Parrot mini-drones are fun toys the whole family will want to try

Parrot's mini drones are among the connected toys that fuel imagination.

A new Parrot mini drone. The French manufacturer has been showcasing its products in the UAE. Delores Johnson / The National

In the age of digital pampering, the connected toy maker Parrot has unveiled a futuristic gift ahead of the festive season.

The French manufacturer showcased its mini-drones to the UAE market last week.

Controlled via mobile devices, the Jumping Sumo and Rolling Spider, are suitable for anyone over 14. But these robotic-style toys will keep all ages entertained.

The Jumping Sumo is a drone on wheels and can be programmed to move in a straight line, zigzag and circle as well as jumping to 80 centimetres in height and kicking away objects in its path. It can also shoot videos via an embedded camera, storing the movie on a plugged-in USB. The length of the video depends on the capacity of the USB.

“You can create your own video-games, your own entertainment with it,” says François-Xavier Charbonnel, Parrot’s sales manager for the Middle East, Africa and India.

It can curve 90° and 180° and with big, wide wheels is quite stable. It’s a fun toy, and you can imagine an entire family fighting to have a turn, so well worth the Dh849 price tag with options in white, black and brown.

The Rolling Spider is more playful and, unlike the Jumping Sumo, can also fly.

At 55 grams, the Rolling Spider is among the lightest of the Parrot drones. With wheel attachments, it can go up to 65 grams, but you need it to be lightweight to fly above your head. However, its delicacy makes it unfit for the outdoors as on a windy day it could potentially blow away. It can flip a full circle and if you throw it in the air its sensors detect the position instantaneously and it will stay airborne.

Priced at Dh499, it is available in white, red and blue. Prices include a battery, a USB cable to charge the battery, and free app on Apple, Google Play and Windows stores. The software, available from the website, is updated regularly, Mr Charbonnel says. While both drones can take pictures, the camera on the Rolling Spider is devised more to provide stability than as a photography tool.

The devices are easy to control; they can be connected via Wi-Fi to your smartphone or tablet. But the battery life is on the short side and repeatedly charging them may prevent regular use. And it can take two hours to charge the battery.

The next version of the flying drone, which will be called Bebop Drone, is expected early next year and will have stronger camera and video features. Whether fans will have grown bored of the concept by then remains to be seen.