What more would you ask from a drone that brings you awesome features such as brushless motors, long flight time, wide angle camera and many more as you will see in this Potensic D85 review? Much more, apparently. The modern drone has become even more sophisticated and feature-rich as it tries to meet all needs. At the top of the list of drone leaders lies the Potensic brand name, one of the very best in the market.
Apart from the flight features, this drone also comes with advanced safety features. For example, when the battery is low, the drone will return home automatically, “home” being the place where it was launched. The same also happens when the drone loses signal.
There are a thousand more reasons why you should buy the Potensic D84 whether you are a beginner or an advanced pilot. But first, let us look at its features and technical details in the upcoming sections.
This is a fairly new release but it has already made ripples in the market. There are so many positive reviews of the drone.
Potensic D85 Features & Technical Details
Design and build quality
First, this drone looks ruggedly handsome, like a sort of aerial predator. It has high legs, which make it look like a hulking spider. It is a fairly big and weighty drone too; it weighs 525g. It has a high quality casing that will not rip apart just because the drone crashed into a tree. If you are looking for a drone that can last a long time, go for the Potensic D85.
The drone has been designed with brushless motors. Now, if you are familiar with what happens in the drone world, then you know that brushed motors are loud and require more care and maintenance. However, brushless motors are almost maintenance-free. They are also quieter and last a long time.
This is not a foldable drone. It has four propellers. Right under the propeller arms, you will find the legs. In fact, the legs look like they are fixed to the propeller arms.
Camera
The Potensic D85 comes with a branded (Potensic), fixed camera. Since this is an adult drone, we expect it to have quite a camera and sure, it does not disappoint. First, this is a 1080P HD camera, and as the manufacturer claims, it shoots wonderful videos and captures stunning-quality photos.
With a wide field of view of 130 degrees, well, you can be sure that you do not need to worry about the fixed status of the camera. The camera also takes good videos even when the drone experiences some turbulence, or when it flies in the wind. Compared to many drones in this price range, the D85 beats them on the camera quality.
To enjoy FPV – first person view mode, you will have to use your smartphone. You can attach it on the controller and as you will see, it is quite a cradle for the smartphone. Your footage will be stored in your smartphone. FPV is made possible over the low latency 5G Wi-Fi transmission.
Controller
They do not come any more ergonomic than this remote controller. It has an excellent smartphone holder too that has been spring loaded such that it can never press the phone buttons by mistake.
It also holds the phone in a nice position and angle, right above the remote controller as opposed to many other designs where the smartphone is held below the remote. This ensures there is no interference with the smartphone should you choose to use the buttons or controls on the remote.
The remote control range is 1500 meters and the 5G Wi-Fi range is 800 meters.
Battery and flight time
The Potensic D85 comes with a powerful battery. It is a “smart” battery meaning that it will alert you when it is running low. It will also show you the amount of charge left and better yet, the drone will turn back as soon as the battery starts to drain. The 2800mAh Lithium-polymer battery gives you 20 minutes of flight time.
As a modular battery, you may also remove it when charging it and use a spare battery for more flight time. However, spare batteries may not be available since this is a fairly new drone, but in few to several months, it will certainly be possible to buy them.
The battery also balances the voltage when you are charging. This ensures that the battery cannot sustain any damage when charging.
Flight and safety features
These are limitless. For example, when the drone loses signal or the battery runs low, it turns and heads back home, automatically. However, there is also a return home key on the controller, so you can punch that when you want the drone to turn back.
This is a high-speed drone. It has the ability to do a maximum of 52km/h, quite high for a drone at this price. However, if you are beginner, do not hit the full speed just yet. Do some learning first, see how the drone behaves.
There is headless mode for the first-time fliers, which means that you do not have to worry about which side the nose faces. When you engage headless mode, the drone will face away from the remote controller.
Altitude hold feature is also available. With this one, you just have to worry about the horizontal flight of the drone while it holds its altitude. Again, this is a very helpful feature for the beginners.
The Potensic D85 has a good GPS positioning system, which many resources say is better than what you find in many drones. It is accurate to the letter, keeps the drone stable mid-flight and can do a transmission range of 4900 feet.
You may also draw a route for the drone to follow on the app. It will follow that route, leaving you pretty hands-free, as you fly it. Finally, there is the one key takeoff and landing, another very helpful feature for beginners.
Short Summary of Feedback from Existing Owners
I bought my Potensic D85 in the first month of its launch. Prior to that, I had only flown mini drones from this brand name. I am very impressed with the D85. Collin J.
I bought this drone as a birthday present for my husband on his 60th birthday in May. He has been having a lot of fun in the backyard. We also use it to take photos and videos with our grandchildren when they visit. Sasha W.
I love the stunning quality for the videos and photos! For this price and quality, I would buy this one many times over. Trev W.
I love how I have been surprising my friends by creeping this drone up to them and scaring them out of their wits. The brushless motors make it so quiet in flight. Gab K.
I have flown my D85 in low velocity winds. I doubt it would do well in high-speed winds, so be aware of that. Li C.
I find the long video transmission and remote control range very impressive. I only did 1200 meters. I was too afraid to do the maximum of 1500 meters. Raph E.
Pros of Potensic D85
- Long flight control range of 1500m
- Long video transmission range
- Good build quality
- Wide angle camera is really good
- Many safety features
- Good for advanced as well as beginner users
- Nice remote controller
- High quality brushless motors
Cons of Potensic D85
- It is not sold with a carry case
- Would be so much better if it was foldable
- Price is a bit steep
Who Should Buy The Potensic D85?
If you love good quality and value for your money, you should buy the Potensic D85. No review can do this drone justice, you have to experience it to know why it comes so highly recommended. Everything about it suggests high quality, from the long battery life to the long flight range and transmission distance. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced user, you will find that this drone meets your needs perfectly. You will also capture good quality video and photo footage all the time.
Conclusion and Recommendation
For many people, the search for a high quality and fairly priced drone stops with this Potensic D85 review. You have seen all he safety, camera and flight features that you are going to enjoy. For many people, the brushless motors and the long flight range are the most appealing features. For others, it is the camera. When you buy it, get a good carry case for it. You may also check whether spare batteries are available in the market and buy one for longer flight time. Read the user manual if this is your first adult drone to fly. You do not want to wreck such a costly drone too soon.
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Best Mini Drone – Updated Nov 2019