its 2.8X looseness zoom allows the device to get closer to the action without losing out on quality, which is a major downfall that lacks in its competitors.
What I love especially about the Anafi's distinctive camera features is its abundant amount of stylish presets for any situation, which made my everyday recording film feel like a Hollywood movie with its futuristic technology. For example, the racing preset focuses on aggressive speed, where the Anafi rapidly bobs back and forth at a rapid pace to stimulate race like sensations. Its Cinematic Preset mode locks the horizontal axis, smoothly showing the movement of the drone as it takes august turns during flight. The follow-me mode is exactly as it sounds: the Anafi will follow you at your desired height and distance but will come at an additional added cost.
The cockpit glasses add an extra layer to the flying experience, and transported me into the world and view of the drone, immersing me into a birds-eye-view. The goggles are relatively comfortable and lock on the face with ease. Activating the virtual reality feature was as easy as slipping my iPhone into the casing and pressing FPV on the Freeflight App.
I tested the quality of the Anafi and was extremely pleased. The video was of professional quality with a stunning wide-angle lens. It showed natural detail and a clear, vivid picture. The digital zoom showed no difference in its crystal-clear imagery. My only complaint is that it is extremely frustrating to download the videos from the drone to my iPhone via the companion app. A 2-minute video took approximately ten minutes to download on the app itself and had to use a third-party app like Google Drive to transport the 4K file to my camera roll. If you are downloading a file longer than two minutes, I would recommend using the Micro-USB adapter to transport the files easily.
For $699, the Anafi is hands-down the best drone on the market in its unbeatable price range. With its easy set-up, revolutionary cinematic presets, compact design, and awe-inspiring video quality, Parrot's latest drone will be dazzling consumers for years to come. 9.5/10.
