Drones are excellent tools for taking stunning photos such as those of the DI Air 3, or they can also be fantastic toys, especially if select a mini drone, such as one like the Oviliee S17. The tiny drone is targeted at children and beginners as well as adults, and is priced under $50.
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The drone comes with a compact carrying case that weighs just 350 grams. The drone is tiny sufficient to fit into your palm. It comes with everything you require to start flying -the small drone with a controller made of plastic propeller guards, spare propellers two lithium-ion batteries to power the drone, as well as three AAA batteries to power the controller. The package also includes several tools for ease of maintenance.
Apart from controlling the device, you are able to control and connect it from your phone using the Oviliee FPV application.
It’s great to learn how to fly.
The drone itself is perfect for beginners -It responds nicely to my inputs and commands without reacting too quickly with my actions. It also has gentle flying characteristics. It does not whirl around and responds to my inputs for control like I was flying the Cessna 152, one of the most simple planes to learn to fly.
But, since it’s intended for beginners so it won’t have as much power to battle the winds. There were several instances when I had need to pull the yoke (the right hand controller which controls roll and pitch) up to its limit to prevent the drone from being swept away by a light wind that came in unexpectedly.
I really like the way that its yaw and altitude control (the left control) is working, however; I can adjust it until I can let the drone move only a few centimeters from the ground. It’s extremely difficult to get it to stay at a certain point, however because it tends to drift from here to there. I efforts cutting it together the left-hand control buttons but it didn’t really make much difference. The trim control in the app is more refined, however the drone continues to drift even when flying inside.
This tiny drone is able to endure enough abuse.
I hit the drone on a wall three times in the two days I was testing the drone, however it did not suffer any damage. The propeller guards completed their job perfectly and minimized any damage that the propellers sustained. So, I’m able to turn off the drone re-set its position and start flying.
If I ever damage a propeller, then I could easily replace them together the spares that are included in the kit. This shows that regardless of how safe you are, and even if you’re an experienced pilot, you could fall off the rails if you’re just not familiar with drone flying. This is why you should only fly drones in wide areas away from other people and animals.
The drone also has an auto-land feature and emergency cut-off control button. If you think that you’re in danger of losing control over the drone, simply hit the auto-land button and the drone will take off in a controlled manner. If the drone is currently moving towards a direction you do not like and you’re unable to stop it, hit the emergency Stop button, and it will stop the propellers and sending the drone into the air. Be aware that you should only make this an opportunity last resort, since the drone that falls is risky and could strike anyone standing on the ground.
Ten minutes flight time each 90 minutes of charge
The S17 drone is equipped with the battery of 17 grams lithium-ion that is believed to be suitable to last the flight for 10 minutes duration. But, the amount you get will differ based on your requirements. For instance I was capable of getting seven minutes from a fully charged battery before controllers started to sound the low-warning sound. When the drone is operating at maximum power, it could be able to last between the same amount of time, ranging from four-five minutes.
The kit does include two batteries, meaning you can expect 10 to 20 minutes of flying time. However, with charging taking around 90 minutes, that’s an unsatisfactory ratio of charging time to flying. You may want to purchase additional batteries to fly for longer, but you can’t purchase them individually through Amazon.
There is no charging adapter with the box, however it does include the micro-USB connector that connects to a USB-A port. It’s not ideal considering that nearly all the devices we use currently is USB-C. Additionally, the micro-USB cable blinks red when it’s charging, and it shuts down once the battery gets empty and it’s difficult to tell if your battery is empty when you’re using an external cable that isn’t included within the box.
A few tricks in its sleeves
As you become more comfortable with the fundamentals of drone flight then you can begin to experiment on drones like the S17 drone. It features Headless Mode right on the controller that lets you fly the drone like you’re playing an online game. This means you don’t need to know which direction the drone is facing and it will fly wherever you hold the controller in the correct direction regardless of the direction that it is facing.
Additionally, it has the 3D Flips mode, which lets the drone do rolls. Make sure you perform this maneuver in a wide space it is essential you are at a minimum of two meters away from the ground. After everything is set then hover the drone and then press the 3D Flips button on the controller and push the left joystick to either the to the left or right. The drone will rotate 360 degrees in the direction you press it.
If you install and download the Oviliee application on your phone it also comes with some more features such as Gravity Sensor Mode that lets you control the drone using moving your smartphone. There is also an opportunity called Tracker Flight Mode, which makes the drone fly along a route which you can draw on the phone screen. However, I would not suggest trying these options unless you are confident about how to manage the drone.
This isn’t meant for professionals.
It’s true that the Oviliee S17 does have a built-in Full HD camera that offers FPV capabilities. It’s just not the top quality and provides a 90-degree angle of view. Don’t expect great photos with this drone since it’s incredibly low quality. It also has video capabilities however, the recording quality is so bad that it’s not worthy of a glance.
It can take decent photos and video under the appropriate conditions, but if the image is dimly lit by the sun or shooting in poor lighting conditions it won’t produce the outcome you’re hoping for. However, you shouldn’t be taking a look at the S17 even if you’re already on the same stage that drones are capable of.
However, if you’re brand new to drones and want an affordable feature to begin with, the S17 is a good option. It’s simple to operate and allows you to get familiar with drones. It costs just under 100 dollars, which means you won’t be breaking the bank even the worst case scenario. Additionally, it comes with advanced features that enable you to test your limits once you’ve mastered drones flying.
Does it possible to make the Oviliee S17 mini drone a great gift for kids or newbies?
Don’t expect too much from this simple and cheap flying machine. It has a limited range of around 50 meters or 164 feet for remote control, and 35m or 115ft for WiFi connectivity. It’s also not very powerful. I suggest flying it when there’s only a little breeze or even a gentle breeze can leave an aircraft fighting for existence. When you push the drone’s capabilities to the limit the battery will be drained quickly, and you’ll get just five or so minutes flying time.
The Oviliee S17 is a great mini drone to give teenagers and adults looking to try drone flying. With a price of $49.99 It’s a reasonable price and is compact satisfying to feel comfortable flying it, even if you’re not a drone expert. Once you’re accustomed to flying, you’ll be able to proceed for more innovative features such as tracking, gyroscope control and even FPV flight.
If you do have to replace it, it’s inexpensive sufficient that it shouldn’t cause a huge expense for your wallet. It’s not equipped with GPS however, so you must always be aware of it or you may not be able to locate it in the event that you get lost in the drone.
