Are you searching for an inexpensive quadcopter drone with a camera? The UDI U818A drone is a starter model that may meet your needs.
The UDI U8181A is in the $50-$100 price range. Somewhat larger than other drones in this class, it measures 13 in. x 2.2 in. x 13.3 in. and weighs in at 4.2 ounces. It is still relatively lightweight and the increased size and six axis gyro allow for a greater degree of stability.
The drone requires no assembly and is ready to go fly out of the box. The battery is supposed to come charged, although some users have reported a short battery life on the first flight. It has two modes – one for beginners and one for experts.
Overview of the UDI U818A Drone |
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Drone |
Features |
Price |
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UDI U818A
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$80 |
If you are looking for other low cost drones we recommend the BLADE Nano QX RTF Quadcopter (review) and Sky Viper Video V950HD (review) as our top choices.
Battery and Flight Features
The 600mAh battery requires about two hours to charge, which is less than ideal. On the plus side, the UDI U8181A does come with an additional battery pack and replacement batteries are readily available for purchase. A full charge provides 7–9 minutes of flight time.
The controller requires 4 AA batteries (not included). The four channels allow for strong communication between the controller and drone up to a 100 feet in distance. The controller has a digital readout of the throttle setting, remote battery life, trim settings, and camera settings. The UDI U8181A drone can be moved up/down, left/right, and forward/backward. It also is capable of leftward and rightward flying and 360° flips. You will definitely want to practice hovering and landing before attempting these more advanced maneuvers. It is important to have the drone flying at least ten feet in the air before attempting the auto flip.
Camera Included + Specs
The camera is what sets the UDI U818A apart from other models in this price range. The camera takes both photos and video (only images, not audio). It is in a fixed position which means it can only take a recording of what it is facing. Images are recorded at 640 x 780 pixels, and it does not offer a live feed. Images or video need to be downloaded to a computer via the provided USB cable. The Micro SD card that comes with the drone fills up quickly. You may want to invest in a SD card with higher memory.
You will want to fly this drone in a large grassy area. It’s easy to lose control of this quad drone and you don’t want it to be stuck in a tree or to land in a body of water. It is very sensitive to wind and should not be flown in any wind stronger than a light breeze. This is a fairly sturdy drone which is good because it is prone to crashing. It does have built-in rotor protectors and comes with a spare set of four propellers and a screwdriver.
Unbiased Pros and Cons
There is a wide range of user satisfaction with the UDI U8181A. A majority report having an excellent, enjoyable experience, while others complain of having only one successful flight before running into problems. In some cases, both the charger and battery that come with the unit have not worked. Some users have had difficulty connecting the camera. In addition, the manual that comes with the device is a poorly translated document and is difficult to understand.
Recommended for user’s age fourteen and up, the UDI U818A is designed for those just getting into flying drones. It is a decent quad drone to practice on and the camera adds some fun to the experience.
Author: Stacey Miller
Copyright: 2016 BestDronesToBuy.org