Review on 🚁 Hubsan H501S X4 Quadcopter: GPS Altitude Mode, 5.8GHz Transmitter, 6 Axis Gyro, 1080P FPV, Brushless, Mode 2 RTF (Black) by Brandon Pratt

After researching the market and comparing available technologies to my needs, I decided that this drone offered the best value for money. I was satisfied and exceeded all expectations! As for the price: I think that's more than fair for a system with such capabilities. Its characteristics ensure a reliable flight and that is what I value most. The FPV monitor designed for RC was the main selling point. Likewise the 20 minutes flight time. Also, at the time, this listing was cheaper than buying directly from Hubsan. There can be more. Five stars for the price. About Shipping: I wanted to get this drone as soon as possible without spending an inordinate amount of money on shipping. Revain offered free two-day shipping with a "Prime" trial (also free). I have used this offer in the past and the trial expired a long time ago. I never signed up. You didn't have to do it. Extremely good customer service, Revain, beyond. Five stars for the offer. I placed my order around noon on Saturday. The goods were dispatched in the evening of the same day. It arrived on Monday and I couldn't be happier! Five stars for the arrival time. The package arrived with a dent in the corner of the outermost package. Not so hot what's up. I will not fly the box. None of the goods were damaged. There was also a small discount. I'm not sure where or where this error occurred, but the crumpled packaging speaks for itself. 4 stars for packaging handling. About the contents of the product: When I inspected the RC's battery compartment, I was shocked to see that a LiPo battery was inside. From what I've read online, the product specs always mentioned batteries that weren't included. None of the YouTube unboxings I've seen came with batteries. Many reviewer videos have mentioned the possibility of modifying the RC to run a LiPo. My understanding is that previous Hubsan products required some soldering and other rework to successfully modify the RC to work with a LiPo battery. Later Hubsan products already have this modification built in. This is a big plus in itself. In fact, turning on a new battery is exceptional customer service. The aircraft battery is too large for the transmitter and does not require as much power, so the customer must check the battery specifications to ensure it is suitable for safely powering the device. I'm new to the RC and drone world so knowing I have the right battery is very reassuring and saved me a lot of time. I'm also not a fan of third party batteries so this was a great service. Did I mention it was a free battery? As announced, a separate battery was included with the aircraft. I couldn't be more impressed by this generosity. Another item I found surprised was a sunscreen for FPV monitors. This item is not listed as included by the seller's manufacturer. I didn't see this item in any of the unboxing videos I watched. I ordered a sun visor from another seller, thinking it was a separate accessory. I'll admit I'll keep my aftermarket model because it's spring loaded. No sign included. This gesture still deserves an honorable mention and recognition. The plane and all other accessories were well packaged and undamaged. There was a problem. The balance charger was defective. After the recommended charging time (210 minutes), the LED indicators should be solid green. That didn't happen. It stays for about 210 minutes and then flashes green for a few seconds and then turns red again. It stays for about 8-10 seconds and flashes green again. Claimed flight time is 20 minutes. I measured the flight time at 12-14 minutes. I grounded my plane to avoid damaging the batteries with a defective charger. The seller told me to contact Revain. I was too impatient and stubborn to go through the return process, so I ordered new chargers directly from Hubsan. I'm sure Revain would be happy with any replacement had I gone through the return process. They have a reputation for returns. I don't normally give 5 stars due to this lack of product. Given the free battery and sun visor, and my belief that Revain will replace the charger if I return it, I give it 5 stars for the content. It's not a perfect world and sometimes things are defective from the factory. The free battery and sun visor more than make up for this issue. About the use of the product (plane/RC); Preparing for launch is easy and only takes a few minutes. In the air, it flies smoothly and intuitively. It's easy to use. The video transmission is clear and functional. Make sure the antenna is pointing towards the aircraft. This drone isn't the fastest, but it's fast enough. It's a little slow to start, but that's not a problem. performance is great. It's not instantaneous speed from idle to throttle, but its response and performance are pretty tight. At top speed this is more than enough unless you are following high speed cars. I usually use GPS mode and that's all I need in terms of speed. Altitude hold mode gives the motors more power and is pretty fun, but BE CAREFUL! It's easy to get carried away because it's EXCITING. I'm more interested in photos and videos, so speed isn't my top priority. This is faster than I need. This craft is quiet and not intimidating. The range of this drone is quite good. 300 meters is sufficient for most applications. A $15 aftermarket antenna will get you about a mile. I don't like this series yet, but it's good to know that an update is available. That's why I didn't buy the "High Edition" H501, which has a different remote control and bigger antennas. I saved money and spent it on batteries and other accessories. Also, the LCD monitor of this version is bigger! RC is of course up to you. All of the different flight modes work as advertised. I haven't experimented with the follow-me mode yet. It might be fun in the future, but for now I'm keeping my hands on sticks. **SECURITY MODE** . of highest importance. My transmitter battery died mid-flight and my first thought was panic. It immediately occurred to me that the homecoming function should work. And so it happened! I was flying about 40 meters above me, so he didn't have to be flying very far towards me. Landing took some time, but he landed safely a few meters from the takeoff point. I can't stress the importance of this feature (or properly charged batteries) to you. Fortunately, the plane never died suddenly. About using the product (camera): The camera supports 1080p video/3MP photo and I am satisfied with the results. Video looks great on a computer screen and is surprisingly stable. I didn't notice any "jelly" that really matters. I've bitten here and there, but only lightly and no problem. It won't be perfectly stable because there's no suspension, but smooth and deliberate flight will give great results. 1080p is enough for me, 4k and huge file sizes don't interest me at the moment. I also don't care about the relative platform upgrades required for properly managed 4k production. Photos are better than expected. With a little post-processing for color, sharpening, and distortion, you end up with perfectly usable images for the web that will impress your friends. Sometimes a moiré pattern is present, but only when the image is viewed small (see images). Flare is present at times, and dynamic range is decent enough. Haven't made any prints yet but I'm sure the 4x6 standard will look good. This is clearly not a professional model, so don't expect smooth video, manual camera settings, RAW files, or extreme detail. Check out DIY CP and ND for this camera. The filter over this camera makes a big difference in quality and is inexpensive. 5 stars for the work. Conclusion: I bought this plane to expand my flying experience and learn about FPV controls. I feel like I have room to grow with this plane. My last drone was an $80 electronics store model, so it had a really crappy (but working) camera and decent controls. Tons of jellies and terrible dynamic range. No FPV. 5-7 minutes of battery life. It was unreliable in any wind over 1 mph. Even inside, it was difficult to stay in control. This was my first drone and I used it to train baby pilots. It was a lot of fun once I got the hang of it. I quickly outgrew it and bought Hubsan. The comparison is completely different. light years ahead. Amoeba versus amphibian. It handles the wind much better, but I won't stress test the wind chime. I like that this model is open to upgrades. A new antenna and FPV goggles will be added to my system over time. Until I have my business license and can justify a major business purchase, I will fly this aircraft. Becoming an accomplished pilot is the most important skill to focus on. All the fancy camera gear should come after you learn how to fly SAFELY. All it lacks is a gimbal, higher resolution, manual camera controls, collision detection/avoidance systems, and long-range capabilities. All the really important components are there. The ability to fly reliably. video and photo recordings. GPS blocking. Broadcast FPV. Return home function. Realm beyond what the eye can see. 20 MINUTES flight with one battery! Some brands charge $100 to $150 for a battery. It costs $25 from Hubsan. 2 extra batteries and you have a flight hour! I am very pleased! This product has taken my photography to new heights unattainable with my traditional camera setup. 5 STARS for overall satisfaction!