Drones are game changers for hobbyist and in photography. Allowing you to get photos from angles and locations that were previously completely inaccessible, and giving you the opportunity to play with an exhilarating toy. If you’re in the market for a cool toy that’s portable but also tons of fun, you should be focusing on pocket drones.
As it’s name implies, a pocket drone is mini or micro drone that should be small enough to in your pocket. One of the best that you can find is the Syma X20 pocket drone. Come check out our review below where we go over it’s features and what we think about it.
Introduction to the Syma X20 Pocket Drone
The Syma X20 is one of the best drones you can get if you are a beginner drone pilot. It is also a great gift idea for a child interested in gadgets and RC toys. We liked it so much that we even added it to the top of our previous Top 3 pocket drone list.
Features of the Syma X20 Drone
Easy to Control
The drone is pretty stable if you are flying indoors and gives beginner drone pilots plenty of opportunity to learn the basics of flying. It’s possible to fly this outdoors too if its not too windy. In addition to stability its got some key beginner pocket drone features like one key take-off and landing, headless mode and adjustable flight speed that help with control.
Durability
We think this pocket drone is mainly intended to be used as an indoor toy and even though it has some zip to it, it doesn’t reach anywhere near racing drone speeds. Keeping this in mind, its fairly durable for its intended purpose. Its lightweight and has bumpers around the rotors to absorb some of the shock from impacts. You probably don’t need to worry too much about this breaking from accidental falls and crashes.
Headless Mode
Headless mode can be quite useful if you’re a beginner drone pilot or this is your first pocket drone purchase. When turned on, the direction that the drone is facing no longer matters. The drone will move away or towards the controller instead of forwards and backwards. This really lets you focus on understanding the controls and getting a feel for flight. As you gain more experience you can switch to the standard flight option and start training your motor skills for more typical drone flying.
Altitude Hold
The auto hovering feature allows the drone to stabilize mid-air even when you are not in control. Again, this is a great feature for a beginner drone. You will not be fighting to try to keep this up in the air the first time you take it out for a spin.
360-degree Flipping Capability
The Syma X20 Mini has a built in 360-degree flip feature. It’s great fun! Pulling of a flip is tricky and probably not something a complete beginner can pull off smoothly, so its nice to be able to throw in a couple acrobatic moves on your first pocket drone.
Lightweight
The Syma X20 is 0.01 pounds in weight. Coupled with its small dimensions, the drone is easy to carry when not in use.
Batteries and Charging
To run this drone, you will need 4 AAA batteries for the controller and a 3.7V 180mAH Li-battery for the drone. The drone comes with a charger, and it gets to full charge in 50-minutes.
Pros the Syma X20
- Beginner-friendly.
- Durable.
- Light in weight.
- Fast charging speeds.
- Amazing looks.
Cons the Syma X20
- The charging port is fragile and may break off easily.
- You only get about 5 minutes of flight time.
Verdict
If you’re just starting out with drones, the Syma X20 is an excellent starting point. It is a beginner-friendly pocket drone that you can use as a learning tool as you target larger and more advanced drones. If you’re still on the fence, please check out these reviews by Ready Set Drone and Quadcopter 101.
We’ve also reviewed other pocket drones in our previous top 3 list, and also given our take on indoor drones. Feel free to check out our other articles for some additional information.