Keep your self made rc toys... there is NOTHING like a 4G disco (below 15.000$...). Here is how I fly it, it is my stabilized fpv feed through 4G (50 ms latency) with digital headtracking, no control range limit and hours of flight time. Show me the equivalent: th-cam.com/video/sg5DfcmOHhs/w-d-xo.html
@@tuttoto Where do you see your latency? My Disco feels horribly delayed, would be interesting by how many ms. I am used to fly racing quads, still 50ms would be good.
Daniel Bier , I use Glimpse on my phone when I fly my disco through the 4G lte cellular network (and the disco is measuring and broadcasting the latencies as comments to glimpse, along with 4G signal intensity etc.). The software modification package used to add 4G lte connection capacity to a disco adds also: Microsd support SMS to your phone number giving glimpse link Notifications through internet to glimpse application on your phone: battery level, gps location, cellular network signal intensity, direct or relayed connection information, latency... To have minimal latencies through 4G, you have to use the same provider for the disco and the phone linked with the skycontroller2... then (if this feature is supported by your cellphone provider) a direct connection between the disco and the phone will be bridged/established and the latency will be minimal. (It will be always higher than the analog connection of a racing quad ;)... but as you can see it in my video, it is enough to fly and land the bird...)
@@tuttoto get em, I know why they attacked it and made Parrot pretend it never happened but, the fact is, they built in so many things that they never unlocked it is crazy. And then there is the fact, it just works.... every time. Maybe DJI will decide to do one, that would be great.
I love my Parrot Disco. 2+ hours flight range on li-ion batteries and virtually unlimited videorange with the 4G mod :-) I bought it for 350 Euro's and at that price it's a real bargain. 1300 dollars is indeed a ripoff though...
@@dennisinanir3091 there is NO solution to replicate the onboard computer of the disco (giving UNIQUE features : stabilized digital video feedback with digital headtracking and 4G lte connection giving unlimited control/video range...).
@@tuttoto Those features are not unique. 4g lte mod can be done with a Raspberry Pi and a 4g usb dongle. Walksnail has video stabilization, streams in 1080/60 and records in 4k/60. you can add head tracking with Arduino. The Disco Parrot is awesome. Its just that it has no support anymore. I guess you can put in a different flightcontroller and upgrade the camera to 4k though. Disco Parrot is like a Mac. It just works. While Building your own FPV is like. building your own computer and installing the most advanced Linux Distro on it like Arch.
1) Does your knock off camera pitch up and almost 90degrees down? 2) Does it have a pitot tube for airspeed / wind direction sensor? 3) Will it reverse thrust for a "touch down" landing? 4) Does it have 32 gigs of flash memory? 5) Does your price include the goggles? 6) Will it allow for a 360 degree geofence in the air? 7) 720p live video stream? And Dude I got mine for 300 USD............
1) Does your knock off camera pitch up and almost 90degrees down? 2) Does it have a pitot tube for airspeed / wind direction sensor? 3) Will it reverse thrust for a "touch down" landing? 4) Does it have 32 gigs of flash memory? 5) Does your price include the goggles? 6) Will it allow for a 360 degree geofence in the air? 7) 720p live video stream? jus' askin....
Well it uses the same camera as the Bebop correct? That means no actual pitch just virtual pitch. Geofence a flying wing, learn to fly. 32 gig of flash memory, oh wow 8 dollars. Reverse thrust for a landing? No plane should ever reverse thrust to land, that is used to stop on the ground. BTW how did that geofencing and all your other glowing praises work when you put yours into the lake? Bottom line, L2Fly
Oh you mean those gimmicks that only novice drone pilots need? Quite frankly if you are building a flying wing you don't need half the shit you mentioned on the list.
Does $486 include everthing? I didn't see servos, radio, antenas, charger, DVR, etc. Is $1300 a "rip off"? Maybe, depending on how you value your time. I think you forgot how much you know, you have years of builder experience and knowledge that most don't. If they're to pull off a quality build it would require many hours of research and labor. And a workbench full of tools and building materials. How much would a comparable custom build (ready to fly) cost? My point is that it's not a "rip off". I didn't buy it because building my own gets me something that fits my exact needs. If you consider all the time I put into this labor of love it would be far cheaper to buy the disco.
$1300 is a ripoff, but now that its discontinued, its selling for $320 shipped, no tax. I bit at that price point, and its really great for that money.
Well the thing is they're building it in large numbers and he compared it to single unit end consumer prices which are much higher. Even prebuilt that thing shouldn't be much more than 700$ due to economics of scale.
I was glad to see that Parrot has recently lowered the price of the Disco by $500. At least now the price is more reasonable for what the flying wing is worth.
its still 1,000 USD DOLLARS which is out outrageous for something so simple even me a guy who doesn't know shit about building drones could do it by just looking on the internet on how to do theses things there ripping you off
I would encourage you to build your own because I think the experience and skills you'll learn are valuable and interesting. Having recently built a flying wing with similar performance, I can add up the costs first hand. Radio (taranis): $220 Off brand Pixhawk flight controller: $70 Foam wing airframe kit: $100 Airspeed sensor: $45 Power module (voltage/current sensor): $10 GPS: $30 Motor: $30 Folding prop/hardware: $25 Radio Rx: $20 Video Tx: $60 Video tx/rx antennas: $40 FPV goggles: $360 On screen display: $15 usb-serial converter to program osd: $20 Servos: $30 Batteries (2x 5000mah 3s): $100 Battery charger: $40 I guess $1215 is less than $1300, but there are hundreds of dollars of tools needed that I haven't mentioned, along with consumables such as wire, solder, tapes, connectors, adhesive, velcro, etc. Of course you can cheap out and spend less money, but if you want somewhat reliable parts, you would spend at least as much as this. I have spent hundreds of hours learning about building, integrating, flying and tuning models with flight controllers and fpv systems, and it took me weeks of free time to build and set up. I am all for doing it yourself because it's way more interesting and rewarding, but just making the point that the price they are asking is not unreasonable. The nice thing about DIY is you can spend a little at a time while you build it up.
they'r all lowering theyr prices, even DJI . But restrictions are also getting more severe and police is better instructed so we are losing ground in our liberty to fly
ARIES RC hi buddy thanks for the video. Will you be doin a build video of a delta wing soon.? Like the Parrot... I just built one last night first time. Running cc3d board. Now the weather is wet again I can't test it yet grrrr😲☹️
All right, we're more than 4 years later since this video, my Disco is still running strong at about 75 long range flights, almost each of them more than an hour, some at almost 2 hours. It has never failed me and always comes back to me. I bought it for 350 Euro's and bought a second one a year later as a backup plane for the same price. I still have it in the box because the first one just won't stop working. I love my Parrot Disco, combined with the free 4G mod it just has to be the best RC plane you can buy out of the box. It's rocksolid and has stabilized live video link even at 75km's away thanks to the 4G mod. Other FPV planes are nice but I'm pretty sure I can't build one at the same price my Disco cost me. Not with stabilized live HD video feed anyway. Too bad the DIsco was a bit too expensive at launch and the audience it was targeted at were more into (DJI) quadcopters for their ease of use. If used the way I use it, it's just awesome.
Lets be fair here.... you are comparing a high quality professionally designed custom EPP wing with reinforced covered leading edges and tips, better motor mount, far better motor and servo design, etc with a standard RC EPO wing. Replacement Disco wings are only $69 a pair as is the center body section so important airframe parts cost less money than the cheep EPO counter part! Swapping batteries can be done on either and is a choice but if you don't keep it below 10 amp using the Li-lon batteries you will start a fire! This is why most people use LIPOs that weigh more because of their higher C rating. This is an amazing wing that misses the mark relative to what I want in an RC wing but is exactly what some other people want and you really can't compared them as both the setup time and learning curve is a real issue for many people. Look at the motor and prop design used on this thing.... sweet!
Thanks, yes as far as foam goes this shows the limits of home brewing. And the current cost reminds me of building a nice home stereo system where the cost ended up a "little" high but you now have a really nice stereo system... and then taking it wrapped up in its own speaker wires and throwing it off a cliff planning on getting it back using the remote's programming;-) I really like this wing's engineering and fair replacement costs but with the servo design it uses I wouldn't want to make any changes without knowing more about it. I think some simple basic changes made on the manufacture's side offering different upgrade packages to lower costs and make it a more flexible conventional plug and play system would interest more FPV pilots and increase sales... really nice solution for the folding prop system showing how powerful simple can be. I always have an issue with mounting pusher props and this is the best solution I've seen yet.
Gee this almost sounds as if the guy has shares in or works for the mob who sells these $1,300 ripoffs. I don't however agree with the statement the people buying these would be enthusiasts, have you studied how much money a young schoolkid gets from his parents. You know those parents who both work and don't want their kid messing up their lives. Mummy I want one of them, OK dear ask your Dad for the money, he'll transfer it into your account. I've seen it happen time after time, the kid finally gets his new toy and instantly slams it into the ground. Then they scream they want it fixed immediately. Tomorrow isn't in the vocabulary and neither is the word NO.
propfella I doubt he has shares in Parrot - I wouldn't buy shares in any drone company. But you explained yourself why it's not fair to call it a ripoff, support costs for something like this will be huge. I doubt this product it making much money for Parrot even at $1300
It's not honets comparition actually. The Parrot is "ReadyToFly just out of the box product", while X8_&_ardupilot is a kit from defferent internet stores that need a time to order and a certain knowledges and experience to build and tune. Not any customer or flyer ready to spend the additional time to study all the stuff. Plus Parrot includes the HD camcoder on board like HoPro that coast 200$ additionally , you have not counted. So the dilemma has a simple answer- if one want to fly and shot - buy Parrot, if one want to build and tune - buy the X8
To be fair, you'd need to include an HD FPV system vs our old analog systems. Not to mention goggles vs a monitor, transmitter, receiver, and telemetry radio which you don't add up in your video. You're getting much closer in price,
You do have to put a smart phone in their goggles, but yes it comes with the controller and the "Goggles" if you can call them that. I agree that the talented indiviual with experience can build a kit, but I don't think they can match it feature and spec for Feature and Spec.
Wow digital 5.8ghz video feed will set you back a whole whopping $39.99 or less depending on power level. Do some research first before you show your stupidity. They are not goggles and btw the "goggles" and controller are the same that come with the Bebop 2. This is basically a Bebop 2 with wings and a vastly higher price.
silbay you forgot about the flight controller, GPS, telemetry radio, airspeed sensor, transmitter, receiver, motor, and current sensor... and not to mention if you want HD video your adding another several hundred dollars. add in the time to build and tune your setup and you've exceeded the value of the Disco for someone that just wants to open a box a fly. Even for someone like me with several airframes running pixhawks and naze32 boards, there is appeal here if your just getting started into the hobby.
Digital or analog for $39.00? Just because it has a numerical channel display does not make it a Digital Link. If it really is a Digitally encoded and transmitted link, not analog, for $39, please throw a link up, I want several.
You, sir, are a prince ! I really appreciate the value you are providing. It would probably be good to put out an update to include the controller and FPV gear, and besides the flying wing platform, to do a similar cost-benefit comparison of hovering drone platforms, such as the BeBop with controller. I'm ready to buy my first drone and want FPV + VGQ aerial photography capability; the DJI Phantom 3 is now available for $399 and I am tempted but really want the longer flight time of the flying wing setup you have shown here. Gives me a lot to consider, but I need to have an integrated system with controller/ground station. too. I'll see if you have published other videos that cover the technology form that perspective.
Remember you are also paying for the RTF...for experienced pilots I can only imagine how this might seem to be a rip off and you might be correct but it's really apple to oranges. Newbies do not want to build, dont care about the pleasure of piecing together the bits, trial and error, just the feel of building something and getting the satisfaction of completing a successful project. Today newbies will never get this feeling, they just want to fly and soar like an Eagle and I get it..I'm 51 and have no time..I'm in this category now. When you build your own, you get the experience how to pilot the craft etc...This is the wave of the future and I can guarantee you this bird will be half price in the next year or so when they come out with Disco 2..
can you please do a " how to build it yourself" video? it seems a little overwhelming to put it all together, and specially the programming. thank you and happy new year
Got my disco for $399, new ready to fly. If you like accro , just attach a receiver to the parrot chuck and use your own controller and you good to go. You can go autonomous or manually fly. Best of both world. Can’t beat that.
I chose it mostly for the stabilization. Panning up&down and stuff. Without a gimbal, I think that's unique on the market. Having stable hyperlapse footage is really important
i'm a professional model maker, and in my hobby I'v been flying and making FPV's for a number of years now and have quads and fixed wing planes, but I'm tempted with the Parrot Disco, that is now £850, Without spending a lot of money, its hared to get such clarity from an analog system, the cheapest HD system I can fined is about £350, ad that to a £150 auto flight controller, £100 for a RC setup, £60 for a wing, a Battery's, motors and stuff, you soon come to a similer sort of price. The feed from the Parrot is clear and bright, and the whole package is neat and tidy, without a million wires to connect. The only thing i'm not happy with, is that I can't use my HD goggles and you can't switch the auto features of and land manually.
I know this is an old video, and the price of the disco has dropped plenty. That said, the $486 price tag on the home built wing with similar features still doesn't cover either a TX or FPV goggles. When you add those to the bast cost, you will probably hit the $1300 price tag of the disco and still be missing a few things.
This is how long it took to get my R/C glow-plug engined plane trimmed, tuned, radio-checked, started and up in the air; 3hrs 25min (with the help of 3 experienced assistants). Flight time was 1min 20sec and I had to dig the engine out of the hole it made in the ground after it's vertical dive, and 5min to break up and dispose of the broken air-frame. Time to recover and clean the dirt out of the engine & remove radio/servers from the plane was 35 min. Time to get back to my car to drive home was 10sec.
Haha, you forgot so many things ... 1. The Disco has a very good 1080p camera and is stablized 2. The downlink uses WiFi and supports 720p 3. Expanded 32 GB internal storage 4. The Skycontroller 5. Higher quality parts and foam 6. Warrenty, free shipping and 15 days to change your mind
1080 P non-stabilized camera, it is the Bebop 2 camera and uses software "stabilization" and panning. Wow Wi-Fi downlink, that should give you a few hundred feet range in the open country. 32Gig? wow 8 dollar card. The skycontroller 2 that is used by the Bebop 2 and the same shitty plastic non focusing cell phone holder they call "goggles"? Higher quality foam? LOL right. You do realize that this is just a Bebop 2 with wings and a $800 higher price tag?
But you do understand this is geared towards the first time fixed wing flyer and with no build experience? And you didn't add a radio controller. As much as I think the Disco is over priced, I don't feel it is that overpriced for a plane that flies right out of the box. Just my opinion....
Excellent controller with 6 channel receiver included from Flysky for $79, so where is the huge cost? BTW the Flysky controller runs circles around the Skycontroller 2 from Parrot.
If you already have RC gear I agree. However if someone wants to have the parrot capability and is starting from scratch its a great deal now at 795.... Think about all the extra gear you need for that x8. Transmitters, Chargers, Goggles, Receivers... list goes on. Also the homework required is extensive. For someone wanting something quick and safe A disco is a great option.
Bro... The pull for Parrot is the cinematic capabilities, so the camera is more important than most of these other things. Plus, it's not meant for the people who would go out and buy the parts then fabricate their own device. The Parrot Disco is worth the money, especially with the new lower price.
As someone else mentioned, there are things some people want from the Parrot Disco that your comparative aircraft doesn't have. 720p downlink is the main thing, really. If you want that feature, and for many including myself it's the main selling point, your specced plane doesn't compare. If you have time I would be curious to see your recommendation for something that matches the Disco in terms of FPV features.
You missed two things: For one, the Disco's fpv link and full HD recording is fully stabilized. Secondly, for your build you still need a remote control. If you add those features to your version, it will probably still be cheaper, so good job!
The video is the same as a Bebop 2 and is not actually stabilized. It is software stabilized and software "panned" up and down. It is in truth a fish eye camera and they do tricks in software. It is rather soft and not really great quality.
silbay I know, I own a Bebop 2, that's why I bring this up. Still, it is stabilized, and stabilized almost perfectly I might add. Now if you want to add this digital stabilization to the DIY wing you'd have to add a gyro and an accelerometer and either do it with a gimbal (expensive) or find software to do it with the fisheye camera (don't know of any).
I just did an unboxing video of the parrot disco and I really think your video doesn't do a proper comparison because the disco comes fully ready out of the box. There is no need to build or tinker with the autopilot. The build that you're describing will take a newbie, or even an expert hours and hours of setup, especially dealing with the flight controller. For me, time is money so if I have to pay extra to get it ready out of the box, I am ok with that. Having said that, I do think that the Disco is a bit too expensive even with how ready it is. The autopilot can't be overwritten on take off or landing and that's why it's deal breaker for me. Would love to hear what you think about this and learn from each other. What do you think?
Not to mention decent receiver/transmitter. Also app for APM kept crashing on my phone all the time. So own build will be not as nicely packaged as parrot. Same applies to drones which want to replicate video quality of DJI drones. It takes a lot of money at time to match DJI.
Also forgot to mention the much higher quality feed on the ground and the auto-stabilization 1080p video, which while not DJI gimbaled drone quality, is a heck of a lot better than what was shown in this video.
Vs - $58 for the kit and another $200 for electrical components and FPV gear. th-cam.com/video/6IH3ksiLKGg/w-d-xo.html she can cover a 2 to 3 mile radius with no issue. One can save a ton of $ if they took there time and build it. You would also know your aircraft like no other.
Thanks for the video, especially the parts talking about the flight controller. It's great to know that this other option exists. As other commenters have pointed out, the Parrot Disco is for people who value their time over their money. I wish the Disco had a longer range (other videos show 1400 to 1500 meters max) and had the ability to go into full manual control! Plus the price is insane!
So you downgraded a digital video link to a shitty analog one, along with downgrading goggles to a flatscreen, left out the cameras (live and recording) altogether, not to mention the image stabilization, AND you dis-integrated what is a nice integrated package. Seems fair.
i get a great pic from my skyzones bought second hand for £120 roughly $160 the Parrot Disco is a rip of to newbies and image stabilization ,get a cheap ass one of a quad as for camera its like the blade wing that comes with a spectrum camera re stamped which is a foxeer great pic ,, i fly a blade w and a go discover with long range set up still half the price
Right, you remember the bad old days when it was all fun and games until someone accidentally turned their TX on in the parking lot before checking clothespins and shot someone down. That was analog technology... ... just like your 5.8ghz video, which, after spending at least 300 for a set of Skyzone goggles, still don't deliver the resolution or security of a digital system. As far as multirotors, it's hard to find one carrying a traditional gimbal that has the duration, range, and top speed + portability of a flying wing, and certainly not for the same price. So its not a reasonable comparison.
To be fair... The Disco is a luxury. It's everything technological you could imagine, jammed into a nice RTF with FPV camera, battery, charger and headset. With made super easy for the avrage Joe to fly. Now, I use an E-flite Opterra 2M. With a spectrum DXe controller. And spectrum FPV headset. My total investment with 2 batteries is about $1000 Canadian (Parrot disco costs 1500 Canadian) But... Keep in mind, while I do have a safe mode. I do not have auto pilot, auto land, follow me, gps, fancy sensors, UAV safety features or a return home feature in the case I'm out of range.
I have just bought two Parrot discos for under £600 UK Pounds .one of the chargers was faulty and Parrot replaced it immediately . excellent service . You Tube Parrot disco first flight October 27th 2018. Alvito Portugal.
BH has the Disco now for $399. I just bought one. But the video was very helpful and much appreciated. I learned a lot from it. Thank you. keep doing this!
You can say the same thing about most tech: computer, electric bike, stereo, etc. If you build it yourself it's easily half the cost. However, most people will happily pay for out-of-the-box functionality since they don't have the skills or the time to do it themselves. By the way-- the do-it-yourself Parrot drone looks super complicated that even a pro would have a hard time recreating.
I'm quite new to the drone community, is there any websites that have kits for things like this? Just trying to see what options are out there and whats reccomended.
Aries RC, Sir If you built the Wing and all the parts required, Set it up and ready for flight how much would you ask for a RTF version. Thank you And or can you make several videos of how to build, and program. Does your flying wing come with a controller. Thank you
This idea has me interested - I didn't even know about the whole open source autopilot thing, so I'm glad I saw your video. One question about Parrot vs home-built - if we want that gorgeous, stabilized, high resolution video that drones like the Disco provide - can a high quality camera be found that would still let us beat the Disco price?
Travis said it best, I don't see a lot of wings with Gimbals, the Firefly 6 Hybrid does, but it is a VTOL Wing with retracts so when it lands it doesn't jack up the gimbal.
Tbh parrot disco is a little bit expensive, but what makes it expensive is the integration between the software and the hardware itself. ie : you only need a tablet to get both fpv and telemetry, with custom one you probably need 2. The thing itself is not marketed towards us RC lover / UAV builder, its for a leisure / recreational flyer.
I see you conveniently left out a GoPro quality level (or close) 1080P 30FPS camera and gimbal stabilization, or at least software based, that would add somewhere around $350
Cyberdactyl no 60$ for a xioami cam which beats the disco kamera. Gopros are decent but way overpriced. For 250$ you can get a high quality 4k60fps actioncam
My Local Fry's electronics had 10 before Christmas, and had NONE in stock on the 23th when I went in. Prices drop all the time, the price of the Phantom 4 dropped when the P4 PRO came out, They are moving inventory out, it costs them money to stock and store everything they build. Even the hugely popular Mavic will drop when DJI brings something new out. I am glad they dropped the price, it makes it more affordable for hobbyists. Wings are getting popular, with Wing Racing getting hot now, and aircraft like the Hobbyzone Opttera coming out, they are feeling the pressure.
The disco is a great craft that works, It is ashame that they priced it so high to start with but, you can get them for around $500 now, and the ease that is can be changed is great. ( The chuck will run Audupilot as well) However, you are 100% right that at a price anywhere over $600 is way to much for a foam craft no mater how well it is engineered . The downside is however They discontinued the craft and you can no longer get parts so, it is still over priced. I love the craft but, unless you want to do the 4G LTE mod for extreme long range, it is not worth it.
Hello, I have an x8 that tries to fly it for the first time but could not rise. I'm not sure if it's because of the engine or the battery that does not deliver so much power. I would like to know which batteries and motor you use. Your answer will be very helpful, thank you.
You obviously enjoy building model aircraft. For those of us who just want a plug and play, and value our time, products like the disco make a lot of sense.
Just to add to Aries' point, you don't have to pay $250,000 to buy a nice new house. You can build it yourself for not even HALF of that! All you need is fresh concrete, a framing and truss lumber package, wiring, plumbing, siding and shingles! You're welcome.
Michael Barone just so you know, if the seller doesn't provide you the original sales receipt your warranty is VOID. this happened to me on my bebop 2 when 1 motor failed mid flight and I had to pay over $120 in parts to fix it all because the seller couldn't find the original receipt from an "authorized" reseller.
I agree with you most of the way, but you say the X8 has the same wingspan as the Disco - try double. It's pretty exactly 2xlonger... (X8 2122 - Disco 1150mm)
The difference is about the same as a remote operator versus a pilot. A pilot actually flies an aircraft while they're in it. A remote operator dreams of flying an aircraft while they sit on the ground toying with their remote control.
The Parrot Chuck (control system) is $700 sold separately , too bad it isn't $200 or less to be honest there is a value in having something ready out of the box vs playing around and programing it on Ardupilot. I have dad a DJI 450 with Ardupilot that sits and collects dust for that reason, might be trading it up for a DJI Phantom because out of the box its ready to fly the way I want.
And that better be a 1080P stabilized camera, oh yeah and the Addition of a video downlink that is more than Standard Def, which I believe the Disco has? I agree the disco is pricy, but your assertion that it is a rip off misses the mark. Yes, you build a flying wing, but you are NOT gonna pull it out of the box and throw it in the air after charging. You are gonna spend days (if not weeks) tuning it and praying the ardupilot does not puke on you. Comparing their autopilot to the APM is not exactly a solid comparision. a Pixhawk maybe, but then your at 200 bucks for the flight controller. Yes the X-8 is a great roll your own solution, but dont try and tell me it is equal to the parrot because it is not.
Look at the other videos on the channel. It's obvious this guy has never built an distance rig and knows nothing about actual FPV. The Disco is pretty capable and the optics and near HD downlink were basically out of reach 2 years ago. I'm interested to see what V.2 looks like.
Thats 500 dollars for the same fpv experience and 200 dollars for a decent transmitter that you didnt mention. Thats 1184 dollars, and you have to wait a long time for everything to arrive, you need to be kinda experienced with setting stuff up, you will need to solder stuff, you will need to tune everything and so on. And now its 250 dollars in germany where I live and it comes with a good remote 2 battiries a charger and goggles. Try to beat that now.
id love to know where you have found it at a 500 dollar reduced price ??? and can you really get the controller you spoke of in video to do all the disco can ? im very interested to know seriously???
Dude, you forgot the Radio Transmitter and receiver... + $200, + building time + testing time, been there... done that. You can build or you can just fly?
One of the big things that I see the Parrot Disco being better than a purpose-built-copy is its stabilised camera. You just can't beat a stabilised camera. I find a video feed when used with a gimbal set to FPV so much more enjoyable than the image from an un-stabilised camera. For cost and quality I think the Parrot Disco wins. I live in Australia and things aren't cheap here and for me to build something as good as a disco I would need to spend about AU$1500. Yet, I can go into a department store here and buy the Parrot Disco FPV Pack for $1197. But you're right. With what I was looking at it would fly longer, be controlled over a greater distance and have a kick-ass FPV system for just a little more than a Disco.
Lol I built something similar but with 4K digital video system and goggles. It cost me around 1000 usd. I did npt use very expensive parts either, but not low quality, middel of the Road.
I’m a farmer and I’m looking to buy a parrot disco to view my fields but after seeing your video I’m hesitant. Do you still feel that there are better options? If so, can you link where I can buy one that’s ready to fly? Thank you so much for your video!
Nice video. And very informative. Now how much would you charge for building one for the public and say sell it online? That has got all the programs and the upgrades, batteries remote, camera etc. Ready to fly. Maybe add custom paintjob/decals too? If I was as good as you I would definitely make it a business. I'm definitely interested in buying one. Especially for that price plus your profit margin of course
I think the homemade one is better because you can add and change any of the electronics on it. If you do that on the parrot it will throw the precision measured drone off.
wow! awesome video, thanks for taking the time to put this together. Are there any sites you could recommend that have a how to on building something similar? thanks
Go to Flite Test . Com they are awesome and have many many many videos on how you can build something like this. but Chase, be careful of the Battery part, he is dead wrong on using that technology. You do not want a Battery fire.
You suppose parrot is making 800 dollars with each plane sold? It's easy to make one single plane in your garage and make a video like this. Try to think what it takes to run a tech business. Everything costs: facilities, design, marketing, distribution etc.. Only counting component prices is kind of silly. They would be out of business in no time if they'd have to pay the prices you mentioned in this video.
Quick Question for you Aries! based with your knowledge of batteries and custom building, Is it possible to build a custom battery for the disco using tesla batteries? (just use at the end of the power cable the Disco battery plug).
Yes it definitely is. The disco has an avg discharge of 3.5 amps, which is enough for the Tesla cells to handle. Also you'll save about 60 grams in weight and increase flight time by 20% (with the 3400 Mah Model S cells).
These are the ones I've been using: www.ebay.com/itm/112268329973 . They have the same Mah capacity as the Parrot since they're from a different Model S version, but they'll reduce the disco's weight by 12% which should give you about 50 mins of flight time. They shouldn't fry the disco as long as you make sure the terminals aren't exposed.
Here's the links to the plane parts I mention: www.fpvmodel.com/latest-version-skywalker-black-x8-flying-wing_g632.html www.hobbyking.com/en_us/turnigy-2700mah-3s-20c-lipo-pack-suitable-for-quanum-nova-phantom-qr-x350.html www.hobbyking.com/en_us/turnigy-d3536-6-1250kv-brushless-outrunner-motor.html www.amazon.com/Dragonpad-600mw-Wireless-Transmitter-Receiver/dp/B00GWFUTSK www.getfpv.com/fpv/fpv-monitors/5-lumenier-lcd-fpv-monitor.html www.ebay.com/itm/APM2-6-ArduPilot-Mega-APM-Flight-Controller-w-Ublox-NEO-6M-GPS-Built-in-Compass/261797842208?_trksid=p2141725.c100338.m3726&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20150313114020%26meid%3Deaa2d346ec734cde8b99fa8953850ff7%26pid%3D100338%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D9%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D181389214140
While 1300$ might be too high, the crucial point is that you can BUILD the drone for much less. That applies to almost anything! Have you calculated the time (=money) it takes to gain the skills and knowledge to build it if you start at zero? If you can repair your car yourself, you only pay for the parts, which is a fraction of what you would pay at a car workshop. If you can repair your house, you only pay a fraction. If you can repair your computer ... etc.
At the end of the day, you can build it yourself for less but at what cost? If i went through all that effort to source all components, time to build n wire the thing up then had the results as in the video at 2:30 and 3:17 I'll be a bit disappointed.
For all yall out there who thinks he knows what he is doing, he did not even build this. He says that the X8 is the same size as the disco, but the x8 has a wingspan of about 6 feet. If he built it he would have known the size of the x8 is nowhere near the size of the disco! He even shows a picture depicting the size of the disco at 0:47. You cant run a skywalker x8 with that small of a motor either. He did not even include the prices of the transmitter and a decent set of fpv goggles, which would cost you around 700 dollars for average ones. Also, you would need to get an hd camera which could be 100+ dollars. With that said, it would cost you 1280 dollars to get a decent fpv drone that can compare with the disco in the air. Also, how would beginners even build this?
very cool. but look at the video from the Parrot disco and look at the video from your drone examples. tell me.... which would you choose? I'll take the Parrot custom video stabilized version that they spent years perfecting and is part of the benefit of Parrot's higher end products versus other companies which require a physical gimbal.
You're not taking the camera equipment, image stabilization, software integration custom controller, etc. into account.You're oversimplifying your comparison so as to make it apples and oranges.
So pull the guts out of a Bebop and slap them into a flying wing and you have the this overpriced bird. The Bebop 2 with controller and fake goggles is $499 so you already have everything but a wing. motor, and prop.
Buy one for $49.99 on eBay or from Banggood. Eachine has a complete 5.8ghz transmitter and receiver for around $40 and it is more powerful than the one in the Parrot oh and that includes a camera. You do realize that the camera in this bird is the one that comes in the Bebop 2
silbay can u post the link you already know what it is. I been trying all those 5.8 and all them has glitch and interference and terrible video quality in gaggles.
This is a informative video that needs to be seen by all rc plane flyer. That parrot is ridiculously over priced and II am willing to bet sales goals were not met on it. Parrot sucks for trying to take advantage of the rc plane hobby with suck a over priced item.
I've recently purchased a cheap drone after wanting to try one out (it cost £20, a Hubsan H107L) and really like it but am utterly useless at it. I've seen this and can pick one up for £450, is it worth that?
Can I get one of those manned avoidance sensors for a plane equipped with Eagle Tree Vector? Nice tutorial video, though! 👍 👍 👍 Update : February 2, 2018... I asked you this question a year ago and hasn't received a simple response from you!... Really!
Maybe, Its all about the simplicity... At least for me.... I mean, ive been an rc hobbyst pilot since 2006. And got plenty birds with FPV cam on it. From gasoline to electric. I got the MTD bird, funjet with fpv, some 50cc gasoline warbird even an antenna tracker... But i feel like, they all lack simplicity... Too many equipment... And it almost not an option to put this all equipment in the car for an "anytime anywhere" flying thing. Disco made the fixed wing feels like a simple multi rotor. And we can put the disco in the car, and fly it anytime anywhere... 😋 Just my 2 cents
dude where have you been!!!??? you rock brother!!! thank you for this good info got a question? I'm a beginner pilot I got the jj RC h12 quadcopter and I want to add the low battery warning to my remote can I do this and is it easy to do? one last question after i fly my drone when I change the battery out its kinda hot is this normal? I got another drone and it's doest get hot after i fly it
It depends on the amperage that your quad pulls from the battery. chances are your other quad doesn't pull as many amps from the battery. If you don't want the battery to heat up so much pick up a battery with a higher C rating.
Thomas Gordon pretty limited on what you can modify when it comes to prebuilt drones such as the h12. when you build your own and use a flight control board like the apm or pixhawk the amount of featured you can add are immense but as I said with the prebuilt ones pretty tough to change anything. you can get a battery squealer that will tell you when your battery is getting low but then you have to wire that to your battery as well and it will not display on transmitter it just let's out a loud squeal to tell you that it's getting low.
Darrin D thanks bro that helps me out a lot I'm gonna do your build I've always wanted a plane love the quads too but this plane looks so cool and cheaper
Finally the Parrot Disco price is now $440 -- about the same as an X8! amzn.to/2G4srs8
Keep your self made rc toys... there is NOTHING like a 4G disco (below 15.000$...).
Here is how I fly it, it is my stabilized fpv feed through 4G (50 ms latency) with digital headtracking, no control range limit and hours of flight time.
Show me the equivalent:
th-cam.com/video/sg5DfcmOHhs/w-d-xo.html
its renewed to so it aint even brand new
@@tuttoto Where do you see your latency? My Disco feels horribly delayed, would be interesting by how many ms. I am used to fly racing quads, still 50ms would be good.
Daniel Bier , I use Glimpse on my phone when I fly my disco through the 4G lte cellular network (and the disco is measuring and broadcasting the latencies as comments to glimpse, along with 4G signal intensity etc.). The software modification package used to add 4G lte connection capacity to a disco adds also:
Microsd support
SMS to your phone number giving glimpse link
Notifications through internet to glimpse application on your phone: battery level, gps location, cellular network signal intensity, direct or relayed connection information, latency...
To have minimal latencies through 4G, you have to use the same provider for the disco and the phone linked with the skycontroller2... then (if this feature is supported by your cellphone provider) a direct connection between the disco and the phone will be bridged/established and the latency will be minimal. (It will be always higher than the analog connection of a racing quad ;)... but as you can see it in my video, it is enough to fly and land the bird...)
@@tuttoto get em, I know why they attacked it and made Parrot pretend it never happened but, the fact is, they built in so many things that they never unlocked it is crazy. And then there is the fact, it just works.... every time.
Maybe DJI will decide to do one, that would be great.
I love my Parrot Disco. 2+ hours flight range on li-ion batteries and virtually unlimited videorange with the 4G mod :-) I bought it for 350 Euro's and at that price it's a real bargain. 1300 dollars is indeed a ripoff though...
how about a second video on how to assemble all parts and configuration you mentioned.
yes please.... i also wanne see some video to build this think!
@@dennisinanir3091 because he can’t...
@@dennisinanir3091 there is NO solution to replicate the onboard computer of the disco (giving UNIQUE features : stabilized digital video feedback with digital headtracking and 4G lte connection giving unlimited control/video range...).
@@tuttoto Those features are not unique. 4g lte mod can be done with a Raspberry Pi and a 4g usb dongle. Walksnail has video stabilization, streams in 1080/60 and records in 4k/60. you can add head tracking with Arduino.
The Disco Parrot is awesome. Its just that it has no support anymore. I guess you can put in a different flightcontroller and upgrade the camera to 4k though.
Disco Parrot is like a Mac. It just works. While Building your own FPV is like. building your own computer and installing the most advanced Linux Distro on it like Arch.
@@Rocketman0407 yes… you can reproduce Disco features with a LOT of work…
1) Does your knock off camera pitch up and almost 90degrees down?
2) Does it have a pitot tube for airspeed / wind direction sensor?
3) Will it reverse thrust for a "touch down" landing?
4) Does it have 32 gigs of flash memory?
5) Does your price include the goggles?
6) Will it allow for a 360 degree geofence in the air?
7) 720p live video stream?
And Dude I got mine for 300 USD............
1) Does your knock off camera pitch up and almost 90degrees down?
2) Does it have a pitot tube for airspeed / wind direction sensor?
3) Will it reverse thrust for a "touch down" landing?
4) Does it have 32 gigs of flash memory?
5) Does your price include the goggles?
6) Will it allow for a 360 degree geofence in the air?
7) 720p live video stream?
jus' askin....
Most of the answers to those questions are, no. ;-)
Demunseed
I would say yes to everything except for the goggles.
Well it uses the same camera as the Bebop correct? That means no actual pitch just virtual pitch. Geofence a flying wing, learn to fly. 32 gig of flash memory, oh wow 8 dollars. Reverse thrust for a landing? No plane should ever reverse thrust to land, that is used to stop on the ground. BTW how did that geofencing and all your other glowing praises work when you put yours into the lake? Bottom line, L2Fly
You do have a point sir.
Oh you mean those gimmicks that only novice drone pilots need? Quite frankly if you are building a flying wing you don't need half the shit you mentioned on the list.
Does $486 include everthing? I didn't see servos, radio, antenas, charger, DVR, etc.
Is $1300 a "rip off"? Maybe, depending on how you value your time. I think you forgot how much you know, you have years of builder experience and knowledge that most don't. If they're to pull off a quality build it would require many hours of research and labor. And a workbench full of tools and building materials.
How much would a comparable custom build (ready to fly) cost?
My point is that it's not a "rip off". I didn't buy it because building my own gets me something that fits my exact needs. If you consider all the time I put into this labor of love it would be far cheaper to buy the disco.
Rich C. I built a drone and it flew away. I am now much happier with a Dji drone.
Rich C. I completely agree.
$1300 is a ripoff, but now that its discontinued, its selling for $320 shipped, no tax. I bit at that price point, and its really great for that money.
John Law until it als0 flys away?
Well the thing is they're building it in large numbers and he compared it to single unit end consumer prices which are much higher. Even prebuilt that thing shouldn't be much more than 700$ due to economics of scale.
Show us a video of you flying the X8 for 90 minutes using those 3 li-ion cells :)
iforce2d
Go aries, go aries, go aries , do the challenge !
This has been done several times before, I can't find the video but someone did a 2 hr 30 min flight a few years back with 3 li-ion on an X8.
@@ariesrc1536
Send it
th-cam.com/video/hY3MgEqPW3g/w-d-xo.html 70 mins on a 3S 2200 Mah. With 3400 Mah you can easily top 2 hrs.
@@ariesrc1536 Lol, just now i see that you replied iforce2d with his own video :)
I was glad to see that Parrot has recently lowered the price of the Disco by $500. At least now the price is more reasonable for what the flying wing is worth.
its still 1,000 USD DOLLARS which is out outrageous for something so simple even me a guy who doesn't know shit about building drones could do it by just looking on the internet on how to do theses things there ripping you off
I would encourage you to build your own because I think the experience and skills you'll learn are valuable and interesting.
Having recently built a flying wing with similar performance, I can add up the costs first hand.
Radio (taranis): $220
Off brand Pixhawk flight controller: $70
Foam wing airframe kit: $100
Airspeed sensor: $45
Power module (voltage/current sensor): $10
GPS: $30
Motor: $30
Folding prop/hardware: $25
Radio Rx: $20
Video Tx: $60
Video tx/rx antennas: $40
FPV goggles: $360
On screen display: $15
usb-serial converter to program osd: $20
Servos: $30
Batteries (2x 5000mah 3s): $100
Battery charger: $40
I guess $1215 is less than $1300, but there are hundreds of dollars of tools needed that I haven't mentioned, along with consumables such as wire, solder, tapes, connectors, adhesive, velcro, etc. Of course you can cheap out and spend less money, but if you want somewhat reliable parts, you would spend at least as much as this. I have spent hundreds of hours learning about building, integrating, flying and tuning models with flight controllers and fpv systems, and it took me weeks of free time to build and set up.
I am all for doing it yourself because it's way more interesting and rewarding, but just making the point that the price they are asking is not unreasonable. The nice thing about DIY is you can spend a little at a time while you build it up.
they'r all lowering theyr prices, even DJI . But restrictions are also getting more severe and police is better instructed so we are losing ground in our liberty to fly
ARIES RC hi buddy thanks for the video. Will you be doin a build video of a delta wing soon.? Like the Parrot...
I just built one last night first time. Running cc3d board. Now the weather is wet again I can't test it yet grrrr😲☹️
ARIES RC will you do a how to build from scratch with the stuff from this video thx👍👍👍
All right, we're more than 4 years later since this video, my Disco is still running strong at about 75 long range flights, almost each of them more than an hour, some at almost 2 hours. It has never failed me and always comes back to me. I bought it for 350 Euro's and bought a second one a year later as a backup plane for the same price. I still have it in the box because the first one just won't stop working. I love my Parrot Disco, combined with the free 4G mod it just has to be the best RC plane you can buy out of the box. It's rocksolid and has stabilized live video link even at 75km's away thanks to the 4G mod. Other FPV planes are nice but I'm pretty sure I can't build one at the same price my Disco cost me. Not with stabilized live HD video feed anyway. Too bad the DIsco was a bit too expensive at launch and the audience it was targeted at were more into (DJI) quadcopters for their ease of use. If used the way I use it, it's just awesome.
Do you know where to buy one now for a good price?
how is the 4g mod free?
@@jemand8462 the software is free, the other components are not, and the 4g dongle is extremely hard to find now unfortunately
Lets be fair here.... you are comparing a high quality professionally designed custom EPP wing with reinforced covered leading edges and tips, better motor mount, far better motor and servo design, etc with a standard RC EPO wing. Replacement Disco wings are only $69 a pair as is the center body section so important airframe parts cost less money than the cheep EPO counter part! Swapping batteries can be done on either and is a choice but if you don't keep it below 10 amp using the Li-lon batteries you will start a fire! This is why most people use LIPOs that weigh more because of their higher C rating. This is an amazing wing that misses the mark relative to what I want in an RC wing but is exactly what some other people want and you really can't compared them as both the setup time and learning curve is a real issue for many people. Look at the motor and prop design used on this thing.... sweet!
Well said and this is something that always seems to get over-looked by do-it-yourselfers.
Thanks, yes as far as foam goes this shows the limits of home brewing. And the current cost reminds me of building a nice home stereo system where the cost ended up a "little" high but you now have a really nice stereo system... and then taking it wrapped up in its own speaker wires and throwing it off a cliff planning on getting it back using the remote's programming;-)
I really like this wing's engineering and fair replacement costs but with the servo design it uses I wouldn't want to make any changes without knowing more about it. I think some simple basic changes made on the manufacture's side offering different upgrade packages to lower costs and make it a more flexible conventional plug and play system would interest more FPV pilots and increase sales... really nice solution for the folding prop system showing how powerful simple can be. I always have an issue with mounting pusher props and this is the best solution I've seen yet.
Gee this almost sounds as if the guy has shares in or works for the mob who sells these $1,300 ripoffs. I don't however agree with the statement the people buying these would be enthusiasts, have you studied how much money a young schoolkid gets from his parents. You know those parents who both work and don't want their kid messing up their lives. Mummy I want one of them, OK dear ask your Dad for the money, he'll transfer it into your account. I've seen it happen time after time, the kid finally gets his new toy and instantly slams it into the ground. Then they scream they want it fixed immediately. Tomorrow isn't in the vocabulary and neither is the word NO.
propfella I doubt he has shares in Parrot - I wouldn't buy shares in any drone company. But you explained yourself why it's not fair to call it a ripoff, support costs for something like this will be huge. I doubt this product it making much money for Parrot even at $1300
Its making money alright! ;-) The don't buy onesy twoseys, they buy thousands upon thousands of each component! The cost drops considerably!
It's not honets comparition actually. The Parrot is "ReadyToFly just out of the box product", while X8_&_ardupilot is a kit from defferent internet stores that need a time to order and a certain knowledges and experience to build and tune. Not any customer or flyer ready to spend the additional time to study all the stuff. Plus Parrot includes the HD camcoder on board like HoPro that coast 200$ additionally , you have not counted. So the dilemma has a simple answer- if one want to fly and shot - buy Parrot, if one want to build and tune - buy the X8
Chevan2008 true
Chevan2008 and this is half of the fun.....love building more than flying
alisher rakhimov dont make sense what u said. u are responding to who?
Joao Andrew dont remember...to someone who wanted to add cost of time spent building :)
alisher rakhimov the person who did this is dont respect copyrights
To be fair, you'd need to include an HD FPV system vs our old analog systems. Not to mention goggles vs a monitor, transmitter, receiver, and telemetry radio which you don't add up in your video. You're getting much closer in price,
yeah I was thinking that, does the $1300 price tag include the controller and FPV goggles? I don't think he did the pricing right.
You do have to put a smart phone in their goggles, but yes it comes with the controller and the "Goggles" if you can call them that. I agree that the talented indiviual with experience can build a kit, but I don't think they can match it feature and spec for Feature and Spec.
Wow digital 5.8ghz video feed will set you back a whole whopping $39.99 or less depending on power level. Do some research first before you show your stupidity. They are not goggles and btw the "goggles" and controller are the same that come with the Bebop 2. This is basically a Bebop 2 with wings and a vastly higher price.
silbay you forgot about the flight controller, GPS, telemetry radio, airspeed sensor, transmitter, receiver, motor, and current sensor... and not to mention if you want HD video your adding another several hundred dollars. add in the time to build and tune your setup and you've exceeded the value of the Disco for someone that just wants to open a box a fly.
Even for someone like me with several airframes running pixhawks and naze32 boards, there is appeal here if your just getting started into the hobby.
Digital or analog for $39.00? Just because it has a numerical channel display does not make it a Digital Link. If it really is a Digitally encoded and transmitted link, not analog, for $39, please throw a link up, I want several.
You, sir, are a prince ! I really appreciate the value you are providing. It would probably be good to put out an update to include the controller and FPV gear, and besides the flying wing platform, to do a similar cost-benefit comparison of hovering drone platforms, such as the BeBop with controller. I'm ready to buy my first drone and want FPV + VGQ aerial photography capability; the DJI Phantom 3 is now available for $399 and I am tempted but really want the longer flight time of the flying wing setup you have shown here. Gives me a lot to consider, but I need to have an integrated system with controller/ground station. too. I'll see if you have published other videos that cover the technology form that perspective.
Remember you are also paying for the RTF...for experienced pilots I can only imagine how this might seem to be a rip off and you might be correct but it's really apple to oranges. Newbies do not want to build, dont care about the pleasure of piecing together the bits, trial and error, just the feel of building something and getting the satisfaction of completing a successful project. Today newbies will never get this feeling, they just want to fly and soar like an Eagle and I get it..I'm 51 and have no time..I'm in this category now. When you build your own, you get the experience how to pilot the craft etc...This is the wave of the future and I can guarantee you this bird will be half price in the next year or so when they come out with Disco 2..
can you please do a " how to build it yourself" video? it seems a little overwhelming to put it all together, and specially the programming. thank you and happy new year
Got my disco for $399, new ready to fly. If you like accro , just attach a receiver to the parrot chuck and use your own controller and you good to go. You can go autonomous or manually fly. Best of both world. Can’t beat that.
I chose it mostly for the stabilization. Panning up&down and stuff. Without a gimbal, I think that's unique on the market. Having stable hyperlapse footage is really important
i'm a professional model maker, and in my hobby I'v been flying and making FPV's for a number of years now and have quads and fixed wing planes, but I'm tempted with the Parrot Disco, that is now £850,
Without spending a lot of money, its hared to get such clarity from an analog system, the cheapest HD system I can fined is about £350, ad that to a £150 auto flight controller, £100 for a RC setup, £60 for a wing, a Battery's, motors and stuff, you soon come to a similer sort of price.
The feed from the Parrot is clear and bright, and the whole package is neat and tidy, without a million wires to connect.
The only thing i'm not happy with, is that I can't use my HD goggles and you can't switch the auto features of and land manually.
I know this is an old video, and the price of the disco has dropped plenty. That said, the $486 price tag on the home built wing with similar features still doesn't cover either a TX or FPV goggles. When you add those to the bast cost, you will probably hit the $1300 price tag of the disco and still be missing a few things.
This is how long it took to get my R/C glow-plug engined plane trimmed, tuned, radio-checked, started and up in the air; 3hrs 25min (with the help of 3 experienced assistants).
Flight time was 1min 20sec and I had to dig the engine out of the hole it made in the ground after it's vertical dive, and 5min to break up and dispose of the broken air-frame.
Time to recover and clean the dirt out of the engine & remove radio/servers from the plane was 35 min. Time to get back to my car to drive home was 10sec.
Haha, you forgot so many things ...
1. The Disco has a very good 1080p camera and is stablized
2. The downlink uses WiFi and supports 720p
3. Expanded 32 GB internal storage
4. The Skycontroller
5. Higher quality parts and foam
6. Warrenty, free shipping and 15 days to change your mind
1080 P non-stabilized camera, it is the Bebop 2 camera and uses software "stabilization" and panning. Wow Wi-Fi downlink, that should give you a few hundred feet range in the open country. 32Gig? wow 8 dollar card. The skycontroller 2 that is used by the Bebop 2 and the same shitty plastic non focusing cell phone holder they call "goggles"? Higher quality foam? LOL right. You do realize that this is just a Bebop 2 with wings and a $800 higher price tag?
But you do understand this is geared towards the first time fixed wing flyer and with no build experience? And you didn't add a radio controller. As much as I think the Disco is over priced, I don't feel it is that overpriced for a plane that flies right out of the box.
Just my opinion....
Excellent controller with 6 channel receiver included from Flysky for $79, so where is the huge cost? BTW the Flysky controller runs circles around the Skycontroller 2 from Parrot.
a $1300 fixed wing isnt what i would call geared towards first timers.
If you already have RC gear I agree. However if someone wants to have the parrot capability and is starting from scratch its a great deal now at 795.... Think about all the extra gear you need for that x8.
Transmitters, Chargers, Goggles, Receivers... list goes on. Also the homework required is extensive. For someone wanting something quick and safe A disco is a great option.
Bro... The pull for Parrot is the cinematic capabilities, so the camera is more important than most of these other things. Plus, it's not meant for the people who would go out and buy the parts then fabricate their own device. The Parrot Disco is worth the money, especially with the new lower price.
As someone else mentioned, there are things some people want from the Parrot Disco that your comparative aircraft doesn't have. 720p downlink is the main thing, really. If you want that feature, and for many including myself it's the main selling point, your specced plane doesn't compare. If you have time I would be curious to see your recommendation for something that matches the Disco in terms of FPV features.
You missed two things: For one, the Disco's fpv link and full HD recording is fully stabilized. Secondly, for your build you still need a remote control. If you add those features to your version, it will probably still be cheaper, so good job!
The video is the same as a Bebop 2 and is not actually stabilized. It is software stabilized and software "panned" up and down. It is in truth a fish eye camera and they do tricks in software. It is rather soft and not really great quality.
silbay I know, I own a Bebop 2, that's why I bring this up. Still, it is stabilized, and stabilized almost perfectly I might add.
Now if you want to add this digital stabilization to the DIY wing you'd have to add a gyro and an accelerometer and either do it with a gimbal (expensive) or find software to do it with the fisheye camera (don't know of any).
You forgot the most important thing, the 1080p Full HD camera
I just did an unboxing video of the parrot disco and I really think your video doesn't do a proper comparison because the disco comes fully ready out of the box. There is no need to build or tinker with the autopilot. The build that you're describing will take a newbie, or even an expert hours and hours of setup, especially dealing with the flight controller. For me, time is money so if I have to pay extra to get it ready out of the box, I am ok with that. Having said that, I do think that the Disco is a bit too expensive even with how ready it is. The autopilot can't be overwritten on take off or landing and that's why it's deal breaker for me.
Would love to hear what you think about this and learn from each other. What do you think?
Not to mention decent receiver/transmitter. Also app for APM kept crashing on my phone all the time. So own build will be not as nicely packaged as parrot. Same applies to drones which want to replicate video quality of DJI drones. It takes a lot of money at time to match DJI.
bookeaterintube I agree. the high def digital video transmission is what kills ya.
yeah if someone is a newbie then how does he know how to install the software
My wing has no computer just 2 servos, vtx and camera. Launch and fly! Wing was converted about 176$
Also forgot to mention the much higher quality feed on the ground and the auto-stabilization 1080p video, which while not DJI gimbaled drone quality, is a heck of a lot better than what was shown in this video.
Vs - $58 for the kit and another $200 for electrical components and FPV gear. th-cam.com/video/6IH3ksiLKGg/w-d-xo.html she can cover a 2 to 3 mile radius with no issue. One can save a ton of $ if they took there time and build it. You would also know your aircraft like no other.
Thanks for the video, especially the parts talking about the flight controller. It's great to know that this other option exists. As other commenters have pointed out, the Parrot Disco is for people who value their time over their money. I wish the Disco had a longer range (other videos show 1400 to 1500 meters max) and had the ability to go into full manual control! Plus the price is insane!
So you downgraded a digital video link to a shitty analog one, along with downgrading goggles to a flatscreen, left out the cameras (live and recording) altogether, not to mention the image stabilization, AND you dis-integrated what is a nice integrated package. Seems fair.
i get a great pic from my skyzones bought second hand for £120 roughly $160 the Parrot Disco is a rip of to newbies and image stabilization ,get a cheap ass one of a quad as for camera its like the blade wing that comes with a spectrum camera re stamped which is a foxeer great pic ,, i fly a blade w and a go discover with long range set up still half the price
candyman1800r How long have you been flying? Do you remember what RC was like in the 80's and 90's?
crystals feeling old now lol
Right, you remember the bad old days when it was all fun and games until someone accidentally turned their TX on in the parking lot before checking clothespins and shot someone down. That was analog technology...
... just like your 5.8ghz video, which, after spending at least 300 for a set of Skyzone goggles, still don't deliver the resolution or security of a digital system.
As far as multirotors, it's hard to find one carrying a traditional gimbal that has the duration, range, and top speed + portability of a flying wing, and certainly not for the same price. So its not a reasonable comparison.
GoatZilla at least there is no lag ;)
To be fair... The Disco is a luxury. It's everything technological you could imagine, jammed into a nice RTF with FPV camera, battery, charger and headset. With made super easy for the avrage Joe to fly.
Now, I use an E-flite Opterra 2M. With a spectrum DXe controller. And spectrum FPV headset.
My total investment with 2 batteries is about $1000 Canadian (Parrot disco costs 1500 Canadian)
But... Keep in mind, while I do have a safe mode. I do not have auto pilot, auto land, follow me, gps, fancy sensors, UAV safety features or a return home feature in the case I'm out of range.
Wow! Did you notice that Chemtrail pattern in your video?
***** it makes me sick. No really, we're all getting sick from those damned things! :-(
WhT flying wing should I buy for long flight times and good photography.
The disco
The x8 is actually almost twice larger than the parrot disco. 2122mm vs 1150mm. Its very close to the x5.
I have just bought two Parrot discos for under £600 UK Pounds .one of the chargers was faulty and Parrot replaced it immediately . excellent service . You Tube Parrot disco first flight October 27th 2018. Alvito Portugal.
first thing that came to mind when i saw the Parrot Disco rip of to newbies well said that man
BH has the Disco now for $399. I just bought one. But the video was very helpful and much appreciated. I learned a lot from it. Thank you. keep doing this!
Now B&H has gone from $399 to $899
You can say the same thing about most tech: computer, electric bike, stereo, etc. If you build it yourself it's easily half the cost. However, most people will happily pay for out-of-the-box functionality since they don't have the skills or the time to do it themselves. By the way-- the do-it-yourself Parrot drone looks super complicated that even a pro would have a hard time recreating.
I'm quite new to the drone community, is there any websites that have kits for things like this? Just trying to see what options are out there and whats reccomended.
Aries RC, Sir If you built the Wing and all the parts required, Set it up and ready for flight how much would you ask for a RTF version. Thank you
And or can you make several videos of how to build, and program. Does your flying wing come with a controller. Thank you
This idea has me interested - I didn't even know about the whole open source autopilot thing, so I'm glad I saw your video.
One question about Parrot vs home-built - if we want that gorgeous, stabilized, high resolution video that drones like the Disco provide - can a high quality camera be found that would still let us beat the Disco price?
Yea, it is called a GoPro, but it will not be stabilized, so you'll be on a barf-coaster ride with unusable footage most of the time.
Kevin Jolley
Travis said it best, I don't see a lot of wings with Gimbals, the Firefly 6 Hybrid does, but it is a VTOL Wing with retracts so when it lands it doesn't jack up the gimbal.
the x8 doesn't have a 1080p downlink and digital gimbal
3:09 incorrect text on the screen "The FAA is requiring all manned aircraft be equipped with ADS-B by the year 2020." is correct. Not sUAVs
Tbh parrot disco is a little bit expensive, but what makes it expensive is the integration between the software and the hardware itself. ie : you only need a tablet to get both fpv and telemetry, with custom one you probably need 2. The thing itself is not marketed towards us RC lover / UAV builder, its for a leisure / recreational flyer.
I see you conveniently left out a GoPro quality level (or close) 1080P 30FPS camera and gimbal stabilization, or at least software based, that would add somewhere around $350
Cyberdactyl no 60$ for a xioami cam which beats the disco kamera. Gopros are decent but way overpriced. For 250$ you can get a high quality 4k60fps actioncam
Code Person wrong... the fpv feed is stabilized inflight by the onboard computer... there is NO camera doing it...
My Local Fry's electronics had 10 before Christmas, and had NONE in stock on the 23th when I went in. Prices drop all the time, the price of the Phantom 4 dropped when the P4 PRO came out, They are moving inventory out, it costs them money to stock and store everything they build. Even the hugely popular Mavic will drop when DJI brings something new out. I am glad they dropped the price, it makes it more affordable for hobbyists. Wings are getting popular, with Wing Racing getting hot now, and aircraft like the Hobbyzone Opttera coming out, they are feeling the pressure.
The disco is a great craft that works, It is ashame that they priced it so high to start with but, you can get them for around $500 now, and the ease that is can be changed is great. ( The chuck will run Audupilot as well) However, you are 100% right that at a price anywhere over $600 is way to much for a foam craft no mater how well it is engineered .
The downside is however They discontinued the craft and you can no longer get parts so, it is still over priced.
I love the craft but, unless you want to do the 4G LTE mod for extreme long range, it is not worth it.
Hello, I have an x8 that tries to fly it for the first time but could not rise. I'm not sure if it's because of the engine or the battery that does not deliver so much power. I would like to know which batteries and motor you use. Your answer will be very helpful, thank you.
You obviously enjoy building model aircraft. For those of us who just want a plug and play, and value our time, products like the disco make a lot of sense.
Just to add to Aries' point, you don't have to pay $250,000 to buy a nice new house. You can build it yourself for not even HALF of that! All you need is fresh concrete, a framing and truss lumber package, wiring, plumbing, siding and shingles! You're welcome.
Starting to see these for as low as $899 now on ebay. With the transmitter and goggles that's a damn good price.
Michael Barone just so you know, if the seller doesn't provide you the original sales receipt your warranty is VOID. this happened to me on my bebop 2 when 1 motor failed mid flight and I had to pay over $120 in parts to fix it all because the seller couldn't find the original receipt from an "authorized" reseller.
I agree with you most of the way, but you say the X8 has the same wingspan as the Disco - try double. It's pretty exactly 2xlonger... (X8 2122 - Disco 1150mm)
The difference is about the same as a remote operator versus a pilot.
A pilot actually flies an aircraft while they're in it.
A remote operator dreams of flying an aircraft while they sit on the ground toying with their remote control.
Nice video but i wanted to know if with building my own i could make it 4G controlled?
no.
You could. But not easily. Would require a custom radio, knowing how to program the drone, knowing how to program the client, etc.
The Parrot Chuck (control system) is $700 sold separately , too bad it isn't $200 or less to be honest there is a value in having something ready out of the box vs playing around and programing it on Ardupilot. I have dad a DJI 450 with Ardupilot that sits and collects dust for that reason, might be trading it up for a DJI Phantom because out of the box its ready to fly the way I want.
You forgot the camera with the software gimbal.
Build me on like that and i agree with your evaluation
And that better be a 1080P stabilized camera, oh yeah and the Addition of a video downlink that is more than Standard Def, which I believe the Disco has? I agree the disco is pricy, but your assertion that it is a rip off misses the mark. Yes, you build a flying wing, but you are NOT gonna pull it out of the box and throw it in the air after charging. You are gonna spend days (if not weeks) tuning it and praying the ardupilot does not puke on you. Comparing their autopilot to the APM is not exactly a solid comparision. a Pixhawk maybe, but then your at 200 bucks for the flight controller. Yes the X-8 is a great roll your own solution, but dont try and tell me it is equal to the parrot because it is not.
Look at the other videos on the channel. It's obvious this guy has never built an distance rig and knows nothing about actual FPV. The Disco is pretty capable and the optics and near HD downlink were basically out of reach 2 years ago. I'm interested to see what V.2 looks like.
Thats 500 dollars for the same fpv experience and 200 dollars for a decent transmitter that you didnt mention. Thats 1184 dollars, and you have to wait a long time for everything to arrive, you need to be kinda experienced with setting stuff up, you will need to solder stuff, you will need to tune everything and so on. And now its 250 dollars in germany where I live and it comes with a good remote 2 battiries a charger and goggles. Try to beat that now.
id love to know where you have found it at a 500 dollar reduced price ??? and can you really get the controller you spoke of in video to do all the disco can ? im very interested to know seriously???
Dude, you forgot the Radio Transmitter and receiver... + $200, + building time + testing time, been there... done that. You can build or you can just fly?
Glad I paid $350 for my parrot disco adventurer kit. Very fun to fly for beginners
you didnt get into the camera. thats where the cost will increase.
What about solar pannels to help keep it running
One of the big things that I see the Parrot Disco being better than a purpose-built-copy is its stabilised camera. You just can't beat a stabilised camera. I find a video feed when used with a gimbal set to FPV so much more enjoyable than the image from an un-stabilised camera.
For cost and quality I think the Parrot Disco wins. I live in Australia and things aren't cheap here and for me to build something as good as a disco I would need to spend about AU$1500. Yet, I can go into a department store here and buy the Parrot Disco FPV Pack for $1197.
But you're right. With what I was looking at it would fly longer, be controlled over a greater distance and have a kick-ass FPV system for just a little more than a Disco.
Can the parrot disco frontal camera, be used for orthomosaics?
And the video cam/FPV glass you happen to found by the side of field for free?
Lol I built something similar but with 4K digital video system and goggles. It cost me around 1000 usd. I did npt use very expensive parts either, but not low quality, middel of the Road.
I’m a farmer and I’m looking to buy a parrot disco to view my fields but after seeing your video I’m hesitant. Do you still feel that there are better options? If so, can you link where I can buy one that’s ready to fly? Thank you so much for your video!
What do you use for HD footage on X8?
Also you have to clue in, the stabalized gimbal 1080p camera, and its seamless and clear transmission of video?
Nice video. And very informative. Now how much would you charge for building one for the public and say sell it online? That has got all the programs and the upgrades, batteries remote, camera etc. Ready to fly. Maybe add custom paintjob/decals too? If I was as good as you I would definitely make it a business. I'm definitely interested in buying one. Especially for that price plus your profit margin of course
Which would be the remote control? Is the usd 486 including one?
Are you kidding me? Is the Disco as the same size as X8?? I think you have to buy an X8 and have a look! The skywalker X8 is even taller than you!
and he wants to power it with 2.7A 3S battery, couldn't stop laughing
how much weight could this build carry ? if i wanted to mount cameras and stuff on top what limmit would it have ?
Does it have return to home GPS so it can come back if your lost?
The fpv googles comes with the parrot i think. How much does that add to the price if you buy those also
I think the homemade one is better because you can add and change any of the electronics on it. If you do that on the parrot it will throw the precision measured drone off.
wow! awesome video, thanks for taking the time to put this together. Are there any sites you could recommend that have a how to on building something similar? thanks
Go to Flite Test . Com they are awesome and have many many many videos on how you can build something like this. but Chase, be careful of the Battery part, he is dead wrong on using that technology. You do not want a Battery fire.
You suppose parrot is making 800 dollars with each plane sold? It's easy to make one single plane in your garage and make a video like this. Try to think what it takes to run a tech business. Everything costs: facilities, design, marketing, distribution etc.. Only counting component prices is kind of silly. They would be out of business in no time if they'd have to pay the prices you mentioned in this video.
Good job!!!! Glad you have joined the Parrot Punishment Program!!!!
Do you build them?? I would love to build my own but I just do not have time. If you do how much would you charge to build one?
Nice video thanks for the help I'm busy to build a x8..was thinking to buy a disco but in south Africa its not cheap
Quick Question for you Aries!
based with your knowledge of batteries and custom building, Is it possible to build a custom battery for the disco using tesla batteries? (just use at the end of the power cable the Disco battery plug).
Yes it definitely is. The disco has an avg discharge of 3.5 amps, which is enough for the Tesla cells to handle. Also you'll save about 60 grams in weight and increase flight time by 20% (with the 3400 Mah Model S cells).
any idea how much cost those babies and where to get them?
you seem the right person for those stuff :)
This will not overload or fry teh Disco tho?
These are the ones I've been using: www.ebay.com/itm/112268329973 . They have the same Mah capacity as the Parrot since they're from a different Model S version, but they'll reduce the disco's weight by 12% which should give you about 50 mins of flight time. They shouldn't fry the disco as long as you make sure the terminals aren't exposed.
where can i get the stuff?
need the cpu unit that connects gps controlls the motors ecc
please links for equipment!
Here's the links to the plane parts I mention:
www.fpvmodel.com/latest-version-skywalker-black-x8-flying-wing_g632.html
www.hobbyking.com/en_us/turnigy-2700mah-3s-20c-lipo-pack-suitable-for-quanum-nova-phantom-qr-x350.html
www.hobbyking.com/en_us/turnigy-d3536-6-1250kv-brushless-outrunner-motor.html
www.amazon.com/Dragonpad-600mw-Wireless-Transmitter-Receiver/dp/B00GWFUTSK
www.getfpv.com/fpv/fpv-monitors/5-lumenier-lcd-fpv-monitor.html
www.ebay.com/itm/APM2-6-ArduPilot-Mega-APM-Flight-Controller-w-Ublox-NEO-6M-GPS-Built-in-Compass/261797842208?_trksid=p2141725.c100338.m3726&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20150313114020%26meid%3Deaa2d346ec734cde8b99fa8953850ff7%26pid%3D100338%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D9%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D181389214140
*Get here all the needed equipment with 50% DISCOUNT:* www.banggood.com/?p=TL0111854575201411Z0
I an ot so good , wich components i should chose?
+ARIES RC So these parts oughta work on my ZT-HORTEN-BV38-G | Horten BV-38 PNP project, right?
what about the camera what's a good one could you give me a link
You can go to Parrot's website and buy that camera. Ideally you'd want to get a 4k camera.
So you can get a fixed wing with Follow me mode?
While 1300$ might be too high, the crucial point is that you can BUILD the drone for much less.
That applies to almost anything!
Have you calculated the time (=money) it takes to gain the skills and knowledge to build it if you start at zero?
If you can repair your car yourself, you only pay for the parts, which is a fraction of what you would pay at a car workshop. If you can repair your house, you only pay a fraction. If you can repair your computer ... etc.
At the end of the day, you can build it yourself for less but at what cost? If i went through all that effort to source all components, time to build n wire the thing up then had the results as in the video at 2:30 and 3:17 I'll be a bit disappointed.
For all yall out there who thinks he knows what he is doing, he did not even build this. He says that the X8 is the same size as the disco, but the x8 has a wingspan of about 6 feet. If he built it he would have known the size of the x8 is nowhere near the size of the disco! He even shows a picture depicting the size of the disco at 0:47. You cant run a skywalker x8 with that small of a motor either. He did not even include the prices of the transmitter and a decent set of fpv goggles, which would cost you around 700 dollars for average ones. Also, you would need to get an hd camera which could be 100+ dollars. With that said, it would cost you 1280 dollars to get a decent fpv drone that can compare with the disco in the air. Also, how would beginners even build this?
A shot of Longaberger basket @3:26 . Drive past it every day haha!
What about the camera? The parrot disco has a HD camera!
very cool. but look at the video from the Parrot disco and look at the video from your drone examples. tell me.... which would you choose? I'll take the Parrot custom video stabilized version that they spent years perfecting and is part of the benefit of Parrot's higher end products versus other companies which require a physical gimbal.
Surprised no one commented on the GIANT BASKET that appears at 3:30 I'm just down the way from Newark!
Yeah, $1300 for a styrofoam flying wing is a bit pricey...
Like the concorde, nice plane but damn expensive,...
You're not taking the camera equipment, image stabilization, software integration custom controller, etc. into account.You're oversimplifying your comparison so as to make it apples and oranges.
So pull the guts out of a Bebop and slap them into a flying wing and you have the this overpriced bird. The Bebop 2 with controller and fake goggles is $499 so you already have everything but a wing. motor, and prop.
Disco has hd fpv video transmitter. how can u make a replica of that
Buy one for $49.99 on eBay or from Banggood. Eachine has a complete 5.8ghz transmitter and receiver for around $40 and it is more powerful than the one in the Parrot oh and that includes a camera. You do realize that the camera in this bird is the one that comes in the Bebop 2
silbay can u post the link you already know what it is. I been trying all those 5.8 and all them has glitch and interference and terrible video quality in gaggles.
This is a informative video that needs to be seen by all rc plane flyer. That parrot is ridiculously over priced and II am willing to bet sales goals were not met on it. Parrot sucks for trying to take advantage of the rc plane hobby with suck a over priced item.
I've recently purchased a cheap drone after wanting to try one out (it cost £20, a Hubsan H107L) and really like it but am utterly useless at it. I've seen this and can pick one up for £450, is it worth that?
Can I get one of those manned avoidance sensors for a plane equipped with Eagle Tree Vector? Nice tutorial video, though! 👍 👍 👍
Update : February 2, 2018...
I asked you this question a year ago and hasn't received a simple response from you!... Really!
Maybe, Its all about the simplicity... At least for me.... I mean, ive been an rc hobbyst pilot since 2006. And got plenty birds with FPV cam on it. From gasoline to electric. I got the MTD bird, funjet with fpv, some 50cc gasoline warbird even an antenna tracker... But i feel like, they all lack simplicity... Too many equipment... And it almost not an option to put this all equipment in the car for an "anytime anywhere" flying thing. Disco made the fixed wing feels like a simple multi rotor. And we can put the disco in the car, and fly it anytime anywhere... 😋
Just my 2 cents
and what is the range of the x8 wing ?
dude where have you been!!!??? you rock brother!!! thank you for this good info got a question? I'm a beginner pilot I got the jj RC h12 quadcopter and I want to add the low battery warning to my remote can I do this and is it easy to do? one last question after i fly my drone when I change the battery out its kinda hot is this normal? I got another drone and it's doest get hot after i fly it
It depends on the amperage that your quad pulls from the battery. chances are your other quad doesn't pull as many amps from the battery. If you don't want the battery to heat up so much pick up a battery with a higher C rating.
Darrin D thanks what about the low battery warning on the remote
Thomas Gordon pretty limited on what you can modify when it comes to prebuilt drones such as the h12. when you build your own and use a flight control board like the apm or pixhawk the amount of featured you can add are immense but as I said with the prebuilt ones pretty tough to change anything. you can get a battery squealer that will tell you when your battery is getting low but then you have to wire that to your battery as well and it will not display on transmitter it just let's out a loud squeal to tell you that it's getting low.
Darrin D thanks bro that helps me out a lot I'm gonna do your build I've always wanted a plane love the quads too but this plane looks so cool and cheaper