Parrot Mambo Quadcopter Drone Review
UPDATED :
Parrot Drones are all about fun. Mambo is no exception. Mounted with a toy cannon and naughty eyes it is perfect for family fun.
Out of the box
The Mambo comes in a nice compact box with everything all set and ready to go. It looks cool and kind of reminded me of a wasp with its slick shape and eerie glowing green eyes.
I was really excited to get this naughty drone in the air with its cannon and arsenal of brightly coloured ammunition. This was going to be GOLD!
Setup & Controls
Setup is really easy, just place the battery in the drone and forget about it. Charging the battery is easy and when the little green light stays on you're good to go.
This little critter has a few tricks up its sleeve. If you just have your smartphone to use as a controller you will find it somewhat slow going through all the menus just to find the tricks and see what they all do.
Thankfully I was using the Parrot Flypad which has several buttons enabling me to access the different tricks and manoeuvres easily, which made me look like a pro. The manual is super user friendly and explains all you need to know to get off the ground immediately.
Taking Flight
I didn't realise this until I had flown a few times but there are two ways to get into the air. You either press the take-off button or use another button which lets you throw it into the air and watch it spin up and enter into a hover all by itself.
This drone is definitely a party entertainer, or depending on the situation, a ninja ready to spring into action should a rival drone enter the skies! Flying is fast and responsive and light wind doesn't bother it too much.
You have several configurations, including HULL mode, where you have prop guards on as well as the various accessories that come with the drone.
All of which add extra weight and I found increases or decreases the battery life significantly depending on how many you have on.
I would recommend using hull mode if you are just starting out, or letting your friends have a go... it adds valuable protection and the hull takes all the pounding, leaving the props safe.
Accessories
Mambo has two main accessories. The Claw and the Cannon. The Claw is a little pincer arm at the front of the drone that can carry small objects.
In theory it operates better than in practice but it's a fun little toy that you will probably only use a few times.
The Cannon however will be your go-to accessory most of the time. I mean it shoots balls at a surprising range and power. The first time I shot the bullet it went way further than expected and lost it. Good thing the box comes with 50.
The cannon holds 6 bullets and you of course shouldn't shoot it at people, but you can easily set up targets and take turns seeing who can get the most points.
If you aren't going to use the Claw or the Cannon, removing them will give you longer battery life for buzzing around the house and annoying people.
HIGHLIGHTS
-
It has a cannon!
-
Performs great tricks
-
Good flight time
Tricks, Fun and Flypad
This is a great first drone and an awesome one for kids. It has crash protection, great flight time and it really entertains. Doing tricks at the press of a button make people think you are actually doing them.
I made the mistake of telling one person I wasn't doing them myself and they thought I was a fraud! ...some things, like magician's secrets are best kept to ourselves.
It does barrel rolls and flips both left and right and front and back. I used the Flypad which made it all super easy.
The Flypad also has a much longer range than your phone so I recommend making the purchase. It's an extra $70 but when compared to a smartphone, it will make you look like a pro.
| Parrot Swing Drone Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Model | Mambo |
| Manufacturer | Parrot |
| Type | Quad |
| Width | 180mm with bumpers |
| Radio control type | Bluetooth |
| Battery | 550 mAh Lipo |
| Flight controller/range | 20m with smartphone. 60m with Parrot Flypad |
| Flight time | 7 mins in quad mode. 8-9 mins |
| Price | $199 |
Parrot Mambo Flight Report
PERFORMANCE/HANDLING
This drone is zippy, responsive and performs rolls and flips at the press of a button. It far exceeds the range that Parrot have given it and I recommend purchasing the Flypad if you buy this for better control.
FLIGHT TIME
You will get more flight time with no attachments on the drone and even with them on. flight time is a generous 7-8 minutes depending how hard you push it.
FINAL WORD
A beautiful drone to fly and priced reasonably. It entertains on many levels and with the ability to do tricks, be safe and have good flight time, it represents an excellent Christmas gift for big and small kids.
