Drones under 250 grams

[DaleB]

Can anyone point me to a drone that's under 250 grams that shoots decent 1080p or better video? I'm okay with short battery life (for weight savings) but want the best possible image quality... whilst staying under 250 grams. Does such a thing exist?

 

[deleted member 877]

There's not much out there to meet your requirements. Try this link:-

Top 10 camera drones under 250 grams

Why do you need the drone to be under 250 grams?

 

[The Editor]

There's not much out there to meet your requirements. Try this link:-

Top 10 camera drones under 250 grams

Why do you need the drone to be under 250 grams?

So it is classed as a toy and exempt from registration/regulations.

 

[deleted member 877]

So it is classed as a toy and exempt from registration/regulations.

Yes, exempt from registration but wouldn't most of the regulations governing recreational drone use still be applicable?

 

[The Editor]

Yes, exempt from registration but wouldn't most of the regulations governing recreational drone use still be applicable?

Depends on country - the OP gives no indication where on planet Earth he lives.

 

[DaleB]

Canada.

 

[Geoffsh]

You won't get any decent stability with a lightweight unit, plus any strong winds will take your AC into the distance

 

[jagraphics]

I would think there is ZERO point in using a sub 250GMS drone.

As noted by others

You won't get any decent stability with a lightweight unit, plus any strong winds will take your AC into the distance

In addition IT's A DRONE!!!!!! If anyone is going to object and call the police no one is going to know it is a sub 250gms drone until The police have arrived, you land it and they take all your details etc and someway into the discussion with the Police you can actually PROVE it is sub 250gms.

At which point the police have already logged the incident of A DRONE, got your name etc. Since they are there because of you and you are a smart **** with a 249gms drone they have decided you are causing "breach of the peace" or "wearing a loud shirt in a built up area" etc If you ca try and buck they system on technicalities so can they (and they are probably a LOT better at it than you are)
Arguing on these other things will only make matters worse.

That is if they can't get you on any flying technicalities anyway,

Also the neigbour who called them, and the rest of the area (isn't facebook wonderful? ) knows "the police have had to talk to you about your drone flying"

You might be VERY lucky and the police understand entirely but..... roll the dice on what sort of day they have had so far.

Couple all that to instability, low quality video and is it really worth it?
Besides anyone who tries to beat the system on a technicality is assumed to always be trying to do that. You are now an assumed troublemaker by the police.

Life just isn't fair but you have to live with it.

 

[DaleB]

In my case, the chances of police being called is zero. The intended location is an isolated privately owned estate. As for stability, if it's windy then I don't fly. No biggie. So my original question was: is there a sub 250 gram craft that is capable of decent image quality? That's what I was asking.

 

[jagraphics]

In my case, the chances of police being called is zero. The intended location is an isolated privately owned estate. As for stability, if it's windy then I don't fly. No biggie. So my original question was: is there a sub 250 gram craft that is capable of decent image quality? That's what I was asking.

You say "isolated privatley owned estate" in Canada. Can I assume multiple acres?
In which case I wouldn't worry about the 250gms limits. It might *technically* be breaking the rules but in reality they are irrelevant.
There is no person or 3rd party property you could possibly interact with. Unless you are in a low flying training area for the Canadian airforce or next to an airfield?

Otherwise my comments hold true for the rest of us who live in non-wilderness areas

 

[DaleB]

So... I guess nobody knows if there's a sub 250 gram craft capable of decent image quality.

Okay.

Thanks anyway.

 

[Ken-Mav-Mtl]

You might try the Tello. You may need a range extender as the range is limited and cam is only 720p but it qualifies as fully legal in Canada. Battery gives about 10 minutes.

 

[jagraphics]

So... I guess nobody knows if there's a sub 250 gram craft capable of decent image quality.
Okay.
Thanks anyway.

The short answer is there isn't one. the sub 250gms are toys or racing drones where high quality video is not a requirment.

I would buy a cheap drone that does reasonable 1080 and fly it in your wilderness.
From what you have said: who the **** is going to know?

 

[Gizmo]

Who the **** is going to know?

You are so annoying, the guy is asking for recommendations on <250g drone, he is not asking, nor he cares, if you agree with him or not, so if you don't know if there is such a drone and if you don't agree with him then keep it to yourself and don't spam his thread with your negativity, if you want to discuss the pros/cons of <250g drones then open another thread.

Don't even bother in replying, I won't read it. ?

 

[GerdS]

I guess the best compromise is still the Zerotech Dobby. I have modified mine to weight just 189 grams with original battery or 205 grams with the third-party 1500mAh battery, which gives up to 13 minutes of airtime.
The foldable Dobby also fits into your troussers pocket without problems. It's only big disadvantage is the missing capability for turning the camera angle remotely.
Give it a one-axis gimbal, an up to date image stabilisation and upgraded hardware (the design is at least 4 years old already) and you have a perfect little flying camera to have always with you. I whish DJI would build such a drone as a Spark successor...

 

[jagraphics]

You are so annoying, the guy is asking for recommendations on <250g drone, he is not asking, nor he cares, if you agree with him or not, so if you don't know if there is such a drone and if you don't agree with him then keep it to yourself and don't spam his thread with your negativity, if you want to discuss the pros/cons of <250g drones then open another thread.

Don't even bother in replying, I won't read it. ?

Be calm. There is no need to get so up tight or agressive.

He was asking for solutions. Sometimes you need to think around the question.
The answer is as I said no decent sub 250gms solution however where he intends to fly in practice a drone over 250gms would be a solution.

You need to put things in perspective.
Otherwise you will find life very frustrating.

 

[DaleB]

I wish there was a way to shave 50 grams off the takeoff weight of a DJI Spark. Like... if they could make a lesser capacity ultralight battery for it maybe.

 

[DaleB]

You say "isolated privatley owned estate" in Canada. Can I assume multiple acres?
In which case I wouldn't worry about the 250gms limits. It might *technically* be breaking the rules but in reality they are irrelevant.
There is no person or 3rd party property you could possibly interact with. Unless you are in a low flying training area for the Canadian airforce or next to an airfield?

Otherwise my comments hold true for the rest of us who live in non-wilderness areas

It's not in a wilderness area. But it is isolated due to it being a privately owned island with nearest neighbours a mile or more away. It is technically just barely inside a VERY large Class C airspace. And because the video would be on YouTube, that would be evidence of where I was. So I'd like to be legal. That's how I roll.

 

[jagraphics]

It's not in a wilderness area. But it is isolated due to it being a privately owned island with nearest neighbours a mile or more away. It is technically just barely inside a VERY large Class C airspace. And because the video would be on YouTube, that would be evidence of where I was. So I'd like to be legal. That's how I roll.

Fair enough. You were going well for using a [non-legal] <250gms drone until you got to "Class C airspace".
In which case I fully agree with being legal.

As you point out you will be loading to Youtube evidence of a drone flight in an identifiable Class C airspace location.
Also DJI drones record flight data.

You could look at some of the racing drone kits and add your own camera module. For most racing drones and sub 250gms toys high quality video is not a priority.
However I am sure some drone racers must have youtube channels. Might be worth looking at some of those as I bet some of them use decent 1080p cameras and still come under the weight limits.

 

[deleted member 877]

So... I guess nobody knows if there's a sub 250 gram craft capable of decent image quality.

Okay.

Thanks anyway.

So, did you even read the content I posted the link to in #2 ?? The third one on the list does 4K. Always remember, Google is your friend.