Drones are often in the news these days but typically it is because some large corporations have plans to use them as a more efficient way of delivering goods to customers. While many people might not realize it, there is a whole different world of drones that exist purely for your enjoyment and entertainment.
They come in all sizes, shapes and with many different specifications but one that has captured the attention of hobbyists on a grand scale is the FQ777-124 Pocket Drone.
The FQ777 is a quadcopter drone and measures 7 by 7 by 2.7 centimeters and it is priced under $30 (as of this writing,) which makes it a very affordable option for almost anyone. One thing that makes this unit unique from many of the remote controlled drones available for hobbyists is the long range it is capable of. The drone has a range of almost 50 meters which is exceptional for a unit in its price range.
Most often lower priced units are not able to reach more than 30 meters without significant problems. Below is a breakdown of what you can expect from the FQ777-124 Pocket Drone and some of our opinions from the time we spent working with it.
Specifications:
- Brand: FUQI
- Model: FQ777-124 Pocket Drone Quadcopter
- Materials: ABS, PS + K-resin, Nylon
- Channels: 4
- Controller Frequency: 2.4G
- Flight Time: Approximately 6 Minutes
- Distance/Range: 50 meters
- Time to Recharge Unit: 20mins
- Unit Battery: 3.7V
- Transmitter Battery: 4AA
- Colors: Black, White, Red, Blue
- Unit Dimensions: 7 x 7 x 2.7cm
- No Camera
FQ777-124 Opening the Box
In the Box:
- 1-FQ777 mini pocket drone with battery included
- 1-Remote Control Transmitter
- 8-Propellers
- 1-Rotor protector
- 3-Landing gear
- User Manual
- Charger
The FQ777-124 arrives well packaged and includes a nice range of parts and equipment in the box. Most models in its price range only come with one set of additional propellers but this unit comes with two complete sets which give you an ample amount of replacement parts should you need them.
The box includes all of the accessories mentioned in the list above and the manner in which everything is packaged gives you the impression the company spent some time making sure everything would arrive securely. It is always a nice bonus when a company pays attention to the extra details like receiving your product in one piece.
Once out of the box the unit is very portable because everything fits inside of the remote control which doubles as a storage unit. In fact, you can fit everything you need to run the quadcopter inside the remote control which makes it a very convenient little package to simply carry to whatever location you choose to fly your drone.
A user manual is included but for most people with even a little familiarity with remote control drones or other types of hobby units it probably won’t be needed. Getting the unit ready for flight is not complicated and in a matter of a few minutes, you can be ready to enjoy your drone.
The remote control is not just for controlling the unit and storage, it also recharges the unit. We found this “all-in-one” design to be very convenient, especially because it means you don’t have to always remember to bring an additional charging unit with you for multiple flights.
One thing that should be noted is the recharging process allows you to charge unit by the batteries in the controller. However, there is also a USB cable that is available but not included that would provide additional functionality if you choose to spend the extra few dollars for it.
FQ777-124 Drone Features and Flying
Actually getting the FQ777-124 in the air and flying it around is a lot of fun and the unit is surprisingly stable for its size. The unit is smooth and easy to handle in flight so it is a good fit even for beginner users that do not have much experience with remote controlled airplanes or drones.
This drone does have two different rate settings for flight with the first setting less aggressive action and the other higher rate being better for more aggressive flying. It is capable of doing automatic flips but you have to be careful if you are flying the unit indoors. Before the unit flips it has a throttle boost that pushes it 12-24 inches upwards, therefore, if you are flying it indoors you might hit the ceiling if you do not ensure you have enough space.
The FQ777-124 also includes single key return home functionality and can operate headless as well.
The battery life and flight time are similar to other units in its class. The user manual states it will last for an approximate flight time of six minutes but five minutes is probably a bit more accurate. If you are flying the unit very aggressively then be prepared for flight times of perhaps around four minutes or so.
However, it doesn’t take the unit all that long to recharge and you can be back in the air in about twenty minutes with a fully charged battery. The range is approximately fifty meters but you can experience some inconsistency with this as the signal sometimes does not transmit well if the unit is behind you.
FQ777-124 Remote Control
As mentioned above the remote control is an all-in-one design that acts as the transmitter, storage unit and charging unit for the FQ777-124. It is slightly larger than many other remote controls which we found made operation a bit easier in addition to allowing ample storage space for all the accessories.
When it comes to charging the unit, you use the remote control as the charger. You either connect it via a charge plug or USB cable but using the USB dramatically cuts down on the charging time. In several tests, using the charge plug took almost forty minutes while utilizing the USB cable only took a little under fifteen minutes to produce a fully charged battery.
The overall design of the remote control unit is smooth and sleek. The control sticks are not too large and not too small and the trim buttons feel solid and well put together. The unit feels sturdy in your hands and it is a perfect size for transporting everything you need from one place to another.
Final Thoughts
Overall we were very impressed with the FQ777-124. We did not expect too much given the fact that the unit is less than thirty dollars.
However, from the accessories that are included in the box such as the eight additional propellers to the smooth flying and easy handling, it was a great unit. We think this unit has something for everyone with features that offer ease of use for beginners and features that will impress those who are even at an advanced level in the hobby.
If we had to point out any downsides, there are not many. The fact that the signal can be inconsistent when you are flying the unit behind you can create some problems and if you are not careful it could cause you to crash the unit due to a momentary lapse in control.
You may be able to fix some of this issue by uncovering the receiving antenna which is tucked away but we did not test this theory. Other than that there is not much to complain about with this unit and we enjoyed our time with it. If you are an advanced drone hobbyist or a beginner looking for your first unit, then the FQ777-124 is a solid choice and will offer any hours of fun and entertainment.
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