Home Gadgets Parrot Launches Drone Designed for First Responders

Parrot Launches Drone Designed for First Responders

Parrot's next-generation drone offers 32x zoom, thermal imaging, a ruggedized airframe, and advanced data security.

Parrot, a European drone group, has announced ANAFI USA: a unique drone that combines enterprise-class data security with the easy-to-use features that have driven consumer drone adoption in recent years. ANAFI USA is a powerful drone built to meet the demands of first responders, firefighters, search-and-rescue teams, security agencies, surveying and inspection professionals.

Featuring an industry-first 32x zoom, 4K HDR video and thermal imaging capabilities, ANAFI USA is an ultraportable, secure and durable aerial camera platform.

Manufactured in the U.S., ANAFI USA offers the same high-end security, durability and imaging capabilities as Parrot’s Short-Range Reconnaissance (SRR) drone designed for the U.S. Army. ANAFI USA’s data encryption and privacy features are compliant with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), delivering best-in-class privacy and security for sensitive missions.

When firefighters arrive on the scene of a fire, the most important need is to view hot spots while also being able to assess the entire visual scene. ANAFI USA’s gimbal and advanced optics were designed with this challenge in mind. The 32x zoom is designed around two 21-megapixel cameras, allowing operators to see details clearly from up to 5 km (3.1 mi) away.

The zoom image is coupled (blended) with images from ANAFI USA’s FLIR Boson camera. This enables operators to detect hot spots with the thermal camera, while the visual camera allows them to view people and other important details from up to 2 km (1.2 mi) away.

In the example image below, the drone is flying over solar panels at an altitude of 40 m (44 yds). With ANAFI USA’s powerful zoom, the pilot can detect centimetric hot spots on the solar panels.

Ensuring excellent image stabilization on 32x zoom images with a light drone (500 g/1.1 lbs) is a particularly delicate technological achievement. Parrot accomplished this feat by coupling the stabilization of the gimbal with full 3-axis digital stabilization via image processing.

For first responders and the most demanding professional users, rapid drone deployment is a necessity during missions. ANAFI USA is operational in less than 55 seconds: it takes less than 55 seconds to unfold the drone, turn it on, establish the secure radio link and take off.

ANAFI USA works indoors without GPS, allowing operators to take off inside a house, pilot the drone through a window to fly outside, and then come back.

ANAFI USA can also launch from the palm of the hand like a paper plane, further expanding its ease of use.

With no built-in limitations for no-fly zones, ANAFI USA gives first responders the freedom to fly responsibly at a moment’s notice and wherever their missions may take them.