The camera can tilt vertically in flight, and having a Micro SD slot is really handy for recording high-quality footage (though you also have the option to record directly to the app for quick sharing. If you're going to crib, do it from the best.Ĭomfortably under the weight limit for registration, the Holy Stone HS175D also packs in plenty of useful features, like GPS, return to home, altitude hold, one-key take-off/landing, follow-me, and more. It's clear from the design of the HS175D that Holy Stone has taken a few cues from the DJI Mavic Air 2, which we feel is pretty reasonable. As well as flying many consumer and professional models, I’ve previously held a PfCO (Permission for Commercial Operations) issued by the Civil Aviation Authority in the UK, and now fly under an A2 CofC (A2 Certificate of Competency).The Holy Stone HS175D is an upgrade to the HS175, which we already liked, but the manufacturers have gone on to add brushless motors and a 2.7K sensor (not 4K, as it falsely boasts). I have nearly 30 years of photographic experience, and 15 years working as a photography journalist, and I’ve been covering drones and writing drone reviews for many years. This means that testing focuses more on flight performance than image quality, because larger models can carry a variety of cameras that are typically controlled independently of the drone. They’re not used for photography, although more advanced models are used for freestyle flying and capturing immersive cinematic FPV video footage, which is often shot with small action cameras attached to the drone. Testing FPV drones is a slightly different process to testing camera drones, such as DJI’s Mavic models – they’re much more difficult to fly, and typically lack features such as GPS positioning and the ability to hover, but they can be dived, rolled and flipped. I tested the BetaFPV Cetus X Kit over many flight sessions in a range of locations, both indoors and outdoors, to test flight performance, features and overall handling. The Betaflight FC version is slightly less expensive and doesn’t offer these basic safety features. I tested the Cetus FC version, which can hover, hold position and land automatically when the batteries are low when flown in Normal mode. There are two Cetus X variants available that use different flight controllers and radio protocols. ![]() The transmitter provides 100mW of transmitting power, and can also be used with FPV computer simulators. Turtle Mode is activated using a button on the LiteRadio 3 Transmitter by flicking the pitch and roll control stick. One handy feature if you crash is Turtle Mode, which allows you to flip the drone and take off again without having to retrieve it, although this often doesn’t work in long grass. For a micro whoop drone like this it’s best to keep it within around 100m. BetaFPV claims the transmission range is up to 600m, which may be accurate, although I wasn’t able to test this because of drone laws and the risk of losing the drone after a crash. The FPV video feed is analogue, so it’s prone to image break-up and interference, which is something you have to get used to. Unfortunately, the FPV goggle recording of the crash was corrupted. ![]() And this is the beauty of Cetus drones: spare parts are inexpensive, and repairs are incredibly easy, with no soldering or electronics knowledge required. I have to confess that this was mostly my fault, because I didn’t heed the goggles’ low-power warning, but a replacement frame was cheap to buy at £12, and it was very easy to transfer the electronics to the new frame. The initial crash was caused when the goggles beeped with a low-power warning, and consequently I experienced a loss of FPV feed while flying through and around the thick walls of a derelict church, and the drone crashed into the ruin at speed. ![]() The frame is tough and built to withstand impacts, and generally withstands most collisions, although I did manage to crack the frame in a crash, and this led to further cracks with subsequent crashes. It can also be purchased from independent FPV retailers for slightly more Amazon also has in stock from time to time, and while the price there is a bit higher it’s still affordable, and you’re getting fast delivery. The Cetus X kit costs $310 / £249 / AU$462 when purchased directly from BetaFPV and is available now.
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