The last few years have seen the drone market become saturated with all manner of beginner drones. The Shimu K7 is one such drone, almost perfect in every way. When we say perfect, we mean that it does what the manufacturer says it will do. The drone is sold at a very affordable price but at the same time, it has many good features. It also has many automated flight functions, something that we have come to expect with all beginner drones. We shall look at all of these features and flight functions in the upcoming sections.
Shimu K7 Features & Technical Details
The features that any drone comes with can make or break your drone flying experience. Therefore, before you order, it is always sensible to check the features. Features can also determine the kind of drone that you buy. For example, if you need a camera drone, you will look for one with such.
Let’s see the most outstanding features of the K7 drone:
Design and build quality
This is where everything starts. A poor design will put you off. The Shimu K7 drone is a good looker. It is also performance-oriented and for the price, we cannot complain about anything.
You will enjoy the flexibility that comes with a foldable drone. When you have to travel, just fold it up and toss it in your backpack. It folds into a small size (6 by 6.4 by 2 inches) and since it weighs a minimal weight of 130g, you can easily carry it in your coat pocket without feeling the strain. When unfolded, it measures 9.8 by 9.8 by 2.3 inches.
The exterior casing of the drone is made of strong ABS plastic. This will be able to withstand drops and other accidents without ripping apart.
The motors are brushed but they are quite good all the same. For example, even when you fly the drone to the farthest distance that it can go, the motors do not overheat.
Camera quality
You will get a 1080P HD camera, which is quite a good deal for the price. You can get good quality photos and video footage from this camera. Granted, you cannot use it for pro work, but it is still incredibly good for your family photos. It is a wide angle camera at 120 degrees field of view, so it is able to capture more background and more details in your footage.
You can also enjoy real-time video transmission from this drone. For that, you have to download the drone’s app to your smartphone. Get to see what your drone can see as it flies!
Since this camera also responds to gesture functions, you can use it as a selfie drone.
Batteries and flight time
This drone comes with two batteries at no extra cost. These are small capacity batteries at only 650mAh. Each gives you a flight time of 9 minutes, so in total you will be getting 18 minutes, which is quite decent. The other benefit with low capacity batteries is that they charge fast. For example, the charging time for this one is 80 minutes. Just make sure you use the charging cable that is sold with the drone. Since they are modular batteries, they are safe to handle, remove and insert into the drone.
Flight features and functions
Here is where the drill gets serious. How well can the drone fly? How far can it fly? Can you fly the drone in hands-free mode? These are some of the things that we shall look at in this section.
Custom flight
Open the app, access the map feature and draw a flight path that you would like the drone to follow when you launch it. Just make sure to choose a route that has great scenery so that you can enjoy watching the videos.
Gravity Sensor
Watch the drone tilt in the air when you tilt your smartphone. The gravity control mode makes flying a lot of fun. Why fly in a boring horizontal orientation when you can have more fun?
One key start and landing
With this function, you can be able to control the landing speed of the drone so that it does not crash, like a pro. You can also get the drone to take off with the press of this key. It will hover at a given height to await your next move.
Headless Mode
With headless mode engaged for this RC quadcopter, the problem of orientation and direction that the nose faces is taken off your hands. The drone will realign itself and fly in relation to the position of the pilot. If you cannot see the drone in its new position, with this mode, you will always know that it is flying in the right direction.
Altitude Hold
While headless mode takes care of orientation, altitude hold mode takes care of the altitude. The drone flies at a given height all the time, thereby just letting you worry about the horizontal flight only.
Auto Key Return
If the drone loses signal with the transmitter or the battery runs low, just press the auto return key and the quadcopter comes back home. This is a good safety feature.
Voice Control Mode
Tell the drone what you want it to do. For example, you can give it a voice command to fly left, right, forward, backward and so on. You can only access this feature through the app.
Three Speed Modes
This is a good function for a beginner drone. You can fly the drone at low and medium speeds when you are learning. You can punch the high speed mode when you have gained some skill.
3D Flips
This is another fun feature and you will love it. You can wow your friends with rolls and flips in all directions easily.
Short Summary of Feedback from Existing Owners
I love my K7. It is a simple no-frills drone that I found easy to fly. Dennis P.
This drone flies nicely. It has many of the flight functions that the bigger, more expensive drones come with. Artur M.
I have two small drones and one of them is the K7. However, I find its camera quality much better at 1080HD as compared to the other one’s 720P camera. Lara G.
The inclusion of a bonus battery is a nice touch. I will not even need to buy a spare battery since they charge fast. Juan R.
I was looking for a low budget drone and I was thinking along the lines of the popular brand names. However, I settled for this one because of the budget and I have never regretted. Faith P.
I love the handsome rugged look of this drone. It has a good camera and the flight time per battery is also good. Mr. Tank
Shimu K7 Pros
- Two batteries for longer flight time
- Foldable design makes it easy to carry
- You can fly the drone with the app or the controller
- Can do 3D flips and rolls
- Offers good FPV experience
- Drone flies really well
Shimu K7 Cons
- You have to remove battery clip with a screwdriver when changing the battery
- The user manual could do with more details
Who Should Buy The Shimu K7 Drone?
Anyone who desires a good drone for the money should get the K7. It has many good quality features and it flies really well. The three speed modes make the drone nice to fly for beginners as well as advanced users. While the drone does not have many bells and whistles, it is not too boring even for advanced pilots. Because of its rugged good looks, you can also collect it as a keepsake. It is also a perfect gift for someone that you love on their special days.
Conclusion and Recommendation
The Shimu K7 drone is a very good choice for people on a low budget, or for beginners who want to cut their teeth on a small drone and then move onto a bigger one later. However, when you get the drone, take note of these recommendations. First, fly the drone in open spaces free of obstacles. Secondly, keep a screwdriver close by since you have to unscrew the battery clip all the time. Thirdly, read the user manual slowly. It does not give much so you may need to read it again before you can get the drone ready to fly. Lastly, start on the low speed mode; perhaps even fly it indoors before you can try outdoors.
