Holy Stone HS720 Drone

Holy Stone HS720 Drone Review

Holy Stone HS720 Drone Review 2019 – is the Holy Stone HS720 quadcopter worth the money? Review of features, pricing, flight duration, battery, camera and more.

Holy Stone HS720 Foldable GPS Drone with 2K FHD Camera...

$299.99 2 used from $275.99
1 new from $299.99

in stock

Buy this item

Drones are no longer simple toys that fly while taking snaps. They are now considered as vital photography and videography equipment that professionals use on a daily basis. Manufacturers have leveled up in terms of build quality and features. For example, Holy Stone is fast becoming a popular name in the drone segment thanks to their mix of good features and low price. The HS720 is one of the brand’s premium models. It is a quadcopter that has become a favorite among amateur filmmakers because of its portability, simple operation, and excellent camera. In this article, we go into greater detail about the features of this product and compare it to similar drones.

Build

This high quality drone has a clever design that lets it fold for compact storage. It comes with a carry case with space for the controller and accessories so travel is a breeze. The main body has a rectangular shape with a slight bulk at the front, where the camera is, and a tapering at the end, where the battery goes. Its four arms can extend to the corners to give the blades room to rotate. Construction is top notch. It has a good balance weight and doesn’t seem cheap. The all-back chassis with silver accents enhances its look as a serious piece of kit.

Camera

A lot of people will be drawn to this model because of the 2K camera resolution and image stabilization. It has built-in shock absorption to reduce camera vibration when shooting. It’s a decent camera but be mindful of the environmental conditions. Strong winds can affect the video capture and result in jittery clips, just like other drones. The unit can transmit First Person Video or FPV via the 5GHz Wi-Fi band to the remote control. This allows the user to see what the camera is seeing in real-time for quick adjustments. Indeed, it has a 90-degree adjustable lens which adds to its versatility.

Flight Time

The blades spin through the power of four brushless motors. These generate less heat and are likely to last longer than the usual motor. Quieter operation can be expected which means less arguments with the neighbors. Brushless motors also require less power to operate so they do not drain the battery as fast as other motors would. Users can get about 26 minutes of flight time per charge. This should be more than enough to get high up and take decent shots of a certain area or a moving object. Charging time is between 5 to 7 hours. The charger is included in the package.

Flight Modes

Indeed, this is one intelligent unit that you can be confident in using outdoors. The Holy Stone HS720 Drone can detect if the battery is running low. It will return to the user automatically. You can use the Follow Me feature to have it track your movements across a field, a track, a trail, or a road. This is great if you are filming chase scenes, race documentaries, or tourist shots. It can even do custom flight paths and full 360-degree orbits for stylish scenes. If you are worried that the unit might be drifting too far away, then just press a button to make it return to you. It will also come back if the signal is lost.

Controller

The controller uses a 2.4GHz transmitter with a 3,000 feet radius. Users can monitor the GPS signal and battery level at all times on the monochrome LED screen. There is a button for activating the drone light to improve visibility in dark environments. Two joysticks control the movement of the drone itself including height, speed, and direction. Like other drone controllers, it feeds the video to a smartphone on the cradle to show the first-person video being captured by the unit. The Holy Stone app must be installed to enable this connection.

Performance

The HS720 is an excellent performer with robust features and a long battery life. It is perfect for beginners due to the ease of operation and return-to-home features. Whatever happens, it will find its way back to the user so even novices can be confident in exploring with it. It is fairly stable when in flight although it is not immune to the effects of strong winds. The 2K camera is decent but far from the best implementation. Then again, this is not the most expensive model out there so it won’t be fair to expect too much.

HS720 Vs Other Drone Models

Drone users who need the very best for their cinematography should be willing to pay the high price. For example, they can pick up the DJI Mavic Pro 2 which is another quadcopter with a similar design. You get a Hasselblad camera with a 20 megapixel 1-inch CMOS sensor. This should result in videos with vivid colors and stunning detail that are good enough for commercial applications. Flight time is slightly longer at 31 minutes. Maximum speed is up to 44mph with a take-off weight of just 907 grams. It has 8GB internal storage which you can boost with up to 128GB via SD card. Just be prepared to shell out more than $2,000 for the privilege of owning the DJI Mavic Pro 2. In contrast, the Holy Stone HS720 Drone is only a little over $300.

Indeed, even that price point for the Holy Stone may be too much for some people. If you are only looking for a basic drone that can fly and shoot, then you might want to look into the JJRC X11. It is priced at under $200. The design is very similar to the ones we’ve discussed with four rotors and foldable arms. Charging time is 4 hours with each charge good enough for a 20-minute flight. The remote control’s effective range is 1.6km in ideal conditions, whereas the Wi-Fi distance is between 300m and 800m. It also has a 2K camera and the Follow Me feature.

Conclusion

The Holy Stone HS720 is a compelling option for videographers who want to start using drones without spending a fortune. It may not be the best in class but it provides decent performance, flight times, and features.

Holy Stone HS720 Foldable GPS Drone with 2K FHD Camera...

$299.99 2 used from $275.99
1 new from $299.99

in stock

Buy this item

Tyler West

Tyler West received a Bachelor Degree in computer science from The University of Texas Austin. Tyler has been working as a full-time computer programmer for the past 3 years. In his spare time, Tyler’s favorite hobby is flying drones. One of Tyler’s life goals is to become a full-time drone pilot.