Drones under 250 grams

[DaleB]

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.

Google was not my friend. We are no longer speaking to each other. (I googled well before even asking the question. Its so-called 'answers' were less than helpful.)

Thank you for your link. I did read it. I wish that the Hover were available to purchase. So I guess my search continues...

 

[deleted member 877]

Google was not my friend. We are no longer speaking to each other. (I googled well before even asking the question. Its so-called 'answers' were less than helpful.)

Thank you for your link. I did read it. I wish that the Hover were available to purchase. So I guess my search continues...

OK fair enough. I can totally understand why you wouldn't want to jump through all of the hoops just to be able to fly in Canada's controlled airspace. A lot of people have commented on how onerous the drone-related regulations are in Canada - I didn't realise the extent until reading them just now.

 

[DaleB]

By the way, the Zerotech Dobby footage looks pretty usable. And I might order one... if I can be assured it'll arrive in time for my event. The software reliability and customer service ratings are a bit worrisome though. So we'll see.

 

[Possums]

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.

I would bet you can shave off 50 grams and it would still fly. I have several and will give it a try. But.. and the but is will that make it legal as a "non-drone". Or is a Tello a "non-drone", that the FAA will worry about knocking down aircraft? Or do the little 25 grams drones that Walmart sells still have to meet all the drone criteria?

 

[deleted member 877]

I would bet you can shave off 50 grams and it would still fly. I have several and will give it a try. But.. and the but is will that make it legal as a "non-drone". Or is a Tello a "non-drone", that the FAA will worry about knocking down aircraft? Or do the little 25 grams drones that Walmart sells still have to meet all the drone criteria?

From what I can see the Canadian regulations stipulate only weight. So I would expect that a drone, such as the DJI Spark, that had been modified to weigh under 250 grams would qualify as a toy and would not need to be registered, and could be flown in controlled airspace.

Just my take of course - could, of course, be wrong.

 

[Possums]

From what I can see the Canadian regulations stipulate only weight. So I would expect that a drone, such as the DJI Spark, that had been modified to weigh under 250 grams would qualify as a toy and would not need to be registered, and could be flown in controlled airspace.

Just my take of course - could, of course, be wrong.

Yeah, I know you don't have to register them if the weigh under 250 grams, but what regulations do they have to meet if they are under 250 grams? - or in the case of the "Tellos" at 85 grams? I just gave my kid a couple of Tellos for the grand-kids to play with and told him not to worry about it.

 

[brettbrandon]

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?

There is a new class out called CineWhoops. They are sub 250 quads with great cameras on them.
The drawback, no gps and no auto height holding and about 5 - 7 min flight time. They also require a seperate radio and are setup for FPV. Can be flown LOS as well.
Here is one of the newer 4K versions. Its about 220 grams with large battery. They also have ducts around the blades for safer use around people.
FullSpeed 4K TurboWhoop Caddx Tarsier 4K
Try a search on youtube for "Cinewhoop".

I have a iFlight CineBee which records at 1080 60fps (my avitar pic). It has a dvr recorder onboard that records to a chip. Mine even starts and stops the recording automatically when powering up and down. I can fly it in the local park and no one cares....

 

[brettbrandon]

Not sure if this one is under 250. It uses a GoPro.

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[brettbrandon]

I wish that the Hover were available to purchase. So I guess my search continues...

Is this the Hover you are referring to?
Amazon.com : Hover Camera Passport Self-Flying Drone, 4K Video & 13MP Photography, Auto-Follow, Facial Recognition_Deluxe Version_P000001 : Camera & Photo

 

[DagDerniT]

Check out the Geprc Cinepro 4k. Weighs in under the 250 grams and shoots in 4k! Here's a link:
(Register a new account on the Banggood APP and get $100 of coupons. I just found an amazing item with free shipping.)

https://banggood.app.link/89OsZoNEdY

 

[roadkilt]

I’m currently backing and waiting for my Indiegogo’s crowd funded micro drone. Link is Micro Drone 4.0 - Affordably Priced Under $200
It’s purposely sub 250 gms to dodge the regs, it’s intention is to have fully gimballed high quality 1080p video and all the other usual stuff RTH, etc. To keep weight down it wont be a long distance flyer like the MP or MA, but who cares. I’m assuming it will be very loud and buzzy given its small size. I had a Dobby, what a POS. Flies clumsily, video was software stabilized and HORRIBLE. Photos were ok, but only real use was as bait and switch in case someone complained about the Mavic Air you could flip out the Dobby and say “see...its under 250 grams...” I hope the MicroDrone 4 is as good as they tout it, I’ve had some seriously bad crowd funded drones in the past. Its also a bait/switch drone if nothing else. If that link doesnt work go to Indiegogo and search for MicroDrone. Its supposed to be coming out this summer, but that is always delayed in these new projects.

 

[Patmaherjfm]

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.

 

[Patmaherjfm]

[US$203.00~233.00 25% OFF] iFlight Cinebee 4K 107mm F4 OSD 2-3S Whoop FPV Racing Drone PNP BNF w/ Caddx.us Tarsier Dual Lens Camera RC Drones from Toys Hobbies and Robot on banggood.com

iFlight Cinebee 4K 107mm F4 OSD 2-3S Whoop FPV Racing Drone PNP BNF w/ Caddx.us Tarsier Dual Lens Camera

m.banggood.com

 

[roadkilt]

the link in #2 went to an article published in april 2016...the Triassic in drone evolution

 

[deleted member 877]

the link in #2 went to an article published in april 2016...the Triassic in drone evolution

D'oh sorry, you are correct. I should have checked the date. My bad.

 

[roadkilt]

no problem. Shows how long some of these things (Dobby) have survived...and there are still so few good alternatives.

BTW specs on the MicroDrone: (will be under $200 US)

➀

Automatic Self-Hovering To eliminate the steep manual piloting learning curve associated with most drones and make it as easy to fly as use an iPhone, we've integrated automatic self-hovering upon release of controls which is the fundamental requirement to enable advanced autonomous flight capabilities.

➁	Smooth High-Quality Video To eliminate customer disappointment from shaky footage captured when buying non-stabilized fixed camera drones, we hand-selected and engineered our hardware to inexpensively create a complementing flight and optics tech package that's more powerful together.

➂

Affordable Price Point To eliminate the sticker shock complaints of purchasing expensive drones geared towards videographer professionals, we've fine-tuned the specifications and optimized them to everyday consumer uses which allowed tremendous cost reductions by designing to your technology needs. Full HD Aerial Camera — The majority of consumers don't shoot 4K aerial video, but it accounts for 60% of drone costs, so we chose a high-definition camera that's optimized to sharing on social media platforms with streaming compression rates aligned to our 1080p full HD camera with 110° field of view. Image Processing by Sony® — An upgraded 1/2.3" Sony® CMOS imaging sensor and video processor with F2.6 aperture allow Micro Drone 4.0's high definition camera capture more light for excellent color and clarity. Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) — To top off our aerial camera package, we integrated an EIS algorithm to enhance stability and complement our mechanical flight stabilization that results in the smoother, more stable aerial video even for those with less multirotor pilot experience. Wireless Streaming by Qualcomm® — Dual antenna transmits uninterrupted, low latency live video streams from its aerial HD camera back to your smartphone over a long-range (400ft) so that pilots can easily line up to capture the perfect shot in real-time. Onboard Memory — Onboard storage saves video footage at max resolutions and highest frame rates to transfer seamlessly between Micro Drone 4.0 and your smartphone using its built-in wifi network connection. Meet the World's Smallest Two-Axis Gimbal: By dedicating the last 18 months to developing the world's smallest two-axis gimbal, it's the first ever to be deployed on such a small quadcopter and allows you to do things not possible on cheap, fixed camera drones. Auto-Adjusting — Tilts/rotates automatically as flight angles change from speed or turns to keep the camera straight. Advanced Control — Customize gimbal pitch speed, roll/pitch, lock position to fine tune for more impressive video. Stabilized Dampers — Rubber mounts eliminate vibrations caused by motors or flight tricky flying conditions. Drone Design — Palm-sized measuring 4.7" wide, 4.7' long, 1.5" tall and weighing 120g with battery (below registration threshold) composed of resin/carbon composite materials. Automatic Hovering — IMU, Gyro/Accelerometer, Barometric Air Pressure Sensor, Downward Facing Optical Flow Camera, Neurala AI Tracking, Qualcomm Based Microprocessor Qualcomm Based Dual Wireless Antenna Battery Performance — Two-cell 7.4v high-performance Li-Po battery with 1200mAh capacity weighs 26g to enable flight time of up to 12 minutes with Micro USB port with a 45-minute recharge. Camera Specifications — Full HD Camera capturing 1080p, 5MP, 30FPS photo or videos with a 110-degree field of view with a Sony sensor and two-axis mechanical gimbal to remove unwanted shake. Battery Design — Removable and affordable so users can have extras on hand to allow easy hot swapping using its quick release design to swap out and continue flying. Warranty & Support — Includes EN71, RoHS, R&TTE, and FCC certifications with full backup support on parts/service.

 

[roadkilt]

no problem. Shows how long some of these things (Dobby) have survived...and there are still so few good alternatives.

BTW specs on the MicroDrone: (will be under $200 US)

➀

Automatic Self-Hovering To eliminate the steep manual piloting learning curve associated with most drones and make it as easy to fly as use an iPhone, we've integrated automatic self-hovering upon release of controls which is the fundamental requirement to enable advanced autonomous flight capabilities.

➁	Smooth High-Quality Video To eliminate customer disappointment from shaky footage captured when buying non-stabilized fixed camera drones, we hand-selected and engineered our hardware to inexpensively create a complementing flight and optics tech package that's more powerful together.

➂	Affordable Price Point To eliminate the sticker shock complaints of purchasing expensive drones geared towards videographer professionals, we've fine-tuned the specifications and optimized them to everyday consumer uses which allowed tremendous cost reductions by designing to your technology needs.