It feels really good to get a drone that has all the standard features that others come with, plus a few extras. The extras we are talking about in our Snaptain SP650 drone review is the landing gear. It is high so that your drone’s hull is never in any danger. At the same time, it also has these soft rubber shock absorbers. Even in a rough landing, the shock never gets to the drone.
You would think that such extras would be enough in one drone, especially one in this price range. However, there is more. The SP650 also has voice control. Just engage the voice control mode and speak the commands that you want the drone to follow. Coming hot on the heels of the Snaptain SP600 drone, which also has voice control, trajectory flight and many more features, you can expect the SP650 to have lots more mojo, being newer and more advanced.
Keep reading to see other flight features, the build quality and design, the things that make it worth buying. By the way, if you are looking for a beginner drone that packs many features, get this one. Also, if you are looking for an affordable but impressive drone for your teenage son or boyfriend, buy the SP650.
SNAPTAIN SP650 Features & Technical Details
Design, build quality and durability
This drone is eye candy. If you care about looks, you will love it. It has strong ABS plastic casing that protects the delicate interior parts very well. It is shaped like a 4-spoked star, something that makes it stand out among quadcopters of its size.
With a weight of 125 g, just buy the drone and fly it, without worrying about registering it with the FAA. That is not required within this weight limit. The size is impressive. It places the drone between big and medium for consumer drones. It measures 10.6 by 10.6 by 4.4 inches.
1080P HD camera
This is a camera drone. Actually, the reason why many people buy drones today is so that they can have a nice aerial camera to record all of their fun moments with their families. This drone does not disappoint as it comes with a manually adjustable 1080P camera. However, it is positioned to capture as much ground for your photos as possible. With 120 degrees field of view, you know your video footage will be stunning.
While still discussing the camera, we can talk about the SD card support. This drone has a slot for one but you will have to buy it separately. For a drone this size and within this price range, you are going to have a great experience capturing every fun moment from the aerial viewpoint.
Because the camera gives stunning footage, you will also have a nice experience with your first person view. For this, you wil have to download the free app that is compatible with android and iOS devices. The controller has a safe smartphone holder. The live video transmission distance is 60 meters. This is much longer than what you get with drones such as JJRC H71, which shares almost the same features.
Transmitter
With responsive controls, a nice ergonomic shape that does not cramp your wrists, long connectivity range of 80 meters, this is a nice controller. However, the goodness does not stop there. There is much more. The finishing is matte, so that you can hold it safely even if you have sweaty palms. With the icons clearly indicated, this controller makes you feel really in control of your flight experience. You will be torn between using the app and using the manual controls on the transmitter. The connectivity range of the transmitter is 80 meters.
Batteries and flight time
You get two drone batteries with a capacity of 1000mAh and from each battery, you will get 12 minutes of flight time. If you want, you can order extra two batteries so that you have four, or even look for a pack of four batteries and get an hour of flight time.
The charging time for one battery is 120 minutes and you get a charger that can take two batteries. These are smart modular batteries; they are easy to remove and insert into the drone. When the battery starts to run low, you get a beep to alert you so that you can bring the drone back home.
Flight functions and performance
All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Thus, you will be itching to take your SP650 out and see what it has under those motors. You will not be disappointed, as this drone really has some good things going for it.
Trajectory flight
In the title of this post, we said this is a drone with programmable flight path. All you have to do is mark a few dots on the map/app, and then connect them. The drone will follow this route when you launch it. This is a great feature for those times when you will want to fly her hands-free.
Gesture Control
Victory Sign control start to capture footage and selfies.
Open Palm Sign is starting video capuring. This is a great feature.
Voice control
By early 2019, the voice control feature was only found in the Snaptain drones. We have not established whether other drones have started incorporating this feature. It is just a fun feature, but one that makes all the difference. Well, if you can tell Siri and Google what to do, you will be glad that you can tell this drone what to do too, and it obeys.
One key take off and landing
This is a very important feature for a beginner. You no longer have to figure out what does what. Just press this key and the drone will prepare to take off or to land, depending on what it was doing.
Altitude Hold
You may have noticed that the Snaptain SP650 does not have sensors for optical flow positioning. Do not let that discourage you because it has good altitude hold. With this mode engaged, you do not have to worry about the vertical flight. Just worry about the horizontal flight.
Headless mode
It is obvious that with a flight range of less than 100 meters, you will hardly have this drone out of your sight. However, you will still be grateful for the headless mode. When you engage it, the drone automatically realigns itself to face the right direction. This feature is good for when you are flying the drone without looking.
Follow me feature
Nothing beats a drone that has a high quality camera and follow me mode. You can lock the drone to any person or object and have it follow them. You worry about doing your adventure, while the drone captures video and photos from a respectable distance.
3-Speed mode
Switch between high, medium and low speeds, of course depending on your level of experience. This makes it a good choice for beginners. They can start flying it on low speed setting and then use the higher speed modes when they gain enough experience.
Fun flight features
These are things like 360 degree flips. With the touch of a button, you can have the drone roll forward, backward and even sideways.
Short Summary of Feedback from Existing Owners
My 13-year old son has been having a lot of fun with his Snaptain SP650 drone. I was amazed at the HD footage that he captured with the camera last weekend. The drone is really good. Morg B.
I find this drone easy to fly. The remote controller is so easy to use. I fear flying it in the wind. I have heard people say they have lost a drone to the wind. Syme G.
There are several things to really love about this drone. It has two batteries, nice camera and the 360-degree rolls are fun. Tap K.
This drone flies and hovers incredibly well. I have used it severally to capture good aerial footage. I prefer flying it away from home, where there are no obstacles. Alex M.
If you are looking for something on a small budget, look no further. I can assure you that this drone will meet your needs. Charles M.
I do not find the need to buy another battery. With 24 minutes of flight time in the two batteries provided, that is enough for me. Mr. O’Neil
If you are looking for a truly meaningful gift that will make a lasting impression, yet costs so little, try this one. Titus N.
Pros of the SNAPTAIN SP650
- Supplied with two batteries to give you 24 minutes of flight time
- It is easy to fly for kids and beginners
- The 1080P HD camera is a lot of fun to use and it takes good quality footage
- 3-speed setting is a nice feature for a beginner
- Nice remote controller
- Supports SD card of up to 64GB
- Trajectory flight is a lot of fun to use
- Voice control is really dope
- The price is good for this collection of features
- High quality casing/hull makes it durable
Cons of the SNAPTAIN SP650
- It would be so much better if it had a foldable design, but it is what it is
- Lacks optical flow positioning sensors
Who Should Buy The SNAPTAIN SP650?
Beginners definitely, and people who want to gift their teens with a gift that they will not forget fast should buy the Snaptain SP650 drone. Considering all the features it comes with, the price is friendly. You will have so much fun flying this drone. If it is your first drone, explore it feature-by-feature, taking things a step a day, until you can fly it like a pro. If you want to learn to fly on a smaller but feature-packed drone so that you can upgrade to a bigger one later, get the SP650.
Conclusion and Recommendation
This drone is a pack of goodness. Once you get it, you will want to get in the air as soon as possible. But not yet! First, download the app to your smartphone. Check the user manual and see what the manufacturer recommends. If you have experience in flying drones, hit the high speed right away. It drains the battery faster, but it is worth it. If you lack experience, start on the slow speed setting. Take care not to crash your Snaptain SP650 by flying it in open spaces.
