All > Parrot Anafi
Parrot Anafi
Retail Price
$699.99
Lowest Price
$369.99
Release Date
July 1, 2018
The Parrot Anafi is an excellent drone for flight experts and filmmakers. It is thin and bug-like in its appearance, with a vertical range camera that can capture films in 4K UHD, and take photos in stunning quality with its 21 megapixels. The drone’s camera also offers up to 2.8x lossless zoom, and is compact and very lightweight. The only downsides to the Parrot Anafi are the fact that it lacks obstacle avoidance capabilities, which makes it a risky purchase for newbies who do not have enough experience in flying drones like this, and the fact that it also locks away some of its features behind in-app purchases, which is a rather unappealing move.
Purchase Links
Overview
- Summary
- Overview - Value for Money
- Overview - Worth
- Positive
- Negative
Summary - The Parrot Anafi is an excellent drone for flight experts and filmmakers. It is thin and bug-like in its appearance, with a vertical range camera that can capture films in 4K UHD, and take photos in stunning quality with its 21 megapixels. The drone’s camera also offers up to 2.8x lossless zoom, and is compact and very lightweight. The only downsides to the Parrot Anafi are the fact that it lacks obstacle avoidance capabilities, which makes it a risky purchase for newbies who do not have enough experience in flying drones like this, and the fact that it also locks away some of its features behind in-app purchases, which is a rather unappealing move.
Overview - Value for Money - The Anafi is a well-priced drone, with a slew of features and capabilities. Unfortunately some of said features are locked behind in-app purchases.
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Overview - Worth - The Anafi is the best competitor to DJI made in recent years, but even then, it falls short of surpassing or even equaling the DJI Mavic Air thanks to the various issues that come with it, buggy software being just one of its slew of problems.
Vjeran Pavic - The Verge
07/02/2018
Sources
Tags
- Summary
- Overview - Value for Money
- Overview - Worth
Sources
- techradar
- YouTube
- TECH ADVISOR
- The Verge
See All Sources
Packaging
- Battery
- Case
- Inclusions - Package - Accessories
- Positive
- Negative
Battery - The battery is removable with the simple press of a button and a backwards pull. It’s of a reasonable size as well.
CAPTAIN DRONE
07/07/2018
Case - The carrying case is well-padded inside, but unfortunately has no room for the controller.
AuthenTech
06/30/2018
Inclusions - Package - Accessories - The package includes the drone, a Skycontroller 3 RC, one battery, a carrying case, one 16GB microSD card and a microSD adapter, eight spare propeller blades, a USB-A to USB-C charging cable, and a mounting tool.
See All Sources
Build & Design
- Anafi FPV
- Antenna
- App
- Battery - Charging
- Build - Appearance
- Build - Material
- Calibration
- Camera
- Controller
- Convenience
- Design - Color & Portability Flaws
- Design & Performance
- Design - Specifications
- Dimensions & Weight
- Flight - Controller & Phone
- Portability
- Props
- Sensor
- Specifications
- Storage
- Positive
- Negative
Anafi FPV - The Anafi FPV includes a small backpack with dedicated areas to store your drone, controller, headset and other accessories.
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Antenna - The Phone holder has a great design and also doubles as an antenna.
AuthenTech
06/30/2018
App - FreeFlight 6 is the app used for Anafi. In-app purchases are required to enjoy the complete features of the app.
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Battery - Charging - The Anafi has a removable 2,700mAh lithium-ion battery just underneath the Parrot logo. Batteries are rechargeable via USB Type-C, however system recharge times seem to take a lot longer; two to three hours for a full recharge.
Build - Appearance - The Anafi, with its little arms that pop out, looks like a nice little insect. It seems a bit fragile with no gimbal guard but it comes complete with a lens cover.
CAPTAIN DRONE
07/07/2018
Build - Material - Although it's made out of lightweight materials it has a lot of holes making it prone to getting foreign objects and water onto the circuit board, causing malfunctions.
CAPTAIN DRONE
07/07/2018
Calibration - The drone takes a very short time to calibrate: around 15 seconds before being pretty much ready to fly.
r/videography
05/17/2019
Camera - The drone offers a maneuverable eyeball camera at its head that has 180 degrees vertical range and thus can be tilted upwards towards the sky.
Controller - The controller feels good in the hand, but is heavy and takes up a lot of space. It also gives you easy control over the gimbal pitch and zoom - controls which aren't easy to use with the app alone.
Convenience - The drone is lightweight yet still detailed in its build: it has low rubber feet on the skids and its batteries are rechargeable via the now commonly used USB Type-C connection.
AuthenTech
06/30/2018
Design - Color & Portability Flaws - The Anafi’s one-color, plastic look doesn’t have as much personality or polish. It looks cheap appearance-wise and doesn’t give off a distinct personality because of its plain and monochromatic design.
Design & Performance - Anafi underwhelms a bit in exterior appearance, but makes up for it with its high-quality shots and long flights.
Michael Hicks - techradar
07/11/2018
Design - Specifications - The Anafi is Parrot’s first foldable drone. It is very lightweight, durable, and foldable (folds outwards).
Dimensions & Weight - The drone measures at about at 9.6 x 2.6 x 2.5 in. and weighs around 320g.
Flight - Controller & Phone - You can fly the Anafi by using your phone, but the controller is still the better choice to use.
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Portability - The drone is quick and easy to fold, and small enough to travel with and easy to get through TSA.
Props - The drone has eight blades; it takes two blades to make one prop and they included a little tool to help install the props along with a guide.
CAPTAIN DRONE
07/07/2018
Sensor - There is a sensor below the Anafi for ground shooting.
CAPTAIN DRONE
07/07/2018
Specifications - The Parrot Anafi has a 21mp camera with 180* camera tilt. It is lightweight and easy to travel with, has autonomous flight modes, and can be charged via USB Cable.
r/drone_photography
11/09/2020
Storage - Underneath the Anafi’s battery is the microSD card slot. There is no internal storage; having an SD card is essential, which Parrot provides via an inclusion of a 16 GB card.
Sources
Tags
- Anafi FPV
- Antenna
- App
- Battery - Charging
- Build - Appearance
- Build - Material
- Calibration
- Camera
- Controller
- Convenience
- Design - Color & Portability Flaws
- Design & Performance
- Design - Specifications
- Dimensions & Weight
- Flight - Controller & Phone
- Portability
- Props
- Sensor
- Specifications
- Storage
Sources
- TECH ADVISOR
- YouTube
- techradar
- The Verge
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
AuthenTech
06/30/2018
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Michael Hicks - techradar
07/11/2018
AuthenTech
06/30/2018
CAPTAIN DRONE
07/07/2018
CAPTAIN DRONE
07/07/2018
r/videography
05/17/2019
Michael Hicks - techradar
07/11/2018
Vjeran Pavic - The Verge
07/02/2018
AuthenTech
06/30/2018
CAPTAIN DRONE
07/07/2018
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Vjeran Pavic - The Verge
07/02/2018
AuthenTech
06/30/2018
Michael Hicks - techradar
07/11/2018
Vjeran Pavic - The Verge
07/02/2018
Michael Hicks - techradar
07/11/2018
Michael Hicks - techradar
07/11/2018
AuthenTech
06/30/2018
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Michael Hicks - techradar
07/11/2018
Michael Hicks - techradar
07/11/2018
CAPTAIN DRONE
07/07/2018
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Vjeran Pavic - The Verge
07/02/2018
r/drones
06/22/2019
CAPTAIN DRONE
07/07/2018
CAPTAIN DRONE
07/07/2018
r/drone_photography
11/09/2020
Michael Hicks - techradar
07/11/2018
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Vjeran Pavic - The Verge
07/02/2018
CAPTAIN DRONE
07/07/2018
See All Sources
Features
- App
- Arcade Control
- Buttons
- Camera - Lens
- Cinematic Mode - Drawback
- Connectivity
- Film Mode
- Flight Modes
- Flight Plan
- Flight Time
- Geofencing
- Gimbal
- Headset
- Launch
- Low Light
- Noise
- Obstacle Avoidance
- Performance Overview
- Sensor
- Speed
- Sport Mode
- Stability & Input Lag - Hover Mode
- Transmission
- Wind Resistance
- Positive
- Negative
App - The Anafi’s Free Flight 6 App offers a lot of features including customization settings and smart shooting modes.
AuthenTech
06/30/2018
Arcade Control - The Anafi’s Arcade Control mode is where one can fly the drone as if playing a game. Users control the angle of the camera with the left stick and control the direction of the drone with the right.
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Buttons - There is a button to access the Settings menu without removing the headset, and a button to toggle a video pass-through mode using a connected smartphone's camera. There's also an AR overlay that highlights the drone to help in getting bearings.
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Camera - Lens - The drone has 2.8x zoomable lens with no image quality reduction. The camera also captures 21 megapixel photos; it has a satirical wide-angle lens with an F 2.4 and 69 degrees horizontal field of view to help limit lens flares and image distortion.
Cinematic Mode - Drawback - Parrot’s automated cinematic modes can potentially make the drone sweep dramatically upwards or circle around, and easily make the drone crash into a wall or tree.
Michael Hicks - techradar
07/11/2018
Connectivity - There are no connectivity problems within line of sight. The video stream over Wi-Fi broke up at less than 100ft (30m) but with the Sky Controller 3, there were no such issues.
Film Mode - Film mode is nice for getting shots because the controls are slow and precise.
Flight Modes - There are four modes: Film, Sport, Cinematic and Racing, with each mode having a different level of performance and flight speed.
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Flight Plan - Anafi offers a Flight Plan which is beneficial for professionals.
r/drone_photography
11/09/2020
Flight Time - The Anafi offers an estimated 25 minutes of flight time in windy conditions.
AuthenTech
06/30/2018
Geofencing - The Anafi does not have a geofencing feature, and will not notify if entering prohibited areas. A third-party app is required to be downloaded for said feature.
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Gimbal - The Gimbal has updated features, and is very flexible and useful.
Headset - The smartphone-powered FPV headset provides a tweaked UI that displays crucial information.
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Launch - The Anafi can be launched from the hand after letting its rotors spin up for a few seconds, and manages to stabilize itself afterwards.
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Low Light - The drone’s performance in low light conditions leaves much to be desired.
r/drones
06/22/2019
Noise - The drone exhibits low levels of noise during flight.
Obstacle Avoidance - The drone does not have obstacle avoidance systems, which may be a deal-breaker, as it means the drone is always at risk of crashing into things if not monitored in real-time when flying.
Performance Overview - The drone’s lack of obstacle avoidance will lead to crashes. It handles well, but it has a bit of lag and tons of drift. It is speedy enough (33mph / 55kph) for everyone except racers, and is extremely quiet for a drone.
Michael Hicks - techradar
07/11/2018
Sensor - The drone’s sensor underneath prevents it from making hard and potentially damaging landings. However due to having barely any ground clearance, grass can interfere with the bottom-mounted fan and even prevent the drone from taking off.
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Speed - The Anafi can hit speeds of 33 mph / 55 kph at full power.
Michael Hicks - techradar
07/11/2018
Sport Mode - The Anafi’s Sport mode is fast at up to 33 miles per hour and can capture cool, cinematic-looking shots for a long while with up to 25 minutes of flight time.
Stability & Input Lag - Hover Mode - The drone handles well, but has tiny lag and drifts in different directions for no reason. The drone tends to keep drifting as well when left in hover mode. Its stability even in relatively strong winds at 50m altitude however is commendable.
Transmission - The Anafi contains a dual band antenna: 2.4 and 5 gigahertz options, with optimized HD video transmission. It can fly up to 2.5 miles away and retain good quality.
AuthenTech
06/30/2018
Wind Resistance - The drone has a wind resistance of 50 kilometres an hour or 31 miles per hour.
AuthenTech
06/30/2018
Sources
Tags
- App
- Arcade Control
- Buttons
- Camera - Lens
- Cinematic Mode - Drawback
- Connectivity
- Film Mode
- Flight Modes
- Flight Plan
- Flight Time
- Geofencing
- Gimbal
- Headset
- Launch
- Low Light
- Noise
- Obstacle Avoidance
- Performance Overview
- Sensor
- Speed
- Sport Mode
- Stability & Input Lag - Hover Mode
- Transmission
- Wind Resistance
Sources
- YouTube
- TECH ADVISOR
- techradar
- The Verge
AuthenTech
06/30/2018
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Michael Hicks - techradar
07/11/2018
AuthenTech
06/30/2018
AuthenTech
06/30/2018
CAPTAIN DRONE
07/07/2018
Michael Hicks - techradar
07/11/2018
Michael Hicks - techradar
07/11/2018
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
AuthenTech
06/30/2018
CAPTAIN DRONE
07/07/2018
CAPTAIN DRONE
07/07/2018
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
r/drone_photography
11/09/2020
AuthenTech
06/30/2018
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
AuthenTech
06/30/2018
AuthenTech
06/30/2018
CAPTAIN DRONE
07/07/2018
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
r/drones
06/22/2019
AuthenTech
06/30/2018
Michael Hicks - techradar
07/11/2018
Michael Hicks - techradar
07/11/2018
Michael Hicks - techradar
07/11/2018
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Vjeran Pavic - The Verge
07/02/2018
Michael Hicks - techradar
07/11/2018
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Michael Hicks - techradar
07/11/2018
AuthenTech
06/30/2018
AuthenTech
06/30/2018
CAPTAIN DRONE
07/07/2018
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Michael Hicks - techradar
07/11/2018
Michael Hicks - techradar
07/11/2018
Michael Hicks - techradar
07/11/2018
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Vjeran Pavic - The Verge
07/02/2018
AuthenTech
06/30/2018
AuthenTech
06/30/2018
See All Sources
Image & Video Quality
- Camera
- Effects & Modes
- HDR
- Horizon Mode
- Image Format
- Resolution - Zoom & Format
- Saturation
- Video Quality
- Zoom
- Positive
- Negative
Camera - Parrot is keen to point out that it's also unique in its ability to be pointed upwards as well as down to capture perspectives that any other consumer drone cannot.
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Effects & Modes - The drone has several panorama modes including Little Planet and VR-ready 360-degree photos, but these can take some time (around five minutes) to take. For creativity, there are 'SmartDronies', Timelapse and 'CineShots'.
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
HDR - The drone’s HDR is a welcome feature, and it noticeably improves dynamic range. Ability to shoot HDR is one of the standout features that are missing on any other drone in this price range. It promises to provide a better image by balancing the exposure between bright and dark areas better, which is a challenge when shooting a skyline or horizon.
Horizon Mode - Along with fully stabilised footage, the Anafi boasts a dynamic horizon mode that follows the movement of the drone, providing something akin to what a bird would see when swooping through environments.
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Image Format - The 21Mp photos are very good, and there is the option of shooting in JPEG or DNG (RAW) format.
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Resolution - Zoom & Format - Thanks to the high-resolution sensor one can losslessly zoom in to 1.4x in 4K and up to 2.8x in 1080p, and there's a setting in the app to choose whether to limit to lossless zoom or let one carry on into digital zoom. Its 4K 100 Mbps bitrate footage looks great and is just as good as the footage from the Mavic Air. The high-resolution images have a lot of detail and very little chromatic aberration. It can shoot both DNG and JPEG.
Saturation - While the Anafi's footage was a touch overcooked at launch, Parrot has since addressed this and now captures more natural tones by default.
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Video Quality - The Anafi is one of the first drones that shoots video in HDR. Its 21Mp sensor offers plenty of detail, and allows for 4K video. The 4K video itself is on par with the Mavic Air. It's crisp, detailed and very stable.
Zoom - The Anafi’s ability to zoom in without losing image quality is its third standout feature. While filming in 4K, one can zoom up to 1.4x and if filming in 1080p it goes up to 2.8x without losing detail.
Vjeran Pavic - The Verge
07/02/2018
Sources
Tags
- Camera
- Effects & Modes
- HDR
- Horizon Mode
- Image Format
- Resolution - Zoom & Format
- Saturation
- Video Quality
- Zoom
Sources
- TECH ADVISOR
- The Verge
- YouTube
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Vjeran Pavic - The Verge
07/02/2018
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Vjeran Pavic - The Verge
07/02/2018
Vjeran Pavic - The Verge
07/02/2018
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
AuthenTech
06/30/2018
AuthenTech
06/30/2018
AuthenTech
06/30/2018
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Vjeran Pavic - The Verge
07/02/2018
See All Sources
Comparison
- Comparison vs. DJI Mavic Air
- Comparison vs. Mavic Mini 2
- Positive
- Negative
Comparison vs. DJI Mavic Air - The Anafi with its variety of problems such as buggy software, poor connectivity, corrupted files, poor portability and difficulty of use, lacks the refinement and finesse you get with DJI’s Mavic Air. The comparison to the Mavic Air’s seven-camera vision system and three-direction environmental sensing isn’t flattering. A lot of the issues mentioned could potentially be fixed with software updates, but the unfinished feel raised concern about where and how this drone can fly. Battery life at least is a bright spot. The Anafi is lighter than the Mavic Air. When unfolded, they look very close in size. When folded, Mavic Air is smaller. Battery life lasts longer than Mavic Air. Lasts up to 25 minutes unlike the Mavic Air’s 21 minute-battery life. Anafi’s max speed is 33 miles/hr, while the Mavic Air is 42.5 miles/hr. Both are rated to go the same two and a half miles while maintaining a video signal. Mavic Air provides stronger and more reliable connectivity. Anafi provides 21 MP while the Mavic Air’s camera provides 12 MP. Anafi provides crispier and more detailed, better looking footage than the Mavic Air. However, Mavic Air has a more stable and smooth flight path, and exhibits nice saturation and better image color than the Anafi. Air has a nice protective three access camera gimbal, the Anafi only has two axis mechanical.
Vjeran Pavic - The Verge
07/02/2018
Michael Hicks - techradar
07/11/2018
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Vjeran Pavic - The Verge
07/02/2018
Vjeran Pavic - The Verge
07/02/2018
Vjeran Pavic - The Verge
07/02/2018
AuthenTech
07/06/2018
AuthenTech
07/06/2018
AuthenTech
07/06/2018
AuthenTech
07/06/2018
AuthenTech
07/06/2018
AuthenTech
07/06/2018
AuthenTech
07/06/2018
AuthenTech
07/06/2018
AuthenTech
07/06/2018
AuthenTech
07/06/2018
AuthenTech
07/06/2018
AuthenTech
07/06/2018
Comparison vs. Mavic Mini 2 - The Anafi fisheyes a lot in RAW unlike the Mavic Mini 2. The Anafi’s ability to look straight up is useful however. The Mavic Mini 2 can be charged via USB C, same with the Anafi. Both drones’ cameras can zoom.
Sources
Tags
- Comparison vs. DJI Mavic Air
- Comparison vs. Mavic Mini 2
Sources
- The Verge
- techradar
- TECH ADVISOR
- YouTube
Vjeran Pavic - The Verge
07/02/2018
Michael Hicks - techradar
07/11/2018
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Vjeran Pavic - The Verge
07/02/2018
Vjeran Pavic - The Verge
07/02/2018
Vjeran Pavic - The Verge
07/02/2018
AuthenTech
07/06/2018
AuthenTech
07/06/2018
AuthenTech
07/06/2018
AuthenTech
07/06/2018
AuthenTech
07/06/2018
AuthenTech
07/06/2018
AuthenTech
07/06/2018
AuthenTech
07/06/2018
AuthenTech
07/06/2018
AuthenTech
07/06/2018
AuthenTech
07/06/2018
AuthenTech
07/06/2018
r/drone_photography
11/09/2020
r/drone_photography
11/09/2020
r/drone_photography
11/09/2020
See All Sources
Price & Availability
- Accessories - Price
- Price
- Price - Comparison
- Price - Competition
- Price - Premium Features
- Price - Variants
- Positive
- Negative
Accessories - Price - On Parrot’s site, you can order spare batteries at $99 / £89 apiece or another eight backup propellers at $20 / £18 per box. The batteries charge via USB-C and can be recharged via power bank as well.
Price - The Anafi costs US$699.99. A refurbished one can cost a few hundred less. B&H has the combo pack with remote, batteries and case for $900.
Price - Comparison - The Anafi costs £629/US$699. That undercuts the Mavic Air by a good £70/US$70, despite the fact it has dropped in price since it launched.
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Price - Competition - When the Parrot Anafi launched on July 1 for $699 / £649, it sent a message to DJI drone owners: Anafi will match or trump specs, for a lower price.
Michael Hicks - techradar
07/11/2018
Price - Premium Features - One of Parrot’s downsides is locking most of its flight and camera features behind a premium app which costs $17.99 in the US.
Michael Hicks - techradar
07/11/2018
Price - Variants - At US$799, there's also the Parrot Anafi FPV, a newer variant of the drone that comes with a smartphone-powered headset to get a close-up view of the camera feed and a handy rucksack to keep all your accessories safe.
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Sources
Tags
- Accessories - Price
- Price
- Price - Comparison
- Price - Competition
- Price - Premium Features
- Price - Variants
Sources
- techradar
- TECH ADVISOR
Michael Hicks - techradar
07/11/2018
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
r/drones
06/22/2019
r/videography
05/17/2019
r/videography
05/17/2019
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
Michael Hicks - techradar
07/11/2018
Michael Hicks - techradar
07/11/2018
Jim Martin - TECH ADVISOR
09/17/2019
See All Sources
Miscellaneous
- Overall Experience
- Positive
- Negative
Overall Experience - All the positives about the Anafi are overshadowed by how terrible the overall experience is. Like the AR Drone before it, it scores low in terms of portability and flexibility. It also lacked gimbal-stabilised footage capturing capabilities.
See All Sources
Comments