Are you wondering what is small, compact sized drone? They are the ultimate choice for drone pilots who do not want their mobility to be hampered by drones with excessively large statures. We got our hands on a portable drone just recently and thought to share with you what we think about it.
Table of Contents
Specifications:
- Wi-Fi FPV with 0.3MP camera
- Inverted Flight, 3D Flip
- Headless flight mode
- One key return to home
- 6-axis gyroscope
- LED lights for night flights
- 7V 220 mAh Li-Po battery
- Flight duration of around 7-10 minutes
- Colors: black, gold, slivery and rose
- Foldable size: 4.5 x 4.5 x 2.9cm
- Unfoldable size: 5.3 x 5.3 x 2.9cm
The FQ11 is available in two variants: one with a WiFi camera and the other without it. We got our hands on the one with 0.3MP WiFi camera. In the beginning, I did not pin too many hopes to mini or nano drones. I skeptical of the fact that how come a device of such small size is able to provide you a decent flying experience. As I found out, I was wrong.
Packaging and unboxing
The packaging is quite small and includes everything that you will be needing to run this machine ranging from smartphone holder, screwdriver, screws, charging cable, drone and a dedicated controller. The screwdriver is only used for the battery cover on the drone itself so do not get phased away by the inclusion of this hand tool since you will not be required to assemble anything from scratch. This is a completely Ready to Fly drone.
Design and Reliability
As far as the design is concerned, FQ11 boasts a prolific design that will blow your mind away. The wings can be folded and in this condition, the compact sized drone can be placed onto a stand in the controller. Now, you can transport it anywhere with the minimum possible fuss. I felt it so much comfortable to carry it around with me that I even stuffed it into my trousers pockets.
The FQ11 does not come with traditional landing gear as is the case with other mini drones. Mini or nano drones with landing gear consisting of 100% plastic material can easily flip over in case of rough landing. With an additional landing gear made of rubber, they have gotten rid of this issue quite well. In case of rough landings, the rubber acts as the shock absorber and in turn the drone does not flip over. The LED lights make this compact sized drone an excellent choice for night time flight excursions. They help a lot in enhancing visibility and it becomes easier for pilots to ascertain the direction in which they are going and their current position during night adventures.
Flight duration and control range
Flight duration is an aspect that nano or mini drones have been quite notorious about. FQ11 comes with a 3.7V 220 mAh LiPo battery that provides you a flight duration of 7 to 8 minutes which is quite sufficient considering the size of the aircraft. The battery is integrated so it cannot be replaced as is the case with drones with larger sizes. The charging port is located to the left of the drone and it takes from an hour to an hour and a half for the drone to get charged completely.
With a control range of just 15 to 20 meters in the open field, it provides a control range that is on par with other drones of similar size and stature. Moreover, on paper, 15 meter might sound quite low, but when you consider that this drone is quite small in size so it will become rather difficult to view it at longer distances. In this scenario, 15 meters looks good enough. I believe that you can extend its range by using additional antennas. I will test it out and let you know in the days to come.
Flight performance of a compact sized drone
The controls are quite sensitive and one has to be meticulous with them while maneuvering the device. The power to weight ratio of this device is good enough which helps you carry out air jumps with this gizmo with seamless ease. Flying in circles is another stunt that is easy to perform with this compact sized drone and it did not take me long to get used to it. I had been flying larger sized drones earlier and always found them to be lesser responsive in contrast to FQ11. The high sensitivity factor makes FQ11 an interesting gadget to have in your armory especially if you love flying indoors.
Bottomline
This is a great device to have fun with. If you are looking for a compact sized drone that can be easily carried from one place to another, then this is the right one for you. It includes decent flight capabilities and will definitely provide you a great flight experience. As far as indoor flights are concerned, it is tailor made for indoor flight adventures.
