These new Parrot drones could save lives and crops

Why it matters to you

Search and rescue is a dangerous job, but these drones aim to make it easier and safer.

In the aftermath of a natural disaster, search and rescue operations can be both dangerous and tedious. Whether it is flooded roadways, downed power lines, fires, or other dangers, these hazards can impede rescue workers attempts to find survivors. That’s where Parrot’s new Bebop-Pro Thermal drone comes in.

Equipped with both a standard camera and a thermal camera, this drone will be able to fly over dangerous areas and send live video back to rescue workers, helping them pinpoint the location of survivors. In addition to locating those in need of assistance, the drone’s thermal camera can be used to warn rescue workers of areas that are still too hot to enter, due to fires.

Retailing for $1,500, this new drone is an ideal fit for rescue organizations, which often don’t have deep pockets, but Parrot believes it can also be used for construction work as well. The drone itself is fairly small and Parrot’s press release states that the drone is ” is easy to set up, easy to fly and easy to repair.”

The Bebop-Pro Therma isn’t the only new drone that Parrot announced on Tuesday. The $5,000 Parrot Bluegrass is the company’s first drone marketed to the agricultural industry. The Bluegrass can fly for 25 minutes on a single charge, allowing it to survey 30 hectares of farmland. The drone’s camera and built-in sensor will send information back to the farmer, allowing them to determine which crops are healthy. It can also be used to keep watch on livestock. As with the Bebop-Pro Thermal, size is another selling point, this one being small enough to fit into most bags for easy transport and storage.

These drones mark one of Parrot’s hardest pushes to enter the commercial drone market, but the French company is hardly a newcomer to the world of drones. Founded in 1994, the company has made name for itself by producing consumer drones which are often used as toys. They allow users to fly the drones around their neighborhoods, take pictures, and capture video. In our list of the best drones on the market, we called the Parrot Mambo one of the best drones for kids.

Editor’s Recommendations

• Drones can help when disaster strikes, but only when they’re allowed to
• The top 10 most expensive drones that you (a civilian) can buy
• U.S. military can now destroy your drone if you fly it in a restricted area
• Hobby drones are hampering wildfire air crews in California
• Wish you could fly? Here are the best drones on the market right now