Parrot drones are some of the best drones outside of DJI, being pretty popular in their own right as well. As Parrot drones grow in popularity, we’ve found that quite a few people initially have trouble figuring out how to connect their new Parrot drone to the phone and the controller. Manuals can be confusing, to say the least, so if your manual has you scratching your head, how do you connect to a Parrot drone?
To connect to a Parrot drone, you need to download the appropriate Parrot app on your smartphone. These apps are available for both Android and iOS devices. Next, you need to connect to your drone’s Wi-Fi network through your smartphone and then use the app to configure the connection.
The thing you need to understand about Parrot drones is that they require you to use a smartphone or tablet with a compatible flight control app for you to be able to successfully connect. Thankfully, the apps that Parrot drones use are available for everyone to download. Of course, it is also great that Parrot drones aren’t really too difficult to connect to your phone once you know how to do it.
How to connect Parrot ANAFI to phone?
1. Download the FreeFlight 6 app
When connecting to a Parrot drone, the first and most important part is to make sure that you download the Freeflight 6 app on your phone. This can be downloaded on any smart device that’s running Android or iOS.
2. Power up the drone
Before attempting to power the drone up, the first thing you need to do is to make sure that its batteries are fully charged. After charging the battery, insert it into the drone so that the drone will begin initializing. Its engines will start making sounds until the drone stabilizes. That means that the drone has now been powered up.
3. Connect to the drone’s Wi-Fi network
When the drone has powered up, it will now begin to send out its own Wi-Fi signals. The next thing you need to do is to go to your phone and select its Wi-Fi settings so that you can connect to your Parrot drone’s Wi-Fi network. The name of the network will depend on the model of the Parrot drone you are using.
4. Launch the FreeFlight 6 app
Once the drone has been connected to the phone using the Parrot drone’s Wi-Fi network, you can confirm this by launching the Freeflight 6 app. From there, you will be able to see the option to update the drone’s firmware, which you should do in case the drone has not been updated to its latest firmware. After that, you can now start piloting your drone by tapping on the start now button found on the Freeflight app.
» MORE: Do Parrot Drones Have Geofencing (& How to Unlock)
How to connect Parrot Bebop 2 to SkyController?
1. Download the FreeFlight Pro app
When connecting your Parrot drone to a SkyController, the first thing you need to do is to download the free app that is available for Android and iOS users. The app to look for is the Parrot FreeFlight Pro app, which should be available on your phone’s app store.
- Download FreeFlight Pro App for Android
- Download FreeFlight Pro App for iOS
2. Turn the drone on
After downloading the FreeFlight Pro app on your phone, the next thing you need to do is to turn the drone on. This can be done by pushing the power button on your drone. You will see the LED light blinking and the drone making an initializing sound. The drone will stabilize later on after it has finished the initialization process.
3. Link the controller to the drone
The next thing to do is to link the controller to the drone. First, connect your SkyController to your mobile device using the cables found on the controller.
From there, connect your drone to the phone using the drone’s own Wi-Fi network. To do this, look for your drone’s Wi-Fi signal in your phone’s settings. As soon as the drone has been connected to the phone, the SkyController will automatically connect to the drone as well.
4. Launch the FreeFlight Pro app
Launch the FreeFlight Pro app and you will see that the controller is connected to the drone if you see the Wi-Fi icon somewhere in the upper right part of the app. The app should automatically connect to the drone and will transmit the drone’s connection over to the SkyController via your phone, which is connected to the controller.
How to connect Parrot Jumping Sumo?
1. Download the FreeFlight Jumping app
The first thing you need to do when connecting to a Parrot Jumping Sumo is to download its app from your phone’s respective app store. Download the Parrot Jumping app on either Android or iOS. This is a free app that is available for anyone to download.
2. Power on the drone
After you have downloaded the FreeFlight Jumping app, turn on your drone. Make sure that your Jumping Sumo’s battery is fully charged. If the battery has already been fully charged, insert the battery into the drone. You will notice the drone’s LED lights blinking as the drone itself will also begin to move around.
3. Connect to the drone’s Wi-Fi
When your Parrot Jumping Sumo has been powered on, its Wi-Fi connection should now be on as well. On your smartphone, go to your Wi-Fi settings and look for the drone’s Wi-Fi network to connect to it. After connecting to the drone’s Wi-Fi network, your Jumping Sumo drone should now be connected.
4. Update the drone
To complete the connection process, go to your Freeflight 3 app and look at your Jumping Sumo’s firmware to make sure that it is updated to its latest firmware. If not, allow the app to update the drone’s firmware. After updating, simply press the start button on the screen to start piloting your Parrot Jumping Sumo.
How to connect Parrot MiniDrone?
1. Download the FreeFlight Mini app
The Parrot MiniDrone uses its own specific app that is not used by the other Parrot drones. The app to look for to download to your phone is the Parrot FreeFlight Mini app. This app should be available for free for Android and iOS devices. Remember that no other app will allow you to connect to the MiniDrone aside from the FreeFlight Mini app.
2. Activate your smartphone’s Bluetooth
The Parrot MiniDrone uses a Bluetooth connection instead of a Wi-Fi network to connect with your phone. That’s because this drone is too small to carry its own Wi-Fi transmitter. That means that you need to activate your phone’s Bluetooth so that you can connect to your MiniDrone.
3. Power on your drone
Find the power button on your Parrot MiniDrone to turn it on. You will be able to hear a few sounds coming from the drone when you turn it on. This means that the drone is initializing and is readying itself for stabilization. Once it has been turned on, the drone will now be able to connect to your phone using a Bluetooth connection.
Check on your phone’s settings to see that it has found the Bluetooth connection from the MiniDrone.
4. Launch the FreeFlight Mini app
Finally, the next thing you need to do is to launch the Parrot FreeFlight Mini app on your phone. Look for the menu on the app so that you will be able to see the MiniDrones that are within the range of your smartphone.
Once the app detects a MiniDrone, it will automatically connect to it. You will be notified of such when the messages “Sending” and “Connected” appear on your screen.
How to connect Parrot Rolling Spider?
1. Download the FreeFlight Mini app
Like the Parrot MiniDrone, the Parrot Rolling Spider uses the Parrot FreeFlight Mini app. This can be downloaded for free on your phone via its respective app store. You can download it for Android and iOS devices. No other FreeFlight app other than the FreeFlight Mini will allow you to connect to the Rolling Spider from your phone.
2. Activate your smartphone’s Bluetooth
Like the other Parrot Mini drones, the Rolling Spider uses Bluetooth because it is too small to have its own Wi-Fi transmitter. As such, it is important to turn your phone’s Bluetooth connection on to connect it to the Rolling Spider. You can do so by going to your phone’s settings or by pulling down the quick connect menu from the top of your phone’s screen.
3. Power on your drone
Find the power button on your Parrot Rolling Spider so that you can turn it on. Once you have turned it on, you may notice it moving and making sounds. Allow it to do so because this is how the Rolling Spider initializes. It will begin to stabilize later on and will eventually transmit its own Bluetooth connection, which you should be using to connect the phone to the Rolling Spider.
4. Launch the FreeFlight Mini app
Finally, you should now launch the FreeFlight Mini app on your phone so that you can connect your phone and your Rolling Spider. Simply open the app and then look for the menu, which will allow your phone to detect any Rolling Spider drones or mini drones within its range.
The app will automatically connect to the Rolling Spider when it is within the range of your phone, and you will be notified of such when the messages “Sending” and “Connected” appear on your screen.
Why won’t my drone connect?
Even though connecting to a Parrot drone is typically easy, there are some issues that you may need to look at a little closer if you have trouble connecting with the drone. Here are some of the fixes and tips that you may want to use:
- You may have downloaded the wrong app. Your drone will come with instructions on which app to download. That’s because there are specific apps that only work with specific Parrot drones.
- Turn off mobile data connection because you want your phone to connect to your drone via the Wi-Fi network the drone is transmitting.
- Close any background apps that may be open so that you can allow your phone to focus on its connection with the drone.
- If you are connecting to your drone via Bluetooth, disconnect all of the other Bluetooth devices that are connected to your phone.
- Make sure that your drone’s battery is full during the first time you connect it with your phone. Also, make sure that your phone has sufficient charge.
Why does my Parrot Bebop 2 have unstable flight?
There are quite a few reports of Parrot Bebop 2 drones experiencing malfunctions while in flight that affects the stability of the drone. These malfunctions can be hard even for a trained eye to identify, but the good news is that dealing with them isn’t so hard.
We all know that it is essential for a drone to be stable while flying or even hovering in place. If the drone isn’t stable in flight, then you can never get good-quality photos and videos, and you run the risk of crashing into obstacles or having other issues with general flight control.
So, with all that said, what may be the reasons behind your Parrot Bebop drone being unstable in flight?
1. Weak signal
Believe it or not, one of the possible reasons your Parrot Bebop 2 drone may have an unstable flight is if there is a weak signal between your drone and the controller. For a drone to fly smoothly, the connection between the drone and the controller should be strong to allow for communication between the two.
The signal can be compromised by certain obstacles such as tall buildings and trees, and power lines, which can interfere with the drone’s Wi-Fi signal connection.
A weak signal means you won’t be able to control your drone, and as such, it will fly erratically and most probably have an unstable flight. To help with this issue, avoid flying in an area with obstacles or where there may be electrical interference. Always make sure your drone and controller are well connected.
2. Your Parrot Bebop 2 drone propellers aren’t properly mounted
Propellers are arguably one of your drone’s most important components. They get your drone into the air and keep it up there until you bring it back down. Without the propellers, or if the propellers aren’t properly mounted, then you can forget about having a smooth flight with your drone, and at times won’t be able to even get the drone off the ground.
You have to be careful to attach your drone’s propellers in the proper configuration so as to create the necessary airflow to lift the drone and keep it balanced while flying. If your Parrot Bebop 2 drone’s propellers aren’t affixed where they’re supposed to be, then this may cause your drone to have an unstable flight.
» MORE: How to Fix a Vertical Camera on a Parrot Bebop
3. Damaged propellers
The slightest damage to your Parrot Bebop 2 drone’s propellers can cause your drone to have erratic flights. Just a chink or crack on one propeller is enough for your drone to exhibit unstable flight as soon as you launch it into the air. In such a case, the only option is to get new propellers.
4. Battery with insufficient charge
As you probably very well know, your drone’s battery has to be fully charged before you take it out for a flight. This is often one thing most people overlook, and you run into a lot of problems with flying the drone if you try to take it out without a full charge. In some cases, an insufficiently charged battery can cause your drone to exhibit unstable flight before it finally falls from the sky when the charge gets depleted.
To avoid this type of issue, make sure your drone’s battery is fully charged before a flight.
5. Misaligned gyroscope
The purpose of a gyroscope is to measure the rate of rotation, and it helps to keep your drone balanced. The gyroscope is used to provide your drone with stability or to maintain a reference direction. So, for your Parrot Bebop 2 drone to fly perfectly, the gyros have to be aligned.
Misaligned gyros may be responsible for your drone experiencing unstable flight, so it’s important to ensure that the gyros are aligned. To calibrate your gyroscope, use the FreeFlight App. Go to settings and press calibrate. Follow the instructions shown, and once all the axes are shown as valid, the calibration will be done.
6. Miscalibrated IMU
The IMU is important to keeping your drone straight and level. Without a well-calibrated IMU, your drone will think it’s drifting off in a certain direction and then create an opposite input, and it will become very difficult to control the drone, and you won’t have a stable flight at all.
If you suspect that the issue is with the IMU or with the compass (see below), using the manual for reference, properly calibrate your drone’s IMU and compass.
7. Miscalibrated compass
Good compass calibration is important to ensure a safe and controlled flight of your drone. If you fly your drone with a miscalibrated compass at any time, you may observe it flying erratically and with unpredictable movements. This is why it’s always important to calibrate the compass before a flight.