Parrot Swing Mini Drone is 2 drones in 1

With vertical take-off and forward flight, the Parrot Swing Mini Drone combines quadcopter and drone flight ability into 1 device. There’s durability, multiple control modes and fast charging, alongside an intuitive smartphone app and sharp camera.

Here are 4 key features of the Parrot Swing Mini Drone:

1. Multiple control options: The drone looks “like it flew straight out of a Star Wars movie,” reaching speeds close to 20 mph, The Verge notes. The Swing Mini can take off and land vertically and switch to a UAV mode during flight, offering what The Verge finds to be “faster, more maneuverable horizontal flight.” The Swing Mini can also be flown using a smartphone as a controller through the FreeFlight Mini app.

The Swing Mini also bundles a Flypad controller that attaches to a smartphone to offer more control modes. Ubergizmo.com prefers this user experience, which alsobrings added range and maneuverability.

2. Flying capabilities: The drone is “a LOT of fun to fly," The Gadgeteer notes, with its quad or plane modes being activatable on demand. The Flypad’s physical control sticks and increased range help the Swing Mini complete more advanced tricks, The Verge also writes.

"There's more than meets the eye when the Swing takes to the air," according to CNET, noting that the Swing Mini is built to be a crowd-pleaser. "If piloting a quad-copter drone isn't your cup of tea, why not try one that flies more like a plane instead?"

The Parrot Swing Mini also comes equipped to handle common accidents. While reviewing the drone, The Gadgeteer crashed and broke a propeller, but quickly swapped in a backup that was bundled in the box.

3. Battery life: The Parrot Swing Mini comes with a robust battery, with "quite fast" charging times, according to Ubergizmo. When tested by The Gadgeteer with a fully charged battery, the Swing Mini could fly “for about 10 minutes.”

Batteries are interchangeable, and the drone can be charged from a wall socket or a port on your computer. Pilots can charge one battery while flying with the other.

4. Camera: The drone’s camera can capture still images and store up to 400 pictures in its 1 GB onboard hard drive. The Swing Mini uses the camera to calculate its speed, and can take pictures while flying. You can also share images to social media using the connected Parrot app.

"The Swing isn't the easiest drone to learn,” CNET writes, “but it offers plenty of fun."