ANAFI THERMAL: The thermal ultra-compact and lightweight drone solution dedicated to all professionals
Parrot, the leading European drone group, has announced ANAFI Thermal: the all-in-one, drone-based solution that provides easy to use, sophisticated and high-quality thermography (drone + sensor + software), with proven reliability and outstanding performance.
Parrot has evolved its existing ANAFI platform to create this lightweight and easy-to-use solution specifically engineered to support a wide range of industries. As well as the built-in 4K HDR camera, ANAFI Thermal integrates a FLIR® thermal sensor – a benchmark product in this sector – capable of letting users see thermal imaging quickly and efficiently.
With ANAFI Thermal, users can view live thermal and RGB images (4K HDR) of surfaces, structures or at-risk areas that the drone captures while in flight, creating the opportunity to better understand areas monitored and take immediate action.
Users of ANAFI Thermal can collect previously inaccessible information and data at a fraction of the cost, while increasing efficiency and productivity in a secure way.
With this unrivalled solution, Parrot is reinforcing its commitment to the professional drone market to revolutionise the way many industries and trades operate. The ANAFI Thermal offers a wide range of industries an all-in-one solution that can be adapted to different requirements and needs. ANAFI Thermal will provide a solution to:
· Building, construction, public works and real estate professionals
· Experts in civil security and rescue services
· Energy producers and transporters
· Environment and preservation organisations
ANAFI Thermal
Available from May 2019 via Parrot.com and from official Parrot resellers. Price excl. VAT: £1,700.00
ANAFI Thermal: two high-precision cameras – thermal and RGB 4K
Parrot’s Paris-based engineers have evolved the existing ANAFI platform to create ANAFI Thermal. With exceptional features and performance, the drone embeds sophisticated software developed after thousands of hours of rigorous testing, research and development.
ANAFI Thermal’s gimbal embeds two built-in miniature cameras (thermal and RGB 4K) stabilised on three axes for sharp videos and clear pictures whatever the flight conditions:
· A FLIR® radiometric thermal-imaging camera (resolution 160×120 / temperature range -10° to +400°C). It reveals the invisible and takes live temperature readings. Directly from the FreeFlight 6 app, the pilot can instantly identify areas of heat loss, in both hot and cold spots, and isolate subjects from their surroundings.
· A 4K HDR camera with 21MP Sony sensor, essential for the visual inspection of a surface or building. It provides precise photo and video footage, crucial when capturing images of search areas, for example. Extend the capabilities of ANAFI Thermal to build 3D images of building and carry out 3D inspections after the flight and take dimensions with the Pix4DModel app.
Images of the visible and the invisible can be combined directly by the FreeFlight 6 app. Each element of the environment then appears in high precision with the representation of thermal leaks or temperature differences superimposed.
A unique feature for drones of this category, ANAFI Thermal’s gimbal vertically tilts to +/-90°. This makes it possible to inspect beneath structures in Zenith View or roofs and flat surfaces in Nadir View. Thanks to the x3 digital zoom, the pilot can examine results in 4K mode or with thermal imaging, hard-to-reach elements or the details of a scene, without taking any risks.
ANAFI Thermal: Compact, lightweight, powerful and portable
Lightweight (315g) and ultra-compact, with its unique folding design, ANAFI Thermal can accompany professionals in a wide range of industries. For professionals working in rescue services, civil security and inspection, speed of reaction is paramount. ANAFI Thermal unfolds and becomes operational in three seconds! Its huge power enables it to fly over a scene or reach an area to be inspected at a speed of 55km/h and it withstands winds of up to 50km/h, remaining operational even in complex conditions and environments.
With more than 1.25 hours (78 minutes) of cumulative flight[1] (three batteries lasting 26 min each), ANAFI Thermal’s flight-time capability is a unique feature on the commercial drone market. It covers vast areas and gives the professional the time required for the assignment, without unnecessary stress or pressure. Equipped with a USB-C connection, ANAFI Thermal’s batteries can be recharged from any source (computer, power-bank, 12V vehicle system, etc.).
Its Parrot Skycontroller 3 remote control ensures a powerful and reliable WiFi connection, up to 4km2, meaning teams can stay at a safe distance from at-risk or difficult to access areas.
ANAFI Thermal: making thermal imaging accessible to everyone
ANAFI Thermal flight parameters are available via the FreeFlight 6 app, ensuring they are accessible and can accompany the user on every assignment. Thanks to its ergonomic interface and intuitive operation, the pilot can easily switch from a thermal imaging to RGB view or merge the two, to enhance the readability of the image.
The real-time analysis of what is captured by ANAFI Thermal is completed by the app’s built-in tools, which:
· Display the estimated temperature of an image element with a simple tap on the screen
· Freeze frame to stay on a specific element and remove any doubts
The operator can observe the thermal differences on-screen by selecting one of the three groups of settings available:
· Relative: the scene is coloured with a gradient colour scale from the coldest temperature on the scene to the hottest. This group displays the extent of temperature differences.
· Absolute: the user manually chooses the temperature range used to set the colour gradient. The user simply needs to set a bracket for the temperature values.
· Spot: this mode is used to instantly identify thermal anomalies. Only the hottest or coldest spots are isolated.
The images and videos captured (Thermal/RGB) are recorded on the drone’s 16GB microSD card. Content captured can be viewed immediately afterwards through the FreeFlight 6 app and shared in seconds, directly through the app or via a computer.
The settings group can then be modified to isolate a particular element or analyse the temperatures of a scene. Compatible with the FLIR® Tools software solution, professionals can also quickly edit and analyse images, and very simply produce inspection reports in PDF format.
ANAFI Thermal: built with safety in mind
ANAFI Thermal is the latest solution engineered by Parrot, and benefits from the company’s 10 years of technological expertise in drone development.
To ensure its safety, ANAFI Thermal is loaded with sensors and a powerful built-in autopilot function. This demonstrates stability and manoeuvrability with exceptional accuracy.
For perfectly controlled and safe flights, the pilot can edit and adapt the parameters of the quadricopter to their flight environment[2] by:
· Setting the flight altitude;
· Marking out a flight zone by setting up a geo fence;
· Creating a flight plan with the FlightPlan feature. This flight can be repeated as many times as required to measure changing situations or even to record before/after shots of an operation, for example;
· Activating the ‘Return Home’ (RTH) function. With one press of the dedicated button, ANAFI Thermal automatically returns to its take-off point thanks to the precision of its GPS and its ‘Precise Home’ visual recognition function.
Finally, its smart battery calculates the flight time remaining and the distance it needs to cover to return to its take-off point. If the charge level becomes critical, an alert warns the pilot. Without requiring any action, ANAFI Thermal then launches a procedure to return to its take-off point.
ANAFI Thermal: who is it for and how is it used?
ANAFI Thermal is a complete solution that’s perfectly adapted to the needs of building industry professionals (eg. roofers, insulation and thermal inspection specialists), major public works and construction groups, installers of solar panels, energy suppliers and transporters, civil security services and rescue services such as firefighters and policemen. Lightweight and ultra-compact, it can always be to hand.
For building professionals, ANAFI Thermal can be used to obtain an overview of the thermal losses of a façade or a roof, for example, offering cost control and removing the need for complex equipment installation (ladders, scaffolding, etc.).
Civil security services can, remotely and post-intervention, monitor hot points and decide whether, according to the results observed, to retain a team/equipment on site. Whether using 4K images or thermal rendering, searching for people in rugged areas can be faster, without endangering the teams.
Energy suppliers and transporters can identify a power failure on a high-voltage cable within minutes or even isolate a defective solar panel.
Organisations for the protection of the environment and species also benefit from drone technology. Discreet and silent, ANAFI Thermal does not cause stress to animals. This makes it possible to observe, identify and count species while remaining at a distance and protect animals from poaching, for example.
[1] – Flight time can vary depending on flight modes and conditions.
[2] – Always check local legislation before flying.