Snaptain SP510 Drone

Snaptain SP510 Drone Review

Snaptain SP510 Drone Review 2020 – is the Snaptain SP510 quadcopter worth the money? Review of features, pricing, flight duration, battery, camera and more.

SNAPTAIN SP510 Foldable GPS FPV Drone with 2.7K Camera for...

$189.99
3 new from $189.99

in stock

Buy this item

Few people today are not familiar with drones, but to define: a drone is a pilotless, remote-controlled aircraft or missile. Not only have they become quite popular in the private sector, but their applications in the commercial sector continue to grow. Among the industries that now employ drones for one purpose or another are construction, oil and gas, energy, medical, entertainment, and parcel delivery. Since there are so many different drone products on the market, with a variety of features, and because they are not an inexpensive investment, it is important that research is done before making that all-important decision.

A respected manufacturer of drones worldwide is Snaptain, enjoying the rank of all-time bestseller by Amazon.com and boasting more than 800,000 adolescent users daily. Ideal for hobbyists and beginners, the Snaptain SP510 Drone has much to recommend it. Using the significant criteria of price, flight time, speed, camera and video features, and design, a comparison will be made between several top-ranked models geared to relative novices, in the hope that it will aid the consumer in making an informed decision.

Snaptain SP510 vs Competition

FLIGHT TIME
Snaptain SP510 16 minutes
Holy Stone HS160 31 minutes
ScharkSpark Drone Thunder 10 minutes
Potensic D80 Brushless 20 minutes
DJI Mavic Air Quadcopter 21minutes

SPEED
Snaptain SP510 3 speed modes
Holy Stone HS160 3 speed modes
ScharkSpark Drone Thunde 3 speed modes
Potensic D80 Brushless max speed of 25mph
DJI Mavic Air Quadcopter max speed of 42.5mph

CAMERA/VIDEO
Snaptain SP510 2.7K HD for photos/video up to 1000′
Holy Stone HS160 1080p HD camera
ScharkSpark Drone Thunder 480p video at 25 FPS
Potensic D80 Brushless 2K HD video
DJI Mavic Air Quadcopter4K Ultra HD video at 30 FPS

DESIGN
Snaptain SP510 Foldable Quadcopter
Holy Stone HS160 Foldable Quadcopter
ScharkSpark Drone Thunder Quadcopter w/Foldable Arms
Potensic D80 Brushless Brushless Motor Quadcopter
DJI Mavic Air QuadcopterFoldable Quadcopter and Controller-Highly compact

PRICE
Snaptain SP510 219.99 (Snaptain.com)
Holy Stone HS160 79.99 (Amazon.com)
ScharkSpark Drone Thunder79.99 (Amazon.com)
Potensic D80 Brushless 189.99 (Amazon.com)
DJI Mavic Air Quadcopter794.00 (Amazon.com)

For those not in the know, some of the features of the Snaptain S510 Drone need to be explained. All of the models discussed are described as quadcopters, including it. That means that it is a rotorcraft as opposed to a fixed-wing aircraft, which is to say the lift is generated by rotors, or vertically oriented propellers. Quadcopters typically use two identical pairs of rotors with one rotating in a counterclockwise direction and the other in a clockwise direction. This way an independent variation of speed can be achieved. From an aerodynamic perspective, this allows the operator to exert more control over the craft, making it ideal for beginners.

Also nice for beginners is that the Snaptain S510 Drone is also equipped with GPS positioning and Auto Return, meaning that the drone will automatically return to the user whenever the signal is lost or the battery is low. On that note, since the battery is rechargeable, replacement batteries will never be needed. Another advantage to having GPS positioning is that the real-time data is recorded so that the operator always knows distance, height and speed, and can make adjustments accordingly. Another feature that makes this drone newbie-friendly is that the user can customize the flight distance limitation and so diminish the chance that the drone will fly away before the operator has mastered its nuances. Also, activating the hover mode will help the novice to keep control of the drone. As to design, both the drone itself and the controller are foldable, making the Snaptain SP510 Drone highly portable.

Without getting too technical, the 2.7K camera with 5G WiFi transmission provides high resolution photos and videos from up to 1000′ away. Not only that, but the camera offers object track, follow-me mode, waypoints and point of interest features. These allow for hands-free photography, ensuring the subject of the photo or video is the primary focus. So, the drone can be used not just for fun, but as a highly versatile photography tool.

PROs & CONs Listing

There are additional pros to the Snaptain SP510 Drone not already discussed:

• No assembly required — just pop it out of the box and it’s ready to go, just don’t forget to look over the owner’s manual first
• Highly maneuverable and acrobatic
• Given a high rating for solid build, so more likely to withstand crash
• Ideal for beginners and hobbyists, but also challenging enough for those more experienced, given the available 3 speed option
• Not much further outlay of cash needed after initial purpose as battery needs not be replaced
• Design is such that it can withstand a fair amount of wind

There are cons that bear mentioning:

• On the high end of cost when compared to other beginner models
• Though it has an auto hover mode, there is no altitude setting for the hover
• On the low end of the flight time range
• Battery charge time is rather long at 150 minutes

Most online reviews for the Snaptain S510 Drone were positive. More than one user applauded how easy it was for a beginner to learn, and also how vivid the photos and video are. There were only two primary complaints. One was that more bells and whistles should be included at its price point. The other was that it was sometimes noisy, especially the annoying beeping sound made when recording.

It is worth noting here that there are regulations and rules that apply to the operation of all drones, or UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles). If one plans to make money from it by, say, selling photos or videos taken, one must pass an FAA test. Also, if the drone, weighs more than 8.8 ounces, it must be registered with the FAA, although the cost is nominal at $5.00 for a 3 year period. It is imperative that drone users know the rules before they fly their drones; for instance, they cannot be flown in restricted airspace. It pays to be educated so that what should be a fun experience does not turn out to be anything but.

SNAPTAIN SP510 Foldable GPS FPV Drone with 2.7K Camera for...

$189.99
3 new from $189.99

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.