Because the HOBBYTIGER H301S is a GPS drone, it is quite easy to fly for beginners. It also has GPS position hold, follow me mode and other functions that we shall look at later in deeper detail. You can also enjoy FPV video on your smartphone, capture photos and videos and store them in the microSD card. Yes, this small drone supports various cards for storage purposes.
You can adjust the angle of the camera from the controller easily to capture footage from the best angle. Before flying the drone, you need to do a compass calibration on the app or on the controller. Mostly, the app requires you to do a compass calibration before you fly the drone everytime.
HOBBYTIGER H301S Features & Technical Details
This Chinese made drone has some good features, lacks some, but it still has enough to make flying it fun enough. It is well built, not foldable but light enough to carry around with you.
Design and build quality
Starting with the most important things, this drone measures 12.6 by 12.6 by 5 inches. It weighs 165 g, which means you do not need to register it with the FAA before you can fly it if you are in North America.
When the drone is delivered to your door, you will see how well packaged it is in a hardy box. When you open the box, you will find the HOBBYTIGER H301S Ranger drone. You will also find a USB charger, four propellers, drone battery, remote controller, landing pads, repair kit, propeller guards and one set of propellers.
The drone’s hull is made with strong ABS plastic. This is the plastic of choice for many drone makers because even at a fall or a crash, it does not crack and rip open. It does a good job of protecting the delicate interior parts. The same material has been used to make the casing of the remote controller. This choice of material makes the drone hardy enough to use outside.
By design, you will realize that the landing gear is high. The reason for this is that the camera is suspended under the drone. Thus, high landing gear gives the camera enough allowance when the drone is landed.
For the protection of this drone, it has propeller guards that keep the propeller blades from breaking. Under each of the propeller guards, there is an LED light, which makes the drone visible in low light.
Camera Quality
When it comes to the camera, we feel that HOBBYTIGER should have done better. After all, many drones that retail at the price of the H301S come with better cameras. There is not much to write home about a 720P camera.
A 1080P camera would have been much better. The saving grace is that this is a 120-degree camera, and such a wide field of view makes for good background for photos and videos. With the 720P resolution, you should only use the camera in daytime.
There is a slot for a microSD card. The drone also comes with a 4GB microSD card and card reader. You can use the card reader to transfer the video and photo footage to your drone.
Use your iPhone or android smartphone for real-time video transmission. We have not been able to establish the FPV distance, but you should have a good time.
Battery and Flight Time
You will get a 3.7V 1000mAh Lithium Polymer battery with a flight time of about 11 minutes. Again, we feel this is a bit on the lower side as many drones within this budget offer a longer flight time.
However, low capacity batteries take a shorter time to charge. Besides, for less than $15 on many online marketplaces, you can buy a spare battery, or even two to prolong your flight time. The charging time for this battery is 60 minutes only.
Remote Controller
The remote controller is quite outstanding, to some extent even looking like the console of Playstation 4. However, despite having a small LCD screen that shows you important stats about the drone, this is a very simple controller.
It has two levers, two buttons on the top left and right, two buttons beneath the screen. The start/stop button is between the two buttons below the screen. These buttons are enough for all the flight functions the drone comes with. For example, you get the emergency stop button, the start and stop button. Other buttons on the controller include headless mode, follow me, roll control and so others.
Flight Features and Functions
This drone has many automated functions, something that makes it good for beginners. Even if this is your first time to fly a drone, you should enjoy flying the HOBBYTIGER H301S.
Headless Mode
When you engage headless mode, the drone will assume the initial orientation to when you first launched it. If the nose was facing away from the pilot, that is the direction the drone will adopt when you engage headless mode.
Return to Home
This is a built-in function that occurs because of the GPS flight assist. Press the return to home button and the drone turns and comes back home. When you fly the drone too far, it will alert you when it is out of signal range so that you can bring it back home. When the battery runs low, you will see it on the small screen on the remote controller so that you can bring it home.
Emergency stop
Because many drones lack obstacle avoidance sensors, they are equipped with emergency stop function. When you press this button on the remote controller, the drone stops immediately and therefore you can avoid an impending crash.
Follow Me Mode
The drone connects to the GPS in your phone, so it in fact follows your phone. This is great for having the drone follow you capturing footage as you move from place to place, all the time keeping a good distance. The drone focuses solely on you such that you fill the frame well. In Follow Me Mode, you will be flying the drone hands-free, so you can be doing other things too.
Altitude Hold
When the drone attains the set height, you can release the throttle stick and it will hold its altitude. Altitude Hold Mode also means that you do not have to worry about the height the drone flies at. Just concentrate on flying the drone forwards.
One Key Take Off and Landing
We consider this an important safety feature. When the drone is out of sight, you can bring it back home with the one key take off/landing. The drone flies back home and hovers at a height waiting for your next move. It also does the same when it takes off.
Short Summary of Feedback From Existing Owners
There are many things to like about this drone and there are also a few things to dislike. First, it is fun to fly, it is well built and takes just a snap to assemble. It also has many flight functions. The bad is that it has a short flight time and the 720P camera is not all that great. John G.
This drone made a perfect gift for my 15-year old son. I was looking for a gift that would not be too grown up or too kiddish and I think this was perfect. Even the packaging was quite good. Helen H.
This is my first drone to fly. I had to watch a YouTube video to understand how to fly it. I am glad I did. Today, I enjoy how it flies. I love the LED lights. I think they are fantastic. Paul K.
I wish the drone came with a longer-lasting battery but it is what it is. That said, this is a fabulous drone and the footage is not too bad when you take it during the day. Tirus L.
For a price higher than $100, I was looking forward to a 1080P camera at least. A bit disappointed but she flies well. Tap H.
HOBBYTIGER H301S Pros
- Minimal assemblage needed
- Drone is sleek and well built
- SD card storage – supplied with a 4GB card
- Has LED lights for low light flights
- Easy to fly even for the beginner pilots
- Small weight makes it good to carry around
- Has many automated flight functions
HOBBYTIGER H301S Cons
- Short flight time of 10 to 11 minutes
- Cannot fly in the wind
- It is not foldable
Who Should Buy The HOBBYTIGER H301S?
While this drone is mostly good for beginners, you can buy it if you just want to have a good time flying her around without worrying too much about the quality of videos and photos. This does not mean that the videos and photos that it captures are not any good. All we are saying is that you cannot use it to capture footage for a YouTube channel or something. Just buy it for fun and for your hobby. The manufacturer-recommended age is 14 years. Therefore, if you are looking for a good gift for your child, friend or spouse, this drone is such.
Conclusion and Recommendation
One of the most commendable things about this drone is the user manual. It is quite detailed and it is written in good English, so good you would hardly believe the drone is Chinese made. Read the user guide carefully before you put the drone together and fly it. In addition, don’t fly the drone in the wind, choose a wide open space and fly it during the day. You may also order a couple of extra batteries from Amazon or the manufacturer to enjoy a longer flight time with your HOBBYTIGER H301S ranger drone.
