The ridiculously large, circular prop guards and the small cylindrical body of the Potensic U47 drone make it hard to love at first sight. That notwithstanding, it is a good drone and the price is so affordable.
In any case, didn’t we learn that you should never judge a book by its cover, or in this case, a drone by its looks? What then should you look forward to in the U47? A lot. First, it is a Potensic and that says quite a lot. Up there in the same league as DJI, Yuneec and other greats, you know you can never go too wrong with this drone. And indeed, as you will see here, for less than $90, you will get a nice drone, with camera, FPV mode, different speed modes and other features.
Keep reading!
Potensic U47 Features & Technical Details
Design and build quality
This is where everything starts and you will not be disappointed, that is, if you do not mind the large propeller guards. They are four, round and they are the most noticeable feature. However, they have been put there for a reason and you will be glad to have them. Since this is a beginner drone, it is bound to face some abuse every now and then. Should it crash, these guards will protect the propellers.
The body is cylindrical, looks quite sleek. It has a fixed camera on the nose. The casing is hardy and so this drone will not rip open if it crashes with an object. Although it is not foldable, it is a small drone and so traveling with it in your bag should be no problem at all.
Drone camera
With a 720P HD camera, you will be able to capture videos and stills of decent quality. But that is not all, because it also comes with Wi-Fi transmission so you may be able to transmit videos and photos in real-time, thanks to the FPV feature. You will feel as if you are inside the drone as it flies. The field of view of the camera is good, so you should be able to capture videos with a lot of beautiful background.
The battery
The Potensic U47 comes with a modular battery. It is removable and charges outside the drone, so you might as well look for a spare one and double the flight time. You will get between 8 and 12 minutes of flight time. That is not too long, but on the flip side, you get a fast battery charging time of 40 minutes.
Safety features
The U47 is a beginner drone. Thus, it packs quite a number of safety features. The first one is the propeller guards that we have mentioned a couple of times already. The second one is the alarm that is activated immediately the drone is out of range of the remote signal, or when the battery goes low, so that you can bring it back home. If you are flying the drone through the smartphone app, it will vibrate once the drone is out of range. Bring it home.
Flight features
First, you will get auto takeoff and landing key. Just press it once and the drone either takes off or lands, depending on what it was doing. Then there is the altitude hold feature, which ensures that the drone flies at the same altitude so that you only worry about the horizontal flight. Thirdly, there is headless mode. Hover ability is quite good for the U47, so you can take selfies and videos easily.
We may also mention the speed modes. It has three – low, moderate and high. As a newbie, you can always start with the low speed setting and then as soon as you cut your teeth, punch it at full speed.
Remote controller
It is small and comfortable with two joysticks and a few knobs and buttons. One of the best things about it is that the smartphone holder is at the top. This makes sure that you cannot brush the smartphone accidentally to ruin your flight experience.
Short Summary of Feedback from Existing Owners
I bought the Potensic U47 for my daughter who is 14 years old on her birthday in March. Hard as it is to please a teenager, she loves this. Patricia G.
I have taken this drone with me when I am paddleboarding a few times. It is not a water drone of course so I had to be extra careful but it captured nice videos for me. Eddie T.
I have had a couple other Potensic drones and so I bought this one on account of the low price and the brand name. I love using it indoors. Samar L.
Good drone. Good videos and photos, not stunning but good, Anyway, it does everything DSI says it can do. Patel M.
I just wish the flight time could be longer and the propeller guards smaller. Overall, this is a good quality drone for the money. Kriss H.
Pros of Potensic U47
- Easy to use for everyone, even the kids
- Putting it together is easy
- Decent quality camera for videos and stills
- It hovers to take selfies
- Good build and design
- Low battery alarm for safety
- Easy to remove and install battery
- Tough little drone, takes abuse well
Cons of Potensic U47
- Not foldable
Who Should Buy The Potensic U47 ?
Without preamble, we can say that this drone is great for everyone. Let us assume that you love paddle boarding, rock climbing and all that, and you want a drone that can take the outdoor abuse to capture your videos. Buy the Potensic U47. If you would like to give your teenage son or daughter the perfect gift, get them this drone. It will not cost you much and it will leave a lasting impression on their minds. Whether you are a beginner or advanced drone enthusiast, the U47 will meet your daily-use-drone needs.
Conclusion and Recommendation
If you are looking for your first drone ever, start with something that comes with all the frills and thrills, like the Potensic U47. The reason for this is because even after you have outgrown the beginner stage you will still find this drone a lot of fun to fly. You may look for a spare battery for the drone for longer flight time, and another recommendation … do not fly her in strong winds. She might fly away with the wind.
