Drones are becoming a Trend and are being used for more and more things. From photos and camera shots that would otherwise be impossible to get; to everyday training and sport models. The UDI U818A WiFi Quadcopter Drone is One of the best selling Drone on the market today.
DBPOWER UDI U818A WiFi FPV Quadcopter Drone Headless Mode with HD Camera with Battery
FIRST PERSON VIEW with VR HEADSET COMPATIBILITY: Enjoy live video feed of your flight from your iPhone or Android Smart mobile device with all new FPV WiFi feature; Easily sync VR headset (not included) to controller, enjoy the thrill of flight as you speed through the air. (FAA Registration NOT Required!)
GRAVITY INDUCTION: Just download the App on your mobile phone and connect with your wifi drone, allows you to fly your rc drone forward, backward, left or right in correspondence to the angle at which you hold your mobile device! You can now be in total control
HD CAMERA & BONUES BATTERY: Capture pristine HD aerial footage and photos – 720p HD / 30 fps; and 2PCS LiPo batteries to double your flying time and enjoyment now
NOTE The propellers must be connected correctly and the drone should be calibrated before flying. There are 4 propellers which makes two groups with AB letters marked in the propeller And they must be installed in the correct position
EASY SAFE & FUN: Your U818A WiFi Drone fits into your life and makes flying remarkably intuitive and easy. The headless mode, low voltage alarm, 360° flips function ensure you fly the quadcopter at ease, fun and safe, no worry about the fpv drone fly away
Top End Drones – with high-tech cameras – that take incredible HD or even 4k photos or video. Top end speeds that exceed speed limits. These new toys and work sensations are getting better and better all the time.
Recreational Drones
Recreational drones are the next big thing in Hobbies and Outside Entertainment! These small helicopter inspired vehicles usually come equipped with cameras and many can be controlled by smartphones as opposed to the paddle controls. Their sizes can range anywhere from (mini) palm sized to (intimidation) basketball sized, and can cost anywhere from $30 to a couple thousand dollars.
Drone Terminology: Four propeller drones are often referred to as quadcopters, six propeller as hexacopters, and eight propellers octocopters.
For your first drone (also known as a quadcopter), we highly recommend the UDI U818A. This drone is perfect for beginners and those looking to practice before taking on a more expensive aircraft. Although this drone can take quite the beating (you will probably crash several times when starting out), we don’t recommend flying above concrete or asphalt! This UDI U818A Quadcopter Review will help you with everything from setting up your quadcopter to actually flying the aircraft.
Getting Started: UDI U818A Quadcopter
The UDI U818A comes ready to fly. All you have to do is charge up the LiPo battery and insert AA batteries into the controller and you’re good to go. We’ve heard from multiple sources that it takes about 2 hours to get a full charge, but we’ve found that it takes no longer than an hour. The light will turn green when it’s ready. If you take a look at your transmitter you can see that it displays the mode you are in (mode 1 and mode 2), camera settings, throttle settings, and battery life.
Set Up
The drone comes fully equipped with a 3.7V 500mAh LiPo battery, a transmitter, and a mini camera (640×480 pixels). The box also includes 4 backup propellers, a mini screwdriver, a battery charger, and a USB connector (camera to computer) to upload your footage. We highly recommend buying extra batteries since the standard one only gives you a flight time of about 7 minutes. This can be frustrating if you want to drive to a far location or if you’re sharing the drone with multiple people. We bought this 2-pack of 600mAh batteries from Amazon that add 18 minutes each to your flight time, giving us a total of 43 minutes in the air with the three fully charged batteries.
Go Here to Get Your UDI U818A
Once you have the battery charged up and the transmitter working, you might want to read through the manual to fully understand the operations. Next, you will want to find a good location to take flight. When we first started we practiced inside my apartment to avoid wind. The room had carpet and a bed so we didn’t have to worry about damaging the drone. We recommend practicing hovering and landing until you get a grasp on flying the machine. Make sure you clear anything out of the way you wouldn’t want the drone running into (TV, computer, glass vases, etc.). You will find that it is much easier to fly in a big open space cause you won’t have to worry about these things.
First Flight
We strongly recommend finding a large grass park or an open field of some kind when taking your drone out for the first time. Do not fly outside if there is wind! This is a lightweight vehicle so the wind will cause it to lose stability easily. We’ve learned this the hard way a couple of times. Fortunately, the first time we were able to climb the tree to get it out. We weren’t so lucky the second time.
Despite our first mishap, we still decided to fly with a light breeze. The sun was also beaming down, and this caused us to lose sight. The wind took control of our U818A and blew it away. We were looking for a while until my girlfriend finally noticed it up in a tree. After getting two shoes stuck with it, and tossing pine cones for an hour, we decided to drive to my buddy’s house to grab a two story tall ladder. It was 110° out that day…needless to say it was a pain.
Taking Photos
After you understand how to fly the UDI U818 you can start practicing your photography. Press the button with the little video camera image next to it before taking off. Then press the button again whenever you are done recording. Keep in mind this camera only records video, not audio. You can also take pictures by pressing the button with the camera image next to it. It’s extremely easy to view your photos and videos. You just plug the camera into any computer through the provided USB cord.
Advanced Flight Features
Another cool feature of the UDI U818A is its 360° eversion maneuver. Whenever your drone is about 10 feet or higher in the air you can hit the 360° button and the quadcopter will automatically do a flip in the air. Be ready to throttle up right after, otherwise it will run itself into the ground.
It will take a little bit of time to get used to the UDI U818A. Don’t get frustrated. Make sure you are aware of the laws and regulations before flying. Most importantly, have fun with your new drone!
Here is our first flight with the UDI U818A! It got windy and knocked the UDI off balance but the UDI floated harmlessly to the ground!
UDI UA818A – FPV
There is now an FPV model available. Over the past couple years, UDI worked on perfecting this quadcopter and adding new features to keep up with the big dogs, such as DJI. Now you can use the provided FPV goggles to view what the quads camera is focused on. It’s almost as if you are playing a video game.. We highly recommend considering the FPV before buying the original. It’s still the perfect beginner quadcopter (easy to fly and extremely durable). As we mentioned earlier, it can withstand a pretty good beating and still fly just fine. The FPV Wifi edition would be perfect if you’re trying to get into FPV drone racing, or if you’re a VR enthusiast.
Drone Flying Rules and Regulation:
These flying machines can legally roam the skies under 400 ft. for recreational purposes. We do not recommend that you fly them around Government Buildings, Lands or especially anything Military related.
People are finding new uses for drones every day. It is an exciting and growing industry to be a part of! Ariel photographers are now capturing landscapes from previously impossible to reach altitudes, real-estate agents are showcasing properties from breathtaking perspectives, farmers are utilizing 3D mapping to diagnose crop health and optimize growing potential, and companies like Google and Amazon are experimenting with drone delivery. Maybe you will be the next person to come up with an innovative use for drones!
With so many pilots taking to the skies, it is important that we remember to fly cautiously and with safety in mind. When flying, it is crucial to stay below 400 feet, keep at least five miles away of airports, and never fly above people. Regardless of how much research you have done on a specific drone, it is absolutely necessary to read the owner’s manual from start to finish before flying . Every drone is different and requires a thorough understanding in order to fly safely.
The good news is that drones are pretty easy to learn how to fly! You can get the hang of it with a little bit of practice. With that being said, there are a few things to keep in mind. First of all, we recommend starting with a small and relatively inexpensive drone. When learning you are bound to crash a few times and beginner drones like the UDI U818A are durable enough to sustain crashes in the grass without breaking. This will save you money and future headaches. As your skills improve you can then move on to more advanced drones with confidence.