The availability of headless mode, gravity sensor, 3D flips and many more flight functions makes the SANROCK U52 one of the best quadcopters for beginner adults and kids. The price is also very affordable so you will not put a dent in your wallet even if you have to buy two of them for your kids.
While this seems like a decent camera quadcopter by many standards, it has its flipside like everything else. For example, if you are looking for an aerial camera, this might not be ideal because it has a resolution of 720P HD. We can definitely say that the camera could be better!
Apart from the camera and the obvious lightweight that such quadcopters come with, this is a good specimen especially for teens. If you are an advanced drone user, you will probably find the U52 too boring. But then, it is intended for beginners.
SANROCK U52 Features & Technical Details
Whether you buy a costly or a cheap drone, it is as good as its features and this one is not any different. Here, we shall see the main features that it comes with.
Design and Build Quality
By design, this is not a foldable drone, but that is not too worrying since many drones are rigid. With a good carry bag, it should be easy to carry. It measures 12.6 by 11.2 by 2.3 inches.
It weighs 178 g only, which means that you don’t have to register it with the FAA. Since it comes with a fully charged battery, just set it up (calibration) and fly it.
This quadcopter has been fitted with brushed motors. However, with the drone building technology evolving fast, today, brushed motors are better, quieter and durable.
In the package, you will get four extra propellers and propeller guards for safety. Overall, this is a well built small drone. It feels quite sturdy in your hands albeit being too light in weight.
The hull is made with high quality ABS material. It protects the drone from shock if it crashes. It protects the delicate internal electronic parts.
Camera Quality
With a 720P HD camera, you can guess that this is not going to give you studio-quality footage or anything close to what you would get with a 4K resolution. However, it still takes decent footage in the daytime. This is a cheap drone so it lacks many bells and whistles, but it is what it is. The photos and videos are automatically saved to your phone storage.
The vertical angle of the camera can be adjusted vertically from 0 to 90°. You will also get good live video transmission on your smartphone, so that you can see what the drone sees as it flies.
Battery and Flight Time
The SANROCK U52 comes with a 3.7V 1500mAh battery that is going to give you a flight time of 13 minutes. This is a modular battery, so it charges out of the drone. It also comes with its charging cable. The charging time for the battery is a bit too long too at 200 minutes. You have to wait for that long to fly the drone for less than 15 minutes.
You can check whether the manufacturer sells spare batteries and get one or two. That should prolong your flight time to let you enjoy your flight. If you do 3D flips, the battery is consumed faster.
When the battery runs low, you will hear an alarm on the transmitter.
Remote Controller
The U52 drone comes with a 2.4GHz remote controller. It has a smart phone holder, so you should enjoy your real-time video transmission easily. A transmitter comes in very handy for those times that you will want to fly the drone blindly.
It has the keys for all functions that the drone is equipped with. The maximum flight range with the remote controller is 320 feet, which is quite long compared to the 96 feet for video transmission.
Flight Functions
A drone for beginners should always have several automated flight functions. Such make it easier to fly. Here are the functions that the SANROCK U52 aircraft comes with:
One key takeoff or landing
Just press this key and the drone either takes off or lands. This is one of the easiest functions. You do not need to spend time figuring out how the drone works.
2 Speed Modes
With two speed modes, beginners can start on the low speed setting and then hit the high speed later.
Draw Route
Open the map interface on the app and draw the route that you would like the drone to follow. When you launch it, it flies along that route without error.
Altitude Hold Mode
With altitude hold mode engaged, you do not have to worry about the vertical flight of the drone. It will stay at a set height and it will hover accurately. Just worry about horizontal flight and capturing your footage.
360° Flips and Rolls
Get your drone to perform stunning 3D flips and rolls and make your friends die with envy. This is a fun feature and it could consume the battery more than normal flying, but it is definitely worth it.
Headless Mode
Headless mode makes the aircraft easier to control. When engaged, the drone aligns itself according to the position of the pilot. That way, you never have to figure which direction the nose faces.
One Key Return
This is an emergency function. Just press it and the aircraft turns and comes back home immediately. You can do this especially when there is a gust of wind.
Short Summary of Feedback from Existing Owners
Good small and affordable drone to own. It has been weeks of fun of flying my U52 and so far, I can say it flies as advertised. Paul G.
I am well pleased with this drone. I am looking to buy two spare batteries to enjoy more flight time. Ali M.
For the price, I would gladly buy this quadcopter again. In addition, if you fly it in the daytime when the light is good and there is no wind, it takes nice photo and video footage. Chris Black
I love using gravity sensor mode. If I wave my smartphone to the left, the drone flies to the left and vice versa. This small aircraft is a lot of fun for me. Dennis K.
Good safety feature! I have realized that when the drone goes beyond 100 meters, the remote controller lets off a loud beep so that I can bring it back home. The return to home button is very effective. Randy H.
Pros of SANROCK U52
- So easy to fly this drone for beginners as well as kids
- Battery gives a decent flight time
- It is light in weight and easy to carry
- Compatible with VR glasses. If you have one, put your phone in the glasses and enjoy
- Comes assembled and ready for flight
- It has follow me mode
SANROCK U52 Cons
- This is only good as a beginner drone. You will have to upgrade to one with more tech later
- As usual, small drones suffer in the wind and it is hard to trim them
Who Should Buy The SANROCK U52 Drone?
This is a small quadcopter without any form of camera technology. It is also quite bland when it comes to features. It is good enough to learn how to fly on it or as a hobby drone. Later on, you will eventually have to upgrade to a bigger one. It also makes a good gift for teens and children. If you are looking for a cheap hobby drone to practice how to fly, get this one.
Conclusion and Recommendation
When learning how to fly on this drone, you will need to follow a few important safety rules. First, fly it at low speed. Secondly, never fly these quadcopters in the wind because they become so poor to trim even when they have wind resistance. Thirdly, always check the user manual especially if it is your first drone. It will help you with information for how to calibrate the drone for flight and so on. With such precautions, you will enjoy your drone and it will not get lost.
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