A fun drone with all the trimmings.
The F181 drone by Holy Stone toy company is a small and versatile entry-level quadcopter that’s great for beginners and priced accordingly at around $110 (See it on Amazon). Despite its lowish price it is actually a well-rounded package that includes a few extras not normally seen at this price point (more on that below). It also has enough advanced features to allow it to appeal to both novice and advanced users, giving it a distinct advantage over other drones at this price range. Let's take a closer look:
Design and Features
What’s in the box?
- F181 drone with 6 axis gyroscope stabilization.
- 2MP (1280 x 720), 720p; still/video camera.
- 4GB micro SD card and USB reader.
- Prop guards and landing gear (not installed).
- 3.7v 750mA battery installed under the camera.
- 2.4Ghz remote control with two control sticks and LCD info screen; it runs on 4 AA batteries (not included).
- Complete set of extra propellers.
- Small Phillips screwdriver for installing prop guards and landing gear
- Extra (yes, extra!) 3.7v 750mA battery.
- Two (2) USB charging cables.
- Extra set of screws and gears for motors.
Since the F181 is only about 5oz (0.3lbs) and around 12.5" measured diagonally, it falls under the FAA’s UAS (Unmanned Aircraft System) registration weight limit of .55lbs, so you can start flying without contacting the Feds. The F181 is black, which allows it to visually stand out when compared to the mostly white drones in this price range. It sports two pairs of LEDs underneath its prop extensions, with red indicating the rear and blue the front. The LEDs can also be shut off using the left trigger button on the remote, but I wouldn't recommend doing this since they help with overall visibility. Flight time is about 6 to 8 minutes and it takes about 75 to 80 minutes to charge one of the two included batteries.
Control of the drone is handled by a 2.4GHz remote control that features comfy ergonomics similar to that of a console controller. Even when packed with four AA batteries (not included), the remote is light, though it does feel a bit cheap. The LCD screen on the remote does not offer FPV (first-person view), but it does display pertinent information such as camera mode (video or still), battery life, the drone's range, and gain trim (drift adjustment, basically). It also shows the acceleration power in percentage form. There's also a return-to-home button that lets the F181 fly back to its original take-off point, which is a feature not normally included on a drone in this price range. It's also packing a 2MP camera that shoots stills at 1280 x 720 and records video at 720p.
Flight Testing
It only took me about three minutes to install the prop guards and landing gear before charging the battery for its maiden voyage. I noticed immediately that I was able to connect one of the two included USB charging cables directly to the drone (with the battery installed) right to my laptop instead of having to remove the battery to charge it like on most cheap drones. Not only is this more convenient, It also let me charge the second battery simultaneously, which is a great feature. The remote requires four AA batteries, but luckily I keep a large stock of these on-hand so I was good to go.
Before taking to the air I installed the included prop guards as an insurance policy. Even if you have some experience flying drones, I always recommend that pilots install prop guards if they’re included. This was especially useful for me since my first flight took place in some pretty significant wind, which was around 15 - 20mph at low altitude.
Finally, before lift off I consulted the user manual and saw it offered a warning to not to fly in rain or snow, around animals and people, and in areas with obstacles such as trees when there's significant wind. Since I live on an island in Maine, wind is something I often can’t escape and it proved to be a good test for the F181’s abilities.
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The F181 handles very well.
After taking off for the first time and maneuvering the drone a bit my overall impression was that the F181 handles very well, making it suitable for both beginners and more advanced pilots. There are a four skill level modes that can be toggled, and they include Low, Medium, High, and Expert, and as you go up in difficulty the drone's handling sensitivity increases, giving you quicker yaw, or the ability to rotate the drone, and more speed via the left trigger button. I stuck to Medium and High modes and was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to fly. There is also a “Headless” mode which allows the controls to switch automatically depending on which direction the F181 is pointed. I tried this once and was quickly disoriented since I am used to flying with a fixed set of controls, whereas in headless mode left becomes right and right becomes left depending on the direction the drone is flying. Though this feature could be useful for newcomers, I just found it to be confusing.
The right trigger button on the remote allows the F181 to do flips, which I managed to pull off several times successfully at an altitude of about 30 feet . This is a really fun feature and it's also possible with the camera and prop guards installed, something other similar drones can’t do. Though not a speed demon, the F181 moves relatively quickly in a windless environment, especially during an ascent. Its range seemed to be about 300 feet (straight up or away from you), which is average for a 2.4GHz wireless system, and its distance can be monitored via the LCD on the remote.
One of the cooler features on the F181 is the altitude-hold function, which allows it to hold its place in the air when the spring-loaded throttle stick (left side) is released; a very handy feature that's usually only available on more expensive drones. I was impressed see how it held its position in the wind at about 4 to 5ft off the ground; it was steady and drifted only slightly when a gust came through. Initially, I had to use the gain adjustments, which help offset any naturally occurring drift. Having the altitude-hold function made that process very easy since it was mostly stationary while I made those adjustments.
I did experience an odd issue during testing however, which was during my last test flight, without any incident, the F181 began to pull to one side and I made a quick landing. Upon retrieving it, I noticed that one propeller wasn’t spinning and seemed to be stuck in place. I’m not quite sure what happened, but I’m guessing that one of the motors somehow burned out during flight. Spare parts (including motors) are available through Holy Stone so this would likely be a simple fix since the included Phillips screwdriver can also be used to disassemble the drone itself. Still, despite the possible easy fix it was disheartening to experience a motor failure so early in the drone's life cycle.
Motor failure aside, I was also disappointed by the low resolution of the stills and shaky video taken by the onboard 2MP camera. An unedited sample image straight from the camera is included below, and you can see the image is blurry, but all my images looked like this. It's better than nothing I suppose, but if you're interested in taking decent quality footage of anything this is not the drone for you. For a beginner, however, the camera is still fun to use, and is basically a neat little add-on.
Purchasing Guide
The Holy Stone F181 Quadcopter has an MSRP of $109.99, which is the typically the same price it is on Amazon:
Note that if you click on one of these links to buy the product, IGN may get a share of the sale. For more, read our Terms of Use.
The Verdict
The F181 is a surprisingly fun and easy quadcopter to fly and, though small and light, packs a lot of features into a small package. The highlights for me were its altitude-hold feature, 360 flip capability, and comfortable remote control. I really loved the way this thing was ready out of the box and also came with two batteries and cables to charge both at the same time. I'm concerned, however, by the fact that one of the motors seems to have burned out during one of its early flights. Luckily spare parts are available, and it's not super surprising on a cheap drone like this, but still a bummer. Though the F181 won’t be capturing high-quality aerial landscapes or video, it is certainly a fun drone for beginners and for more advanced pilots looking to improve their skills on a budget.
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