Just how much can you achieve in 5 years, in a very competitive industry? Quite a lot it seems, if the Holy Stone HS160 Pro and other incredible HS drones are anything to go by. Established in 2014, this company has been making stunning drones of all sizes, styles and classes.
You can definitely recall the Holy Stone HS165 that we reviewed sometimes back. You may also remember the stunning Holy Stone HS700 Drone. These are just a few of the incredible products made by HS. As they say on their website, they help everyone who dreams of flying realize their dream.
In this short post, we will look at the features that make the HS160 Pro drone worth having. As usual, Holy Stone has not disappointed with this one. They have included features such as optical flow positioning, nice camera, wind resistance and many more.
HS160 Pro Features & Technical Details
Design and build quality
HS is known for making stylish drones in the market. However, as you can see with this one, they have clearly outdone themselves. It is quite impressive if you care about looks.
The HS160 Pro is a foldable drone, very nice for traveling with it from place to place. It folds down nicely into a small size that you can tuck away in your jacket pocket or in your backpack.
When folded, it measures 6.3 by 2.7 by 1.5 inches and 8.7 by 6.7 by 1.5 inches when unfolded. With a small weight of 0.3 pounds, you do not need to register it with the FAA. Just buy it and fly!
Camera quality
A camera drone is only worth the value of its name if it can take awesome photos and videos. You will not be disappointed with the HS160 Pro camera. It can capture nice 1080P videos and good photos too.
The camera has a wide field of view at 110 degrees. Thus, you can expect footage that has a lot of background and many details. Your footage is stored in your smartphone, so you can transfer it to your computer later.
You also get a good first person view experience. For beginners, FPV means that you get real-time video and photo transmission from the drone when it is flying. Assuming you were a pilot and the drone was an aircraft, what you would see from the cockpit is what you see with FPV.
Battery and flight time
You will get two batteries with this drone. One is a bonus. They are 3.7V 1000mAh high capacity lithium-polymer batteries. You will get a maximum of 12 minutes from each battery, so we can say that you get about 20 minutes of flight time from the two batteries.
If you like, you can always buy another battery to triple your flight time, but most people are content with the two batteries that it ships with.
The charging time for each battery is 110 minutes, again, not too long as we have seen some drone batteries that take more than 180 minutes to charge.
Carry case
The drone is sold with a nice carry case that keeps the drone secure when you are traveling with it. This is a good plus for you.
Flight features
Optical flow positioning
This feature ensures that when you put the drone in hover mode, this feature ensures that the drone keeps stable. You will take good quality selfies and videos in hover mode. It will hold steady at the pre-defined altitude.
App control
The HS160 Pro does not ship with a remote control. Before you start feeling sad, you do not need a remote controller to fly this beauty. In fact, you will love how well streamlined and responsive the app is! Just imagine, you do not have to tag along the bulk of the controller. Just use your smartphone, in which you also store all the footage that you capture.
Flight features for beginners
The HS160 Pro is a good drone for beginners as well as advanced users. Thus, it has some good features for kids and beginners. They are as follows:
3 speed settings
This is beginner mode, which is good for kids and newbie pilots. Then there is the medium speed and high-speed modes. You can always start with the low speed mode and then move on to the other speeds once you have gained some experience.
One key takeoff and landing
This is a standard feature in almost all drones today. With one key takeoff or landing function, just punch the button and the drone takes off or starts landing. It is helpful for a drone that does not have obstacle avoidance sensors. If you see an imminent crash, just stop the drone in its tracks with this button.
Headless mode
Once again, this is a standard feature in many drones. You just need to press the button and the drone realigns itself to the controller, facing ahead of the controller. Drones can look the same from both ends and a beginner might find it hard to know where the nose faces sometimes.
Short Summary of Feedback from Existing Owners
Flying this drone is ever so easy even for kids as the take off and landing can be done automatically. Tray A.
I bought this drone to learn how to fly and upgrade later, but I have stuck with it to date. David S.
Having tried a few of the Holy Stone drones myself, I can tell you this about the HS160 Pro after using it:
- You will love it whether you are a beginner drone enthusiast or an old hand
- It has so many features that make it friendly for just about anyone
- The bonus battery is a deal sealer
- The carry case is a thoughtful addition
Once you have tried a HS drone, you never feel like trying another brand. They are that good. Herman K.
I find this drone small and nimble for carrying anywhere with me. Imagine the surprise of my pals at the parking lot when I pull it out to take a photo with them! Cyrus G.
HS160 Pro is light in weight and easy to take with you especially as there is no remote controller. The drone folds to a small size that fits in the palm of your hand. Antonio R.
Pros of HS160 Pro
- Folds into a small and portable size
- Tough, endures crashes
- Camera is manually adjustable to face bottom or forward
- Has a nice and secure carry case
- Bonus battery
- Very user-friendly, easy to fly even for beginners
- Stable hovering without drifting
Cons of HS160 Pro
- No remote controller
- Camera cannot be adjusted mid-flight
Who Should Buy The HS160 Pro?
Kids, beginners and even adults will find the Holy Stone HS160 Pro quite easy and enjoyable to fly. It is small enough to fit in your jacket or trouser pocket, so you will bring it along everywhere with you. Although it lacks GPS, it has a few safety features and the three speed settings are good for beginners. If you love good and feature-rich drones, get this one.
Conclusion and Recommendation
This drone lacks some features such as GPS and as you have seen here, it does not have a remote controller. However, that does not affect the flight experience in any way. Targeted at adults and kids as well, it is easy to fly and it takes good video footage. If it is your first drone, start on the low speed setting. The price of the Holy Stone HS160 Pro is quite affordable as well, so you need not put a dent on your wallet.
