Flying camping stove fails to fully deliver.
The UDI 818A (See it on Amazon) is a drone for beginners with modest specs, but it offers a lot of value for its $100 asking price. Not only does it include a 2MP camera capable of both stills and video but it includes a ton of spare parts and sports a unique design that allows it to absorb bumps and bruises more easily.
Design and Features
What’s in the box?
- UDI 818A HD+ RC Quadcopter
- Remote controller (4AA batteries not included)
- Two 3.7V 500mAh LiPo batteries and USB charger
- 8 extra propellers (two sets of four)
- USB charging cable (charges two batteries simultaneously)
- 4GB microSD card and reader
- Small screwdriver and four screws for prop/battery install
- Spare motor cogs
Looks aren’t everything, but in a category populated by some slick-looking machines appearance can set a drone apart. In the U818A’s case, it does so in an unexpected, ugly duckling way. Prop guards surrounding a round central pod make it appear at first glance more like a four-burner camping stove than a machine designed to cook up fun, giving it a distinct look that you'll either love or hate. However, if you look at its thick prop guards and imagine them as the rubber that surrounds a bumper car, you might begin to appreciate its design a bit more. As a beginner drone it's going to be crashed a lot, so its design is a classic case of function over form, as it's made to literally bounce off stuff and get right back to flying.
The drone itself is a bit larger than most "toy" drones in this class, measuring 13" both directions and 2.4" tall. It features red and blue LEDs to help you understand at a glance which direction it's facing, and if that's not enough it also has different color propellers to give you an even bigger hint. Despite it's largeish size it's still light enough that it doesn’t require registration with the FAA, so any US resident can fly this drone without any paperwork. Also, unlike some drones that cater to beginners it includes a low-res 2MP camera along with a 4GB micro SD card to capture the footage, and a handy USB card reader is included in the package as well.
It comes with two 500mAh LiPo batteries and a dual USB charging connector with indicator lights that tell you when they’re fully charged. This is an excellent bonus since most drones only include one battery, and given the paltry flight time of these basic drones you always have to buy extras, essentially saving you some dough you'd have to spend anyway. There are also two sets of extra props, which again is more than usual, so clearly this is a drone that was made to be crashed, and repaired. In addition there's even extra motor cogs in the box, and corresponding part numbers in the manual in case you need to swap a few bits out after an encounter with a tree. Flight time per battery is seven to nine minutes, and you'll need about 90 minutes to recharge one of the batteries. It should also be noted that using the onboard camera operation cuts into flight time since it sucks a lot of battery, so expect only around four to five minutes of airtime instead of seven to nine minutes while recording video.
The U818A’s remote control, in basic Batman black, fit nicely in my hand. It requires four AA batteries (not included) and communicates with the quad via 2.4 gHz signal for reliable range of around 300 feet, which is more than enough. It features an on/off switch, left and right control sticks, four adjustment tabs to fine tune pitch, and six function buttons including two flip modes, headless mode, dual flight performance modes, and camera/video buttons. A monochrome display at the center shows throttle level, battery level, mode selection, and camera recording status.
Flight Testing
When I first fired up the drone, blue LED lights on either side and a small white light at the nose helped identify the front, with red lights in the rear. A bright green light below the main power and camera unit indicated that the memory card was inserted and ready to record.
Taking off with the drone facing forward helps keep it in sight and facilitate operation in headless mode, which is set by the direction the pilot faces upon takeoff. Headless mode on this quad is activated with the front right button on the RC unit and can be deactivated with a second press of the button. I never find this function very useful, however, and only tested it to make sure it works as intended, and it did.
To begin testing I first sampled its two settings for performance, which change how sensitive the drone is to commands. I found that in Mode 1 it spun and drifted, like a car driving on snow, while Mode 2’s increased responsiveness lets you carve tighter turns. Beginners should familiarize themselves with the drone’s operation in Mode 1 for the increased stability, but will soon want to habitually switch to Mode 2 for maximum maneuverability under all conditions.
Aloft, the copter whirs quietly and holds its position fairly well thanks to five-inch rotors and a diagonal “wing span” of 15 inches. Lacking the altitude hold feature some products in this category now offer, it nonetheless hovers well for an attentive pilot, as long as you're indoors that is. When outdoors even in a light breeze it will drift noticeably, and when the wind picks up it can really fight to go anywhere but in a leeward direction. Only aggressive flying, keeping the nose pointed downward when flying forward, banking steeply, and even braking quickly with reverse throttle to pitch the nose upward, is effective to retain maximum control under anything but windless conditions.This makes it difficult to fly in anything other than calm conditions.
Like many drones in the toy and enthusiast category, this one can do flips - two types, in fact. The first, called “easy flips” in the user manual, entails simply pressing the button on the upper right of the controller labelled func, resulting in a 360-degree tumble to the right. The second type of flip, which the manufacturer calls the “advanced” flip, is performed by pressing the button at the left front of the controller. The next movement of the right stick then makes the quad flip in a full circle in the direction you point it. It’s a fun, though hardly essential, feature and it looks pretty cool on video.
One unwelcome quirk or glitch I experienced with the 818A is at times it would list wildly immediately upon taking off, even though I took pains to calibrate the gyro on a flat surface. Although tabs on the controller let you adjust trim, performing trim adjustment in mid-air while the drone is drifting away is something the Russian judge would agree presents a high degree of difficulty. I found that simply landing safely as soon as possible, powering both the drone and RC unit off, then back on before recalibrating the gyro, usually did the trick.
Also, one negative aspect of the controller is that instead of a simple open/lock tab for the battery compartment, a screwdriver is needed to remove and close the lid. While this is annoying and could potentially cause trouble when the RC unit’s batteries die, the controller features a battery power indicator to monitor battery life, and they last for quite awhile. That said, it’s a good idea to keep the small screwdriver included with the quad on hand whenever you fly to swap out damaged props, and in case you need to insert fresh batteries in the RC unit.
Camera Operation and Quality
Some drones at this price point are not only equipped with cameras to make still photos and video, but let you see what the drone sees for easier navigation beyond line of sight and framing pictures and video. But alas, the U818A doesn’t provide that luxury, resulting in more video misses than hits. There is a version of this drone that features FPV video as well as altitude hold, but it's an additional $50 more expensive.
The U818A HD+ records video at 1280x720P “high-definition” quality and the camera is fixed at a downward angle of around 15 degrees. When activated, the video camera also records sound, which is dominated by the whir of the rotors, but is clear enough to make crash footage extra immersive. Picture quality is reasonably clear (see image below), characterized by high contrast and color saturation. This may be a turnoff to some people, but as a fan of the cross-processed slide film look I quite enjoyed this unique look right off the memory card. Still photos, also rendered in cinematic 16:9 aspect ratio, are similarly contrasty and saturated, but lack of FPV monitoring and twitchy flight characteristics anywhere but indoors or under windless conditions limit the camera’s usefulness.
It should also be noted that camera operation cuts into flight time, so expect around 4-5 minutes instead of 6-7 per battery charge while recording video.
Here's a sample of some video footage I captured, including a flip!
Purchasing Guide
The UDI 818A HD+ RC Quadcopter has an MSRP of $99.99, which is the same price it usually sells for on Amazon. It occasionally drops to $90 or even slightly less, but generally holds very steady at $100:
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The Verdict
At 100 bucks, including still/video camera, two batteries, dual battery USB charging adapter, micro SD card, card reader, and spare props, the U818A HD+ is a screaming deal at first blush. Indoors, and in light to still breeze, it rewards nimble flying skill and takes a beating without complaint.
The video and still camera capture punchy colors on a bright day, guaranteeing footage that will stand out, but with its low resolution and lack of FPV you're literally flying in the dark, limiting its usefulness.
In the final tally, whilst the U818A HD+ offers a lot for the money, the hassles of its unwieldy size, inconsistent calibration, and tendency to get carried away in the wind outweigh a lot of the fun it delivers for new pilots, while not really providing enough performance for seasoned ones.
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