Drones are the “trending” gadget today.
While Amazon experimented with drones to deliver products, photographers are trying to use drones to get pictures at angles that were hitherto unimagined, or employed VFX to get.
- All that is about to change as drones are changing the way the world is viewed, literally!
- That being said, there’s also the price of these gadgets to consider.
- It’s impossible for someone to own one of these at the existing price point. But where there are expensive, high end products, there are the budget options which deliver the same experience at a lower price point.
- Would you need to compromise in order to get the most out of these drones by paying less? Read on to find out!
Best features of this Top Drone under $200: Syma X5c
The Syma X5C 2.4G 6 Axis Gyro is a great quad copter equipped with incredible functions and add-ons. This model is fabulous for first time flyers and also the established flyers. The Syma x5c comes with a 2.4GHz remote control which possesses two modes and controls the drone. The remote control doesn’t include batteries.
- It comes with a button on the top right hand of the controller by which front, back flips and rolls can be activated. The transmitter is compact and fits well in the hands, allowing the user to control the drone better. The quad copter is super responsive, the instant the user hits a specific direction on the transmitter, the drone will zip towards that direction.
- The charge time is two hours, flight time is 6-8 minutes (this could be higher or lower depending on how aggressively it is flown, how frequently the user changes the directions, or if the recording feature is enabled) and a flight range of hundred metres.
- It can zoom through the air with ease. It also has LED lights to help differentiate the front and back of the quad copter and also aids in flying day/night .
- The total weight of the drone is just 96 grams. The package which comes ready to fly, includes stock batteries, instruction manual, USB cable, four main propellers (plus two spare), remote control, a screw driver and an SD card to help enable uploading the camera footage to a computer.
[amazon box=”B00MNG37C2″ ]
The Syma x5c battery is a 500mAh Li-Po battery, which provides high performance and quality to the quad. It is cheap, can be procured and easily replaced. It also comes with an internal battery which can be charged using the USB cable.
The Syma x5c has a HD camera with the following specifications:
- Camera – 2.0 M Pixel
- Video – 720p (1280 x 720 at 30 frames per second)
- Pictures – 1280 x720
The Syma x5c can also capture “still” photos and videos. Snapshots can be taken after freezing a recorded video. The build quality of this drone is pretty stunning. It looks dainty, though it is made of hard plastic. It is extremely durable, which is a very basic and essential quality for it to fly in the air without suffering damage or shattering in stable wind conditions.
The price of the Syma x5c drone is relatively lower than the other drones in the market and is super fun to fly. Syma is well known for producing quality and reliable quad copters. The Syma x5c-1 is a classic example and comes with the “Headless” feature. This mode allows the user to use the control stick to fly in any direction, regardless of the drone’s orientation.
It is capable of the same features as in its elder sibling, with just a few changes in the size of the box, the placement of its camera and function buttons. Mainly the company has changed what buttons needs to be pressed for the X5c vs. X5c-1. You can also have a look at the other best cheap drones oat our blog here.
The remote controlled camera button is a great feature in Syma x5c-1, for those wishing to retain battery usage and click snap shots when at a reasonable altitude.
Every flight is smooth. It can be flown indoors/outdoors. Once the user gets comfortable with the controls, the prop guards can be removed from each other. This will let it fly for a longer period of time, because of reduced weight
Negative points
- It is a lot slower and less agile than the others in the market. For more experienced drone users, this might not be the best buy.
- The instructions in the manual are poorly written and hard to follow.
- Not large enough for it to carry a quality camera.
- No “headless” mode.
- The camera’s though HD, image quality is not too clear and there are some shaky pictures.
- Battery back ups are a must as it gets only about 6-8 minutes.
- Due to this limited capacity, it also does not allow the drone to be in air for long thus leading to frequent crashing because the propellers shut down when the battery goes off during flight.
[amazon box=”B00MNG37C2″ ]
- The lenses pop off after every landing.
- There are number of purely decorative buttons on the remote.
- The flying height of this drone is limited. It goes out of radio control capacity after a certain height. The remote distance is slated at a maximum of 50 metres.
- Suitable for indoor flying than outdoor.
- Handles only moderate wind when taken outdoors.
- It cannot sustain in high intensity winds.
- Synchronizing the controller with the quad copter can be trying sometimes.
- Cheap USB charging cable.
- It comes in an all white colour design which is nothing unique and also flakes off easily.
Advantages over competition
- Batteries can be replaced easily
- It is not bulky like the others in the market. Due to the drone’s lightweight design, when it crashes to the ground the impact is not that strong
- It is very stable when airborne, because it applies the 6-axis gyro technology
- The flip stunts can be easily performed without a complicated set of controls
- The frames are firm enough to withstand any crash while up in the air
- Equipped with a HD camera, it is detachable unlike most other brands. If not recording the camera can be removed, eliminating the extra weight which will help in flying it for a longer time
- It comes with extra four extra propeller blades in case of any damage and also the package includes blades which can be added to the drone to serve as a protective guard. While prop guards reduce flight time by a small degree, they do an excellent job at preserving the drone.
- Bigger in size than other budget drones, which makes it easier to keep an eye on from a distance
- Due to the availability of two modes, the Syma x5c can be used indoors by employing the slower or softer mode and when flown outdoors the faster mode can be chosen. The remote control allows the user to fly a further distance and also has an anti-interference due to the spread spectrum technology used.
- The spare parts are sold at affordable prices and easily available.
Conclusion
The Syma x5c is very agile and certainly the best value for money and experience. The advanced control technology ensures a further communication distance with the remote and a faster transmission of the signal for faster response time from the drone.
The price is very reasonable for a drone and the thrilling experience from the product is well worth it. It is highly recommended for someone who is a beginner getting into flying quad copters. This product provides an ideal learning platform. Although the flight time is less, batteries are cheap and replaceable, it is definitely recommended for customers interested in getting into the more expensive hobby of drones.
The final thing to remember when flying the drone is in the air is to relax. Small corrections, slow movements, and frequent practicing will go a long way to making the drone a lot more fun. This combination of quality and affordability is perhaps what makes the Syma x5c as popular as it is.
Contents