AR.Drone Parrot

Frequently asked questions

Note: The iPod Touch^®, iPhone^® and iPad^® will collectively be referred to as an "iPhone".

I am not able to establish a connection between my iPhone and the AR.Drone

Connection procedure	Touch the Settings icon on your iPhone. For improved ease of use (iPhone only), we recommend that you configure your iPhone to run in Airplane mode. Enable Wi-Fi. > The list of available Wi-Fi devices will be displayed. Select ardrone_parrot. Wait until the network name is checked.

Checking the IP address	Check the AR.Drone IP address once you have established a connection. To do this, press the arrow to the right of the network “ardrone_parrot”. An IP address starting with 192.168.1.X should appear in the IP field. If the IP address starts with 169, connection between the iPhone and the AR.Drone will not be possible. An incorrect IP address may be caused by several problems:

Possible problems	The AR.Drone has already been used with another iPhone When you connect the AR.Drone to an iPhone and start the AR.FreeFlight application, the 2 devices are paired. Before you can use the AR.Drone with another iPhone, you must unpair the AR.Drone from the previously paired iPhone. To do this: Press the Unpair button using a fine-tipped object. > The 4 LEDs located on the motors will flash red and green alternately. Deactivate then reactivate Wi-Fi on your iPhone. Reconnect the iPhone with the AR.Drone. The iPhone and the AR.Drone are too far apart Move closer to the AR.Drone Deactivate then reactivate Wi-Fi on your iPhone. Restart the AR.Drone by disconnecting the battery for at least 5 seconds and then reconnecting it. Wait until the LED located on the belly of the AR.Drone turns green. Reconnect the iPhone with the AR.Drone. The Wi-Fi signal is distorted Ensure that there are not lots of Wi-Fi networks (routers, internet boxes, etc.) in the environment where you are using the AR.Drone. Change location if necessary. Deactivate then reactivate Wi-Fi on your iPhone. Restart the AR.Drone by disconnecting the battery for at least 5 seconds and then reconnecting it. Wait until the LED located on the belly of the AR.Drone turns green. Reconnect the iPhone with the AR.Drone. The AR.Drone is already connected to another iPhone Deactivate then reactivate Wi-Fi on your iPhone. Restart the AR.Drone by disconnecting the battery for at least 5 seconds and then reconnecting it. Wait until the LED located on the belly of the AR.Drone turns green. Press the Unpair button using a fine-tipped object. > The 4 LEDs located on the motors will flash red and green alternately. Reconnect the iPhone with the AR.Drone. The AR.Drone has created a new Wi-Fi network because it is unable to detect the one stored by the iPhone Deactivate then reactivate Wi-Fi on your iPhone. Reconnect the iPhone with the AR.Drone. The AR.Drone has the same name as another AR.Drone nearby Turn off the other AR.Drone then rename your AR.Drone. See the question "How do I change the name by which the AR.Drone is seen by my iPhone?".

What do I do once I have established a connection between my iPhone and the AR.Drone? Where can I find the AR.FreeFlight application?

The application enabling you to pilot the AR.Drone is available from the App Store. Log on to the App Store, then search for and download the FreeFlight application.

Which devices can I use the AR.Drone with?

Parrot has developed several applications that allow you to use the AR.Drone with the following devices:

- iPod touch 1G, iPod touch 2G, iPod touch 3G, iPod Touch 4G;
- iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4;
- iPad.
- Click here for more information on AR.Drone compatibility with Android phones.

Applications have been developed by third parties to ensure compatibility of the AR.Drone with other telephone operating systems (Symbian). Parrot is not responsible for the availability or proper functioning of these applications with the AR.Drone.
With the exception of FreeFlight, all the games developed by Parrot for the iPhone (e.g.: AR.Flying Ace, AR.Pursuit) are not available for the Android.

What is the meaning of the error messages ?

There are 3 types of error messages:

messages indicating start-up problems ;
alert messages. These messages are simple warnings. They do not stop you from controlling the AR.Drone ;
emergency messages. Flying is not possible with an emergency message on the screen.

Start-up problems

Message	Explanation / Correction
WIFI NOT REACHABLE	The iPhone WiFi is disabled Activate WiFi on your iPhone. To do this, select Settings > Wi-Fi.
CONTROL LINK NOT AVAILABLE	The iPhone is not connected to the AR.Drone The iPhone has lost connection to the AR.Drone Refer to the "I cannot establish the connection between my AR.Drone and my iPhone".
START NOT RECEIVED	The take off command has not been registered Note : This message may appear then disappear straight away and the AR. Drone takes off just after. Restart the AR.Drone. If the problem persists, it may be necessary to replace the mother board.
VIDEO CONNECTION ALERT	The video flows from the AR.Drone are not being sent to the iPhone Check the connections of the video ribbon cables. View the repair videos for more information. If the problem persists, it may be necessary to replace the mother board.

Alert messages

Message	Explanation / Correction
VISION ALERT	The vertical camera cannot carry out a speed measurement. (This problem can occur at low lighting levels). Note : The AR.Drone may drift horizontally without any action on your part. Fly the AR.Drone at a height between 1 and 6m. Use the AR.Drone in better lighting conditions.
ULTRASOUND ALERT	The altitude measurement is not available (The device may fly too high or too low). The ultrasound signals are disturbed. Note : The AR.Drone may climb or drop without any action on your part. Fly the AR.Drone at a height between 1 and 6m. Check that the altimeter is not obstructed (leaves, dust, etc.). If the problem persists, it may be necessary to replace the navigation card.
BATTERY LOW ALERT	The battery is nearly discharged Note : When the battery is discharged, the AR.Drone lands automatically. Change or recharge the battery of the AR.Drone.

Emergency messages

Message	Explanation / Correction
MOTORS EMERGENCY	Problem with one or several motors Check the connections and state of the 4 motors. Check if the latest update has been installed on the AR.Drone. If the problem persists, it may be necessary to replace one or more motors.
USER EMERGENCY	You have just pressed the emergency button Place the AR.Drone on a flat surface and press the Reset button.
CUT OUT EMERGENCY	One or more propellers blocked One or more gears blocked Check that the propellers turn correctly. Then place the AR.Drone on a flat surface and press the Reset button.
TOO MUCH ANGLE EMERGENCY	The AR.Drone is tilted too much (e.g. an impact suffered during flight) You have turned the AR.Drone over (e.g. to check the colour of the system LED) Change or recharge the battery of the AR.Drone.

What do the different LED colours mean?

There are 2 types of LED on the AR.Drone: the 4 motor LEDs located close to the propellers and the system LED located on the belly of the AR.Drone.

Motor LEDs

LED behaviour	Meaning
The 4 LEDs are red	Power is connected
Each LED flashes red, one after the other	The motors are starting up.
The 4 LEDS flash green	The AR.Drone is currently taking off or landing.
The 2 front LEDs are green - The 2 rear LEDs are red	The AR.Drone is currently flying. These colours make it easy for you to distinguish the front and the rear of the AR.Drone (when at a distance from the device).
The 4 LEDS flash red and green	The memory of the AR.Drone has just been erased by pressing on the Unpair button.

System LED

Wait for 20 seconds after having connected the battery to the AR.Drone, then check the colour of the system LED. Avoid turning the AR.Drone upside down when you check the colour of the system LED. It is better to simply raise it high enough to look underneath. If the LED is green, you can take off. If after 20 seconds the LED is either red or orange, disconnect then reconnect the battery.

My AR.Drone does not fly straight

You may have selected Flat Trim but the AR.Drone is not on a flat surface.
1. Start the AR.FreeFlight application and press the key .
2. Make sure that the AR.Drone is settled on a flat surface before pressing Flat trim.
3. Press OK.
In the AR.Drone's settings, check that the Trim Select option has been set to Auto.

I have broken a part on the AR.Drone and I want to repair it myself

Some spare parts can be obtained from the place where you purchased the product. All spare parts can be obtained from our website.

Video tutorials on replacing spare parts can be viewed here.

I have broken a part on the AR.Drone and I would prefer to not repair it myself

Contact your retailer who will give you a quote to repair your AR.Drone.

Parrot also offers a repair service. Please contact us at the following address: aftersales@parrot.com.

Where can I find my AR.Drone serial number ?

The AR.Drone serial number is written in white on a black label located inside the battery compartment. It can also be found on the AR.Drone packaging below the bar code.

How do I update the AR.Drone?

Update procedures are available here.

What is the Emergency key used for?

The Emergency key cuts out the AR.Drone's engines. The AR.Drone will fall from whatever height it is currently at. You should therefore only press this key in a genuine emergency. In most scenarios, simply landing the AR.Drone is enough to resolve any problems. You can also take your finger off the iPhone: the AR.Drone will automatically stabilise.

How do I change the name which the AR.Drone is known as by my iPhone?

To change the name which the AR.Drone is known as by your iPhone and other Wi-Fi peripherals.

Start the AR.FreeFlight application.
Press the key .
You can change the name in the SSID field. Touch the AR.Drone's current name (ardrone_parrot), then enter the new name.
> You must exit the application, restart the AR.Drone, and re-establish the connection with the iPhone for the new name to be taken into account.

What does it mean when the LEDs 1 2 and 3 blink ?

These LEDs correpond to the battery cells. They blink when the corresponding cells are balancing. This blinking does not indicate a progression of the battery charging progress.

How can I be sure that I am not using a counterfeit battery ?

Using a counterfeit Lithium Polymer battery which does not meet the quality requirements defined by Parrot can cause irreversible damages to the AR.Drone as well as serious injuries to persons or property. If you purchased a spare battery or if you are uncertain about its genuineness, make sure your battery contains this label, with 2 codes (different on each battery): one 6 digit code and one 10 digit code.