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My thoughts on the Anafi Thermal

BryceSteiner

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My thoughts on the Anafi

Pros and Cons - examining the Parrot Anafi Thermal to my other drone, the Mavic 2 Pro.

What I like:

21MP sensor (though the M2P 20MP beats it in quality and less distortion).

The software is less complicated but has less features.

Much smoother on turns in film mode.

Vertical ascent is incredibly fast.

Nanyware is not constantly nagging.

The zoom is great! 1.4x in lossless or nearly 3x in lossless, and yes, it works well!

FLIR camera is good because it works with the zoom, overlay and the temperatures can be adjusted with colors.

Flight plan works well and lets you get up high for tower inspections where the native flight doesn’t allow more than 500’ from take off.

The battery life - I thought the flight time was going to be 5-6 minutes less than the M2P. It’s not. It’s just about the same. I think DJI overrated their battery.

Sturdier than I thought. The legs are carbon fiber and both front and back just spring back into the body instead of twist up underneath like the M2P. I think that on crashes this would be a benefit.

Camera can flip 180 degrees vertical into the sky, making great walk in the woods videos!

Super light weight.

Molded case in the bag is great and fits it nicely so the props are not getting caught on the bag like M2P.

The motors stay cool to the touch even after long flights. The M2P would get very warm - it’s also carrying more weight.

Batteries can charge with USB-c slowly, but there are high speed chargers out there that connect to the battery connection and they are inexpensive and can simultaneously charge 3.



What I don’t like:

Range - It’s no better than half of the Ocusync 2.0. The range certainly needs improved for SAR. Around trees especially, the signal is drowned out quickly.

RTH might be over 50’ off. Even with just calibrating it.

SD Card Slot is cheap, flimsy and feels like 1995.

Noise - I thought it was going to be quieter than the M2P they way the reviews were saying. I was wrong. It’s about the same.

Formatting a large SD card is kind of a pain. Search the forum and you’ll see. There are solutions, which is good, but bad that it just didn’t work.

App doesn’t show distance from drone to takeoff ever.

IMG_0040.jpg

Props are not quick change like DJI - I’m spoiled with the M2P. Hopefully I don’t have to change them as often.



Neutral:

Sensors. I think the sensors are handy on the DJI but I think it’s easy to wreck because it will go into trees and other things and has no sensors on top.



What would make the best SAR drone with the current technology?

Use the 20MP Hasselblad camera from the Mavic 2 Pro and give it an optical zoom lens and add the Thermal sensor to it and attach it to the Mavic 2 Pro. Sounds like the Enterprise right? Not quite, I would have gotten that except the camera doesn’t zoom that’s with the FLIR. That ended up outweighing the benefits of the speaker, beacon and spotlight, which unfortunately could only be each at a time.

I just got the drone on Friday but have flow quite a few flights now. So, far my biggest complaint that I have not been able to find good solutions is the range.
 
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Reactions: IronSky1
Really interesting comparison - thanks for posting!

Just one thing - you say that the app doesn't ever show distance from the drone. The screenshot you posted shows that the controller doesn't have GPS lock, which would explain that - if it can't determine the location of the controller it can't calculate the distance. Controller location relies on your phone for GPS, so check that you have GPS enabled.

I'm not sure that this explains the issue with RTH though, as I always assumed that the home location is based on the drone's GPS location at time of launch, not the location of the controller. I've certainly not observed either issue with my (non-thermal) anafi - so long as both controller and drone GPS icons are green at takeoff I find that RTH is accurate to within 1m and the horizontal distance is also shown correctly.
 
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Reactions: dmbrody
Really interesting comparison - thanks for posting!

Just one thing - you say that the app doesn't ever show distance from the drone. The screenshot you posted shows that the controller doesn't have GPS lock, which would explain that - if it can't determine the location of the controller it can't calculate the distance. Controller location relies on your phone for GPS, so check that you have GPS enabled.

I'm not sure that this explains the issue with RTH though, as I always assumed that the home location is based on the drone's GPS location at time of launch, not the location of the controller. I've certainly not observed either issue with my (non-thermal) anafi - so long as both controller and drone GPS icons are green at takeoff I find that RTH is accurate to within 1m and the horizontal distance is also shown correctly.
Expanding on this answer...

Regarding distance from controller:
I fly with an iPad in airplane mode. Before I take off, I take it out of airplane mode (in my case I connect to a WiFi hotspot created by my phone). I wait for FreeFlight to get a fix on my current position. I download the map for the area I’m in, and then I put the iPad back into airplane mode, and disable Bluetooth and WiFi on my phone. At that point I start up the Anafi Thermal.

Even in Airplane mode, FreeFlight 6 retains my position. It will now show me distance from the controller throughout the flight. Obviously if I move during the flight it won’t pick up on that, but that’s not something I generally do.

Regarding RTH:
Like a Mavic, it’s best to take off and then hover in one spot for awhile. Usually I’ll get a notification that a “precise” home position has been set. If I take off under trees or buildings that are blocking GPS, then I’ll try to fly directly up until it gets solid GPS. In that case I won’t get the precise home position because the downward facing optical flow sensors are too far from the ground... but I still get a good solid home position. In that caee RTH is usually off by 3 meters (10 or 15 feet) maximum.

I hope this helps. Good luck.
 
Well that might explain it. I am using the iPad mini 4 without GPS. The M2p rc must have-GPS Built in. Never had an issue with it
 
The problem is that in the absence of a GPS in the mobile device it should give distance to takeoff point instead of a useless "?`". That's what DJI devices do.
 
The problem is that in the absence of a GPS in the mobile device it should give distance to takeoff point instead of a useless "?`". That's what DJI devices do.
that is what I assumed too, but it does not. The drone itself has quite a few satellites conntected. I believe it was around 20 when I checked last.
 
Yes, I was just pointing out that this is a known quirk.
 
I sold my Bebop Thermal last week and will be buying the Anafi or Mavic Thermal could you post some video and thermal captures ? Nice job on comparison (especially like the Nannyware comment Amen) one of my biggest complaints with my Mavic 2.
 
I sold my Bebop Thermal last week and will be buying the Anafi or Mavic Thermal could you post some video and thermal captures ? Nice job on comparison (especially like the Nannyware comment Amen) one of my biggest complaints with my Mavic 2.
Here are two videos:
 
Here is a thermal I just recorded and uploaded


This was taken at night about 100' - 30' above my house.
 
Last edited:
Thank you I can see the new camera is more stable then the one I had on the Bebop 2 Thermal . Great input Thanks again

PS Ballon shots were very color stable
 

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