They seem to be intrusive, nasty little spy things that will invade my backyard.
In truth they are hi tech kites. They sport cameras, GPS, Return To Home buttons and more.
There are a couple of bars to measure:
You want to use your phone as the First Person View (FPV)?
This allows for more money put into the construction of the drone. But the downside is the possibility for delay and lag.
Is the signal 5.8 ghz or 2.4 ghz?
Brushless motors? They last much longer as these things heat up in use.
Is there a camera? If yes, is it gimbaled? If not you cannot adjust the view or the shaking of the copter may be problematic.
There are a wealth of options. Your budget and interest level will dictate what you buy.
From $100 to well over $2,000 - your choice.
You pay for the bells and whistles in options as well as variables such as flight time. A cheap quad will fly for 5 minutes where a $2,000 quad has forty minutes of flight time per charge.
And of course you'll need replacement parts:
Blades
Pins
Screws
Guards
As well as "you need this" items:
Spare battery
Transport case
I waded into the shallow end.
A Contixo F22
- TONS OF FEATURES FOR ALL LEVELS OF EXPERIENCE - Includes Selfie/Gesture Mode, Follow Me, Headless Mode, Automatic Hovering (Auto Hover) / Altitude Hold, First Person View (FPV), 1-Key Takeoff & Landing / Auto Return, TapFly (Fly by Tapping via Smartphone & App), Point of Interest (360° Following Rotation, Auto Hover in Circular Rotation), Fail-Safe Return To Home, & More!
- BUILT-IN, INTEGRATED 1080P HD WiFi CAMERA - Allows you to both take photos or record live video. Use your smartphone and free downloadable app to fly and operate your Contixo F22 RC Remote & App Controlled drone, live stream video during flight for First Person View (FPV), Bird's Eye View, etc. Comes with adjustable 2.4 GHz 1080P 25fps Wi-Fi HD camera (100m~200m; 300ft~600ft). Works with both iPhone iOS and Google Android devices.
- PRE-ASSEMBLED & COMPACT DESIGN - No need to assemble or put together the drone. It is ready to fly right out of the box. The small, compact, and extremely portable design makes it fun to take it anywhere and everywhere you go.
- INCLUDES CUSTOM STORAGE CARRYING CASE - Made for the Contixo F22 RC quadcopter drone, this exclusive carrying case allows you to safely store and transport your new hobby toy. Never worry about removing and/or uninstalling the propellers or disassembling the drone again. This carrying case makes it safe and very convenient to carry your flying RC vehicle around.
I will add a caveat that the Facebook page for Contixo has a lot of mostly negative commentary as far as customer support is concerned. I have not tried to access CS so I cannot speak to it but I have emailed for sources for parts. I will update depending on reply.
(Within hours I had a reply although no resolution yet)
(Within hours I had a reply although no resolution yet)
For less than $200 you can be flying in minutes.
There are disadvantages to the cheaper product. No guards around the propellers. No real landing gear...just three u bars affixed to the bottom - this means ground clearance is lower than you want. If you land in grass taller than one inch, it'll be a nasty landing. Sexy it is not. Functional it is. (Yoda, is that you?)
It is powerful enough, the app is helpful the pictures and videos it captures are nice. That you can carry it in a hand sized bag is a super plus. You are not packing luggage to bring your quadcopter to the park.
You like kites?
Oh, by the way...in January 2019 the F.A.A. changed registration regulations - you must register ANY drone regardless of weight or size and can no longer fly any higher than 400 feet.
