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Are you looking for the best beginner or intermediate-level drone but don’t want to spend a lot of money? Try the Syma drones.
Syma has been producing RC quadcopters for over a decade, and they are currently among the top brands you can get.
Before reading further, here are some things to keep in mind: Syma produces inexpensive drones, so generally speaking, their quality is not as good as other popular brands, but it’s hard to find one that costs this little and still flies so well.
In this post, I will review some of the best Syma drones you can find in the market.
Is Syma a Good Brand?
Yes, they are. Syma is a Chinese-based company that has built a good reputation in the toy and entry-level drone industry for about 10 years.
Their drones may not be as advanced as those from DJI, Parrot, or Autel Robotics, but they seek to offer Fantasy, Fun, and Inspiration with their drones, as they state on their website.
Some of the aspects that set them apart from their competitors include the pricing, durability, excellent customer service, and some of their beginner drones offer an experience almost similar to the more advanced drones.
You’ll find some drones with RTH, GPS, FPV, and altitude hold at very affordable prices. Some of them can even work with GoPro cameras.
While you can use the controller, Syma also has a smartphone-based app that you can use to control your drone. You have an option to choose either.
Some of their competitors include;
- Hubsan
- Yuneec
- Tello
- MJX
My Top 5 Syma Drones:
Best Syma Drone with Camera – Syma X8HG:
Syma X8HG is one of the most popular drones in its price range. It’s a relatively large quadcopter with headless mode, altitude hold, and can even perform flips.
The HD camera can record video at 8 MP and take still pictures at 1080p, which is excellent for such a cheap drone.
These features make it a good option for photographers who want to learn drone photography on a more affordable drone before going for a more expensive model. But due to the slightly higher price tag, it may not be the best for kids who are learning to fly.
Once you take the photos and videos, you can save them directly to a card since it also has a micro SD card slot, and a 4 GB micro SD card is provided.
Where the X8 falls short compared to newer models is in flight time, distance and speed. For example, it can only fly for about 6 to 8 minutes on a full charge, where other drones have batteries that will last 10-20 minutes.
Also, it cannot travel very far from you as it is only equipped with a 2.4 GHz radiofrequency, which has a limited range compared to the newer 5.8 GHz models.
And with the X8HG, you also get two modes, normal and stunt. You can use the slower speed when flying indoors and the faster mode when having fun outdoors.
One feature I love about this drone is its stability in the air. For starters, it hovers, allowing you to figure out the controls as you learn, and it also has 6-axis gyroscopes.
Pros:
- Stable flight.
- High-quality camera for the price.
- Easy to fly.
- Quite durable.
Cons:
- It lacks FPV mode.
- Short flight time.
Best Syma Toy Drone – Syma X11 Mini Drone for Kids and Adults:
Syma X11 is a great little drone that’s perfect for beginners as it has all the newest features, including headless mode and altitude hold.
Syma X11 drone comes with a 3.7V 150mAh LiPo battery which gives you around 6 to 8 minutes of flying time, but you can always buy extra batteries if you want even more flight time.
Better yet, it takes less than 40 minutes for the battery to charge. So, you can fly it, take a break as you wait for it to charge fully.
You will also love the four bright LED lights, so it’s easy to see where your drone is even when it’s far away in the air or when you’re flying it at night. These lights come considering how small it is.
It may not have cameras, GPS, RTH, or any other fancy features, but as I stated, it’s a toy to have fun before advancing to a bigger drone. And the less than $50 price tag isn’t a stretch either.
Other cool features of this mini-drone include the thumb control controller that’s easy to use, prop guards to prevent damage and prevent hurting someone when the drone crashes.
A 2.4 GHz transmission and 100 feet (30 meters) operating range aren’t that bad either for a toy drone. The only downside with this drone is its light and may not be the best for flying when it’s windy. It’s better flown indoors.
Did I mention the 6-axis gyroscope that enhances its stability? And that’s not all. The geared motors also contribute to a stable flight, especially when doing the 360 flips (yes, it has these too). It’s a little thingy with several cool features for a novice drone pilot.
How about the controller? It’s as good as a toy-drone controller can get. But there’s only one issue that most users also reported.
It’s a bit sensitive, and it can move from zero to speed to top speed in seconds. Before you get used to it, you may crash into objects often. It’s a good thing it’s durable.
Pros:
- It’s affordable.
- Stable flight.
- Longer flight time for a toy drone.
- Short charging time.
Cons:
- It’s best suited for flying indoors.
- The throttle is a bit sensitive.
Best Syma Drone with FPV – Syma X5SW-V3:
Some of the models I’ve reviewed only offer an option to record the footage on the SD card. But for just less than $40, the Syma X5SW drone takes your toy-drone experience a notch higher by including Wi-Fi transmission and FPV (First Person Viewing).
If you’re planning to join drone racing in the future, then this is a good drone to start with.
The 2MP camera is not fancy, but it’s enough to view the world from a bird’s-eye view. You all also get to hype your flight by performing various stunts, just like you would with a more powerful racing drone. This is thanks to the 4 channels and the 6-axis gyro for stability.
When flying a drone for the first time, it’s sometimes difficult to know which direction the drone is flying in. No need to worry as this drone has a headless security system, making it easy to control.
The headless mode orients the drone to fly in the direction where the controller is pointing instead of using its front location sensor.
A 3.7V 500 mAh Li-Poly battery offers 6 to 7 minutes flight time, allowing you to take pictures, videos or just fly it for fun before you have to recharge it.
Better yet, it can go as far as 100 meters away from the controller, giving you more ground to cover with such battery life.
Once the battery is depleted, it will take at least 120 minutes to recharge, which is quite long compared to the other drones I’ve reviewed.
Those who love flying at night, or fancy a futuristic look in a drone, will love the LED lights on this drone. And the two-speed modes make it suitable for both indoors and outdoors flying.
Pros:
- Best value for money – features camera and FPV.
- Extended flight time.
- Longer operating range.
- User-friendly.
- Durable
Cons:
- It lacks the hover function.
Another Syma Drone with Camera – Syma X5C-1:
Syma first released the X5C, and it was, and still is, one of the best cheap drones with a camera, stable flight, and cool features for a beginner drone.
Now, the X5C-1 is an upgrade to the X5C, and it’s much better. For starters, it has a 2MP camera that can take video at 720p resolution and photos with an interpolated 5-megapixel resolution. This camera is more of a novelty than anything else, but it’s always fun to take pictures from the air!
Unfortunately, there is no way to adjust the camera angle manually, so you will need to learn how to pilot your drone correctly before attempting to take pictures or videos.
The flight time is about 7 minutes, and the range is about 30 meters, which is pretty standard for a toy drone. And once it’s depleted, it takes at least 100 minutes to recharge, but you can get several batteries.
Like all other Syma drones, the X5C-1 includes headless mode, making this a great entry-level model for beginners.
Once you purchase this drone, you also get a 4 GB SD card and a card reader to help transfer your data to a laptop for storage or further processing.
Whether you’re flying it indoors or outdoors, you’ll appreciate the prop guards that protect the propellers from damage. The trimming feature also comes in handy in aligning the drone’s flight.
Its durability is also worth noting. Several users use this drone to play with their dogs, others even crashed it often as they learned to fly, and it still survived.
Pros:
- It has a stable flight.
- Quite durable.
- Easy to fly.
Cons:
- It could use a better camera.
- It could also use a longer operating range.
Best Syma Drone Helicopter – Syma S107G:
Syma are not only good at producing quadcopters, but they also have some of the best drone helicopters out there. And since both quadcopters and helicopters offer different experiences, let’s look at one of their RC helicopters, the S107G.
This is a coaxial drone helicopter, meaning it’s stable enough and the best entry-level drone helicopter. Being a 3-channel helicopter, you only get to do basic movements. Once you advance, you can opt for their fixed-pitch and collective pitch models.
Like other Syma drones, the S107G also has gyroscopes that help stabilize it. The trim feature also enables you to adjust the drone in case it starts drifting.
As I mentioned, this is an entry-level drone. So, you won’t get any cameras, gimbals, or stunts. But it’s still an excellent way to train in using RC helicopters.
What I love most is the 10-minute battery life and the price tag of less than $30. You can purchase several of them and have a mini-contest in your backyard.
The metallic build also makes it quite hardy, especially when flying it indoors. And the blades are durable but also designed in a way that they won’t damage property or cause injuries.
The only downside with this drone helicopter is that coaxial helicopters don’t fare well in windy environments.
Pros:
- Very durable.
- Great value for money.
- Easy to fly.
- Longer flight time.
Cons:
- It lacks advanced features.
- Short flight range, and is only best for flying indoors.
My Top 5 RC Helicopter Ideas: 2021
Conclusion:
And there you have it. Syma offers a wide range of toy drones, helicopters, and toy boats you can choose from. Their prices range from as little as $20 to $300.
I’ve tried to pick the best ones you can start with, but it’s all about personal preference. I would go for the Syma X8HG because of the camera, stability features, and ease of use.
How about you? Please don’t hesitate to share your experiences with Syma drones.
Happy Flying!
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