Holy Stone HS175D GPS Drone with 4K Camera for Adults, Under 249g, Foldable RC Quadcopter with Auto Return, 46 Mins Long Flight, Follow Me, Brushless Motor, Circle Fly, Waypoint Fly, Altitude Hold

This drone performs exactly as advertised. Nothing less, nothing more.
We needed to get a better look at some problems on an inaccessible roof, and inspection companies quoted high numbers just to look. Buying a quality, entry-level drone which could do the job was an easy decision. After reading reviews of a number of under-$200 drones, we chose the HS175D, and are very satisfied with our decision. Amazon delivered in less than a day, and the drone was flying, well controlled by a novice operator, within an hour. After a bit of practice, the drone took high-definition photos of the roof in question, and the phots were of exceptional quality and fully met our needs.In the following days, we flew the drone just for the fun of it, and found it more than met our expectations gained from reading the specifications. This drone does exactly what the manufacturer says it does, nothing more, and nothing less. It is very easy to learn to fly it. Best to steer clear of trees and other high structures of course. One important learning–if you think you are losing control, let go of the control sticks. The drone will simply stop moving and hover where it is, while the operator regains his composure.While we are totally satisfied, there are a few comments which we will pass along to other new operators. This assumes you have downloaded the software for the drone according to the instructions provided, and have initiated that software on your phone.1) For best photographic results, a separately purchased SD card is recommended. After taking photos or videos, it is best to remove the SD card and insert it directly into a computer (using an adapter that comes with the SD cards). Download the files into the computer, but do not delete them from the SD card. Then reinsert the SD card into the drone, and use the drone software to delete the files.2) And there is a bug. SD cards formatted by the drone itself have some problem that prevents a Mac computer from reading them (although a PC will read them). The fix is simple: Format the SD card with the computer, not with the drone. If using a Mac, choose the MS-DOS (FAT) option.3) While taking video with the drone, if you attempt to take a still picture, the video will stop. You’ll need to restart it. Not surprisingly, you cannot take video and still pics at the same time. Further, we found while using an iPhone along with the manual controller, as recommended, that the “Take Video” button on the controller will start video, but it will stop on its own about a second later. So, you should use the “Take Video” button on the phone screen instead, which works as you would expect: Press once to start video, press again to stop.4). If the top-right Botton on the phone screen (marked with a circular star) is pressed , a small screen with Chinese characters appears on the phone screen. I have no idea what these characters mean. But pressing this icon on the screen does bring up the controls for the maximum height and distance you wish to allow, and includes a “novice” mode switch, which keeps the drone quite close to the operator.While this fairly inexpensive drone does not have the 2- or 3-axis gimbals or automatic obstacle avoidance of pricier drones, it certainly is a solid performer. Battery life has been about 20 minutes, and the automatic return home on a low battery is a very good included feature.We must also comment on Holy Stone’s service personnel. We’ve had several questions for them, and found them to be available, exceptionally accommodating, and willing to take the time to answer a newby’s questions (probably for the N-th time). Well done, Holy Stone!So, if you are seeking a solid-performing drone for a reasonable cost, the HS175D is worth considering.

Fast and fun. Great entry level drone.
I’ve been flying drones for over 5 years, and different brands as well. I absolutely love Holy Stone Drones, I own 5, now 6 with this one. I can say, the HS175G model, is a great entry level model and a great price as well. Took on several test flights to gauge the overall handling and also the pictures and videos quality. The drone itself handles exceptionally well. Fast too, and lots of fun. It is light weight, but handles well in moderate wind. All controls and features worked great as should. Very stable hover and position hold. Only downside, the camera gimbal is a bit shaky when panning, otherwise you have a great 4K transmission and very clear, but doesn’t pan smoothly as it does on higher end HS models like the HS600D and HS900 which have 3 axis gimbals. So I wouldn’t be buying this camera drone and think you’re going to be catching high quality videos and making side money, but absolutely great to learn, and get proficient without breaking the bank.

This is a great starter drone. It is easy to fly and the “Return to Home” feature works every time. Max height is 100 Metres (300 feet) and max distance is 500 metres (1500 feet) which was plenty for my enjoyment. It also has a “Safe Mode” which when engaged, will not allow the drone to fly more than 30 metres from where it took off from. It is also tough as I have crashed it twice with limited damage, though I did replace a cracked propeller which took 2 minutes and was included in the box as it came with a full set of replacements. Takes great pictures and video, which you easily toggle on the remote. If you do but a few suggestions….practice low flights in an open area and keep it on Safe Mode for your first try. If taking off from grass, get a board to rest the drone on as it has a low profile so the propellers can get tangled easily. Don’t fly when its too windy as the Drone is smaller and can easily get off your intended flight path. Oh…and if using the phone holder on the remote, put your phone on first before turning on the remote as the Drone can start up with a simple movement of the joystick.

The Holy Stone HS175D is of surprisingly good value at this price point. The set-up is pretty straightforward, and the app HS GPS V5 is easy to use with the option of beginner mode, which limits the flying height and distance – this is great for kids. If you were to control the drone, you could turn off the beginner mode. The drone itself flies super fast yet is stable in the air. The camera is surprisingly clear and adapts to changes in lighting very well; however being a two-axis gimbals drone, its video quality is less than satisfactory. If you need a stable video, go with the three-axis gimbals, which could double the price…

Product arrived promptly as describedGood quality product and good value for money