ANAFI Ai vs ANAFI UKR by Parrot

ANAFI Ai carries a 48 MP (8000 x 6000) camera on a 1/2-inch Quad Bayer CMOS sensor with HDR10 and a 6x digital zoom that stays lossless up to 2x at 4K. ANAFI UKR uses a 21 MP RGB camera on a 1/2.4-inch Sony IMX230 sensor with 35x digital zoom, and adds a 640 x 512 FLIR Boson+ thermal camera that ANAFI Ai does not have. Both record 4K video at up to 200 Mbps. ANAFI Ai produces higher-resolution still images for mapping and photogrammetry, while ANAFI UKR trades pixel count for long-distance zoom and the ability to see heat signatures.

ANAFI Ai flies for about 32 minutes on its 2700 mAh battery and recharges in roughly 1 hour. ANAFI UKR reaches 38 minutes on the standard 6,800 mAh smart battery and 50 minutes on the 20,200 mAh XLR pack, though the larger pack needs about 5 hours to charge compared with 2.5 hours for the standard one. Both drones use hot-swappable batteries, so a crew can keep working by exchanging packs in the field. ANAFI UKR offers the longer mission window, while ANAFI Ai charges much faster between flights.

ANAFI Ai connects through Wi-Fi and 4G LTE across 28 bands, so its control range is effectively unlimited wherever there is cellular coverage, with 1080p/30 live streaming at about 300 ms latency. ANAFI UKR combines encrypted dual-band Wi-Fi (5 km), 5G, a MARS radio link (15 km) and LoRa (20 km), giving it several independent paths if one fails. ANAFI Ai depends on a cellular network being available, whereas ANAFI UKR keeps working in remote or contested areas through its own radios. Pilots operating beyond cell coverage will find ANAFI UKR the more dependable link.

ANAFI Ai offers 360° obstacle avoidance, SLAM and visual odometry alongside GPS, GLONASS and Galileo positioning, plus automatic return-to-home and geofencing. ANAFI UKR uses front and vertical stereo cameras for AI obstacle avoidance and navigates with visual-inertial odometry, optical navigation and satellite image matching in addition to GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BeiDou. That extra navigation layer lets it operate in GNSS-denied environments and even indoors. For routine outdoor survey flights, both are well covered, but only ANAFI UKR is designed to keep flying when satellite signals are jammed or unavailable.

ANAFI Ai includes AI target following and autonomous framing, along with mission planning, area mapping and photogrammetry processing through FreeFlight 7. ANAFI UKR provides AI-powered object tracking, gesture recognition control, mission learning and environment mapping, and can coordinate swarms over its MARS radio. Both support live streaming and mission automation, but the emphasis differs. ANAFI Ai is tuned to repeatable survey workflows, while ANAFI UKR is tuned to tactical situations where a team may run several drones together.

ANAFI Ai weighs 0.898 kg and measures 32 x 44 x 11.8 cm unfolded, with carbon fiber arms and a rating of IP53. ANAFI UKR weighs 0.959 kg at standard mass and 1.45 kg at maximum take-off, folds down to 245 x 160 x 116 mm, and is also IP53 rated. Its operating range of -35°C to 50°C is much wider than the -10°C to 40°C of ANAFI Ai, and it is drop-tested from 1 m for field use. Both fit in a backpack, but ANAFI UKR is built to survive harsher handling and temperatures.

ANAFI UKR is the stronger fit for public safety, emergency response and tactical surveillance because it adds thermal imaging, 35x zoom, long-range encrypted radios and GNSS-denied navigation. Thermal imaging allows searches in darkness and detection of heat sources that a visible-light camera cannot show. ANAFI Ai can still handle visual inspection of structures, construction sites and agriculture, and its 4G piloting suits remote operations in covered areas. For agencies that need thermal capability and security compliance, ANAFI UKR is the better choice; for visual-only inspection on a smaller budget, ANAFI Ai is sufficient.

ANAFI Ai is better aligned with mapping and surveying because its 48 MP sensor captures more detail per image, and FreeFlight 7 supports mission planning and photogrammetry processing. It is also priced at USD 4,000 to 5,000, compared with USD 16,000 to 22,000 for ANAFI UKR, so it delivers survey capability at a lower cost of entry. ANAFI UKR has a 2-year warranty versus 1 year for ANAFI Ai, but most of its added cost goes to thermal imaging and secure communications. Teams focused on mapping, construction and agriculture will get more value from ANAFI Ai.