Arcade Orbit CAM Long Range Acrobatic 2.4G 4 Channel UAV RC Aerial Quadcopter Drone with Built-In Camera - Black,DROCAM3

Very poor quality

Great little starting drone.. I received it on Christmas day yesterday, the Auto Trim feature really makes it easier to fly....Would definitely recommend this to anyone before they buy a professional drone and bin it..

It cannot be considered a toy - in fact, the very art of flying a drone is a craft that one can spend a lifetime trying to perfect and never find resolve. Flying a drone is also very serious, there are consequences to those amateur pilots who think they can simply pick up the controls and start flying without taking the time to read the manual and understand the basics. With this purchase comes a high level of responsibility and, if you are able to accept the challenge, could transform into a whole new hobby.OK so if you have read this far then hopefully you are one of those "thrill seekers" like me who wants to see what all the fuss is about. So welcome to Arcade's Orbitcam Drone.The first time I tried to fly my drone it was night time and it completely disappeared above some trees - I was heartbroken that I'd never see it again. Luckily, thanks to the blue flashing lights I was lucky enough to find it upside down on the green of Hole 9 of the golf course of which I'd decided to use as my "staging area". So in summary - read the manual, read the manual, READ THE MANUAL.The packaging is very descriptive - in fact I could learn a lot in how to operate purely from reading the box. I know straight away that it has a camera, and that camera is 300,000 pixels (which at this price was quite surprising that it even included a camera, let alone with this high a resolution). Sure, it is not true HD and this footage is far from big-screen Hollywood worthy but its a great opportunity for you to see the world and your route through it from a birds eye view. I used the camera a few times while attempting the same flight path to gauge consistency in my practice.Upon opening the box you of course have the drone itself, secured nicely in with cable ties that can be easily removed with a pair of scissors. Then you have the remote control which (for me) does lack a little cosmetically in material build but makes up for in functionality. It has two joysticks left and right along with an antenna that lends itself up to an impressive 100m range, which means there is very little chance of you losing total control of your drone in high thermals. The remote control also has a very useful display screen which indicates % speed and rotor movement. Also included are spare rotors, USB charging cable for the battery, and another USB cable for transferring footage from the camera.The design of the drone itself is minimalistic, which I was quite surprised about given how much it packs. What it does result in is a more nimble flight, which means when it is windy it does get swept away quite easily. But on still days with clear skies it does result in ultimate maneoveurability - you will find the drone responds very well to your instruction.It is incredibly quick and easy to pair once you master the control sequence. Simply point the left joystick down and you'll have instant connection, the remote coming to life and displaying speed which can be increased/decreased using the left joystick again but this time up or down respectively. In Mode 1 the right joystick handles clockwise or anticlockwise rotation if going left and right, or forward/back if up/down. This is the main mode I used as it became quite natural for me, but there are a couple of different mode options to cater for everybody.Unfortunately the flight time is short. You would be looking between 7-10 minutes as an average rule of thumb from a full battery, which is great for getting started but once you become familiar it is a shame the fun is cut short so quickly.Also while it is very handy having the flashing blue lights to actually see it if you are feeling adventurous enough to try it out at night time (and also to indicate pairing), it was very difficult for me to see which way round the drone was at height. Therefore when it comes to rotation midair it is very often heading away from me when in fact I was sure it was pointing the opposite. Again dangerous, especially if there is a road nearby, so I would suggest if you plan on night flight that you keep it reserved; keep the height low, control the movement in a safe proximity and save the sky diving and radical flips for good day lighting. But attempting flight in total darkness is kinda cool…!Once you have mastered standard flight and the modes then you can start getting into trimming. This is calibration for your drone which means you can use the four switches on your remote to isolate each rotor and tailor each motion to fit your own technique.In summary, you are probably asking "how do I choose my drone when there are so many out there?" It all comes down to personal taste. If you are a certified drone pilot with fine trimming skills and a keen understanding of aerobatics, then perhaps this is not the drone you are looking for. But if like me you are just starting out in the drone world, or you are of medium ability and desire an all-rounder that is safe to use and highly affordable, then perhaps this is the one you are looking for.