Syma X5A-1 Drone

Syma X5A-1 Drone Review

Syma X5A-1 Drone Review 2020 – is the Syma X5A-1 quadcopter worth the money? Review of features, pricing, flight duration, battery, camera and more.

Syma X5A-1 RC Headless Quadcopter Toys RTF 2.4Ghz 6-Axis Gyro...

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Someone somewhere probably has a drone written on his wish list. Thanks to advancements in technology, drones have become lighter and easier to control compared to their earlier incarnations. Batteries not only shed plenty of weight but they also last longer. Drones are frequently associated with cameras but not every model actually comes with one, such as the Syma X5A-1 Drone. However, it does have a number of features that should make it a good contender for your Christmas list.

What to Expect

The Syma X5A-1 Drone is a mini-RTF drone from SYMA, a radio-controlled drone and quadcopter manufacturer in China. SYMA has been producing drones for the last 10 years. Their X5A-1 Drone is also referred to as the Explorers Drone. This model is the basic unit but it is also available in different variants.

The X5A-1 Drone is designed for beginner flyers or young users. It is an introductory quadcopter for people who have not flown drones before and want an easy-to-fly unit that offers user-friendly controls.

Specs and Features

The Syma X5A-1 Drone is not the most sophisticated drone to come out of the assembly line but if you are looking for fun and have plenty of time to play, this drone can meet your requirements effortlessly.

The X5A-1 offers the following features:

Headless Mode
Many drone models have the front and rear ends for easy identification by the user. If you need to orientate the drone, you simply have to know which part should face front and which part should face back. Since drones fly several feet above the user’s eyeline, manufacturers have tried to fix the issue of identification by painting the rear and front components a different color or using LED lights. Either option is fine but at higher heights or at daytime, these features do not help much.

The Syma X5A-1 Drone has a headless mode, which lets you fly the unit without getting confused about its orientation. All you have to do is to position the drone in a way that allows you to identify its true orientation before it takes off. The headless mode allows you to control the drone without worries.

360-Degree Flips
The Syma X5A-1 Drone is light enough to make doing a few basic tricks a breeze. With good transmission between the control and the unit itself, you are assured of easy maneuverability when you need to perform a full flip when desired.

6-Axis Gyro Stabilization
The X5A-1 uses a six-axis gyro stabilization for more impressive control and altitude displacement correction. Some drone models only run on a three-axis system – the roll, yaw, and pitch gyro sensors – but the X5A-1 has three additional accelerometers that help detect errors immediately and compensate for potentially problematic movements. As lightweight as it is, you can be assured that this drone will sense uncommanded side slips, accelerations, and other movements that might compromise its stability. A sharp gust of wind, for example, can easily cause a skinny drone to fly off its path. With this feature, you can easily fly and control this drone even on slightly windy days.

Two-Speed Modes
This drone offers two speed modes – high and low, giving you excellent flight control.

LED Lights
The unit comes with flashing LED navigation lights for easy viewing at night or in low light conditions.

Pros and Cons Listing

Hovering drones are a fantastic gift (to self or to someone else) but if you truly want to know if a model is a good buy, you can easily compare its advantages and limitations. Here’s a look at the X5A-1’s pros and cons:

Pros
-Lightweight, easy to carry and fly at just 1.4 pounds
-Fully assembled out of the box
-Operational both indoors and outdoors
-Transmission has a decent range of 100 meters
-Equipped with lights for easy tracking in low light and dark conditions; lights may be controlled via remote
-Runs on 2.4GHz technology for no-issue low interference
-USB Charging for easy compatibility with existing DC power sources
-Comes with six-axis stabilization for better control in flight
-Can perform continuous rolls and 360-degree flips
-Quite affordable at under $50

Cons
-Does not carry a built-in camera. If you intend to use your drone to take pictures and videos of aerial shots or view places and people from above, you may have to look for other models for this purpose
-May not allow a camera to be mounted due to its thin, lightweight frame
-The recommended power source for charging is a computer; charging using a wall outlet or directly to an AC power source is not recommended
-Like most gadgets, the X5A-1 requires a long initial charge (about four hours) before its first flight; subsequent charging will only take about 30-45 minutes
-Flying time is a mere 7 minutes
-May take a while to calibrate with its remote control

Is It a Good Buy?

The Syma X5A-1 Drone is a great buy for a beginner drone, perfect for new flyers and young children. It does not carry plenty of features but what it lacks in terms of bells and whistles, it more than makes up for in terms of a few nifty capabilities. Can you do better? Of course, but for its price as a drone for newbies, this is a good option to consider. The toggle switches are fairly simple and straightforward, allowing you to get a good sense of what to do to make the drone move left, right, up, or down. Getting used to the nuances of controlling this drone is fairly easy. In time, you can fly it at high speed with no worries.

The range is not much to crow about but a hundred meters in all directions is not a bad deal. It comes fully assembled with extra screws and an extra set of blades. Get it set up and you are ready to go. If you are still learning to use a drone, consider the X5A-1 as your first hover quadcopter. It’s durable and reliable, and has the basic features and functionality you need at a price you can afford.

Syma X5A-1 RC Headless Quadcopter Toys RTF 2.4Ghz 6-Axis Gyro...

$39.89
2 new from $39.89

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.