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Is a new Anafi coming in the horizon? Here’s why we need an “Anafi Mini”!

neworldphoto

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Ok.. I just saw this post where a member mentions the possibility that Parrot is working on a new Anafi, based on the news that they are looking for a ‘New Product Introduction Engineer’. Well, I REALLY wish that Parrot makes an “Anafi Mini” with less than 250g weight, like the Mavic Mini but without the many firmware limitations that the Mavic has. At least for us here in the U.S. it’s becoming a big deal to have a sub-250g capable drone, because of the proposed Remote ID which will be a costly and cumbersome hassle if implemented, and apparently drones that weigh less than 250g will not be affected by this new requirement.
The Mavic Mini proved that it’s possible to build a capable drone with a good camera, 3-axis gimbal and long 30 minutes battery life, and at the same time weigh less than 250g. Unfortunately, DJI severely crippled the Mini’s firmware so it lacks many photography and video features that are very useful, at least for me; like for example: 4K video, DNG, bracketing, HDR, automatic panorama modes, lossless zoom in 1080/2.7k video, etc. Having all those features are just a matter of software/firmware changes and won’t add any physical weight to the drone! Also, DJI has defined many zones with flight limitations that are inconsistent or don’t even exist or apply here in U.S.
Currently there’s no other sub-250g drone in the world that has a good 3-axis gimbal camera, half-hour battery life, and at the same time all the advanced photo/video features of the Anafi. So I think Parrot has a gold opportunity here to produce a sub-250g “Mini” Anafi with all the capabilities and features that the current Anafi has. I’m sure if such drone is released, it will sell like no other in the U.S. at least, seeing the need for a good photo/video enthusiast drone that won’t have the burdensome Remote ID stuff they want to implement and severely affect recreational aerial photography enthusiasts. Come on Parrot, do it!
 
I may be wrong but on the remote ID broadcasting for drones above 250g and Parrot’s new products policy but :

- The FAA will require sooner than later a broadcasted signal regarding the drone’s ID, position and motion in order to inform airplanes around of what’s going on in the neighborhood.
- The drone ‘population’ will increase (also for package carrying), and drones will have to know where their other ‘brother drones’ are flying also to avoid collisions.
- The European Community intends to do the same.
- Some basic signal transmitted via WiFi seems to be accepted for this new regulation request and DJI drones and Parrot’s Anafi do transmit WiFi signal. I’m not sure if it’s a complicated and cumbersome hassle for Parrot to implement such a WiFi signal or if a simple firmware upgrade would do the trick.
- Parrot did firmly indicate it would leave the ‘average Joe Toy market’ to invest more in the ‘pro’ market.
- Parrot developed prototypes of small drones for the army in different countries (seems they are based on the actual frame of the Anafi)

so my guess is we won’t see an ‘Anafi mini’ before long...

And while we are addressing Parrot’s requests
..ehm, Parrot please... could you propose an ‘Anafi Pro’ will 3S batteries (40 min) and a 1 inch sensor camera with a mechanical shutter that makes beautiful photos in low light and that could still fit in my backpack (under 900g to fit a certain category in the new EC regulation) ?
... and why not work on simple cheap cameras on the drone frame to provide a ‘stereo’ image with the gimbal that would serve the ‘obstacle avoidance’ instead of the stupid usual Ultrasonic sensor obstacle avoidance that we see on all other drones (and that are systematically requested by customers that finally set them to ‘off’ as you can’t move with this set to ‘On’)... well this one is for future reference when Parrot’s new drone will be revealed !
 
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It might be that parrot leaves the consumer market altogether. They rather build drones for governments and armies then consumers and the corresponding laws
 
I may be wrong but on the remote ID broadcasting for drones above 250g and Parrot’s new products policy but :

- The FAA will require sooner than later a broadcasted signal regarding the drone’s ID, position and motion in order to inform airplanes around of what’s going on in the neighborhood.
- The drone ‘population’ will increase (also for package carrying), and drones will have to know where their other ‘brother drones’ are flying also to avoid collisions.
- The European Community intends to do the same.
- Some basic signal transmitted via WiFi seems to be accepted for this new regulation request and DJI drones and Parrot’s Anafi do transmit WiFi signal. I’m not sure if it’s a complicated and cumbersome hassle for Parrot to implement such a WiFi signal or if a simple firmware upgrade would do the trick.
- Parrot did firmly indicate it would leave the ‘average Joe Toy market’ to invest more in the ‘pro’ market.
- Parrot developed prototypes of small drones for the army in different countries (seems they are based on the actual frame of the Anafi)

so my guess is we won’t see an ‘Anafi mini’ before long...

And while we are addressing Parrot’s requests
..ehm, Parrot please... could you propose an ‘Anafi Pro’ will 3S batteries (40 min) and a 1 inch sensor camera with a mechanical shutter that makes beautiful photos in low light and that could still fit in my backpack (under 900g to fit a certain category in the new EC regulation) ?
... and why not work on simple cheap cameras on the drone frame to provide a ‘stereo’ image with the gimbal that would serve the ‘obstacle avoidance’ instead of the stupid usual Ultrasonic sensor obstacle avoidance that we see on all other drones (and that are systematically requested by customers that finally set them to ‘off’ as you can’t move with this set to ‘On’)... well this one is for future reference when Parrot’s new drone will be revealed !

... incredible ! I re-read my post dated 2020 about the stereo image to serve as an obstacle avoidance system, a drone under 900g, 3S batteries ... and I look at the new Anafi ai...
I still don’t know about the sensor size... let’s see !!
 
... incredible ! I re-read my post dated 2020 about the stereo image to serve as an obstacle avoidance system, a drone under 900g, 3S batteries ... and I look at the new Anafi ai...
I still don’t know about the sensor size... let’s see !!
sensor is 1/2 'inch'
 
It might be that parrot leaves the consumer market altogether. They rather build drones for governments and armies then consumers and the corresponding laws
The company like Parrot who can't deal with the consumer's world which is troublesome and annoying and would like to deal with the professional society that is more reasonable and talk the common languages, on the contrary, DJI has more power in handling the consumer market, I think Parrot chooses the right direction.
 
In Europe, too, the rules for drones under 250g are much more pleasant.
It would therefore be awesome to have an „Anafi-Mini“ with a maximum take-off weight of less than 250g, especially for commercial flights.
Ideally with night flight position lights that meet the SERA/FAA regulations.
 
Please do me a favor and weigh your Anafi.
It looks as if the good old approval trick, sometimes used by the ultra-light aircraft manufacturer, of increasing or decreasing the MTOW appropriately, is also possible with the Anafi.

With the original battery, my Anafi has, according to my kitchen scales, a mass of less than 320g, unfortunately not less 250g, but still flies in the test bench, when I load it up to a total mass of over 550g.

It could therefore be possible for Parrot to qualify the same Anafi specimen either for
* MTOW<250g (using a more lightweight Accumulator) (for the genius European C0 Drone-Class),
* 250g<MTOW<500g (as it is now) or
* MTOW>500g (for example as an A2-Pilot Licence Trainer, in the C1 or C2 Drone-Class),
* NO AIRCRAFT (by using a short enough umbilical (Ground based Power-Supply) instead of the Accumulator).

Of course, with <250g it can brace itself much better against the wind than brought by Payload to a total Mass of >500g.

MTOW<250g results in: You can film almost everywhere (remind safety),
NO AIRCRAFT means safety, the legal length of the umbilical and the rights of other people are almost the only filming restrictions left.
 
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