Measuring 12.5 by 11 by 3 cm, this is a small drone, but it has many features. If you are looking for the best, cheap FPV drone for a beginner, this is a perfect option for you. If you would like to buy a drone that even a 5-year-old kid can fly with minimal instructions, get the AKASO A21. If you are a beginner drone pilot and you would like to gain some experience on a feature-rich but affordable drone, the AKASO A21 will meet your needs perfectly. The price is affordable and the drone has a number of safety features.
AKASO A21 Features & Technical Details
Physical features
The AKASO A21 is not only a good cheap FPV drone, but it also has been designed with many features. Some, as you will see here, are mostly found in the more expensively priced drones for professional users.
This is a good-looking drone, with its bold black color and red stripes. It also has a frame extending over the sides, which has been designed that way to provide some protection to the propellers in case you crash it. Two front lights on both sides of the camera make the drone look like a predator.
The total drone weight, with the battery and all is 48g. Thus, no FAA registration is required to fly it outdoors. Just buy it and enjoy flying it.
The drone battery
AKASO A21 uses a 3.7-V 550mAh battery. At full charge, this battery is able to give the user between 9 and 11 minutes of flight time. When the battery starts draining low, the lights on the drone will start blinking to alert you. If the battery drains lower, the drone will land automatically. The controller will also beep when the battery is low. This gives you enough time to bring the drone back.
The charging time for the battery is between 60 and 90 minutes. It has a red light that turns on when the battery is charged fully. Since the battery must be removed from the drone to charge, you can buy one or two spare batteries to extend your flight time.
The camera
The AKASO A21 has been equipped with a 720P HD camera. This is a high quality camera that captures good video and photo footage. But it does not stop there as you can also stream live video and best of all, you can enjoy flying the drone in FPV (first person view) mode where you get to “see what the drone is seeing” just as if you were inside the drone. For still photographs, the camera is 2MP, which is good for such a small and affordable drone for beginners.
Headless mode
This is a good addition that most beginners love to use. It means that you need not worry about which direction the drone faces. When the drone is out of sight, just engage headless mode and the drone will find its way to the controller. This is why this feature is so important for beginners.
Altitude hold feature
This is another commendable feature to have in such an affordable FPV drone. Just imagine finding a bird nest in one of your trees and then setting the drone at an altitude where it can record the mom feeding her chicks. That would be a good biology lesson for your kids.
With the altitude hold feature, you can set a certain height and then lock your drone to that height and capture some footage from there. You can also set a certain height that you want the drone to fly at. This feature also enhances the stability of the drone when in flight.
Flight features
First, you will love the one key takeoff and landing of this drone. It is one of the features that makes it so simple for anyone to fly. What happens when you press this button is that the drone takes off immediately and flies to a height of 1.5 meters and hovers there. When the battery is low, the drone will drop down to the height of 1.5 meters and then you can press the same button to land it.
Other flight features include the different flight speeds. There is low, medium and high speed settings for the drone. Children and newbie pilots can start their practice with the low speed setting and can then move on to the advanced speeds.
This drone also has a feature called Choreography Flight Play. This one has been included specifically to assist kids without any drone skills fly this one easily. You just have to go to the flight line on your smartphone (having downloaded the app) and tap on the start button. The drone will start flying immediately.
The last flight feature that you will love is the one that allows you to draw the route for your drone on your smartphone screen. The drone follows that route. You can slide your finger across your smartphone screen in any pattern and the drone will fly in the same manner. This drone is also capable of doing 360-degree flips mid-flight.
Controller
The transmitter uses 3, 1.5V AAA batteries. You will have to buy these separately. The controller has a smartphone holder, and it has very responsive knobs and sticks. The control range of the drone with the remote controller is 50 meters and Wi-Fi range (on your smartphone) is 30 meters.
Short Summary of Feedback From Existing Owners
I have been flying this drone with my seven-year-old son and we enjoy ourselves thoroughly. We had so much fun I had to order a second one for me on Black Friday. Dennis O.
My allegiance when it comes to drones has always been with the big market players such as DJI. However, I thought I would buy this one mainly for its features and the affordable price. I have never been disappointed. It is such a joy to fly the AKASO A21. Alicen W.
In the spirit of thanksgiving, I thought I would order the AKASO A21 for my husband. He is not too tech-savvy buy he enjoys flying this small drone in the backyard when he has the time, mostly on the weekends. Lana S.
I was buying this drone just because of its low price. I just wanted a drone that I would learn to pilot and then later buy another one. I don’t think I will be buying another one anytime soon as my AKASO serves me just fine. Henry M.
I am yet to fly this drone outdoors. I have however been flying it around the house and I have crashed it into the wall a couple of times. The pictures and videos I have taken indoors are not too good but I would buy it again. Tim H.
I am yet to use some of the features of this drone such as the choreography feature. I find the app a bit flimsy, but I love everything else about this drone. I am planning to take it to the beach with me. Jon C.
Pros of AKASO A21
- Has many advanced features
- Affordable price
- Quite easy to fly for beginners
- Expert drone pilots should love using this drone
- Captures good video and photo footage when used outdoors
- Small enough, light in weight to travel with
- Compactly built to withstand crashes
- Safe with one-button takeoff and landing, and headless mode
Cons of AKASO A21
- Charging time is a bit long
- Wi-Fi connection can be a bit flimsy
Who Should Buy The AKASO A21?
Anyone looking for a cheap FPV drone can buy this one without hesitation. It is not a very popular brand name such as DJI or Yuneec , but it works like a marvel and the price is quite affordable. Besides, it has so many features for both beginners and expert users. If you buy this drone, you will never have one boring moment with it.
Conclusion and Recommendation
With advanced features such as altitude hold, 720P camera, one key takeoff and landing button all show a good drone that you will enjoy flying. You will also love that this drone is sold at a very affordable price. It is recommended that you learn how to fly it indoors before you take it outdoors. For a better experience with this cheap FPV drone, you need longer flight time. Buy a spare battery or even two of them for it and you will have full blast fun. If you look for the AKASO A21 reviews online, you will see just how popular it has become with beginners as well as advanced drone enthusiasts.
Show me the price !
Best Web Sites to Buy Drones Online
