Holiday Gift Guide 2015: NextX F1 Trooper Drone

NextX F1 Trooper Drone

Retail: $99.99

ASIN: B00W8TNYK

Buy Link: Amazon

Product Description:

Lasting Power & Durability: 2.4G 4CH 6-Axis Gyro system and 2pcs comes equipped 3.7V 650mAh Li-polymer batteries to ensure a longer life while the build ensures peak performance and stability in flight.
HD Camera: Equipped with 1MP HD camera and 4GB SD card for high definition video recording and photo shooting.
Headless Mode & HD LCD Transmitter: headless mode automatically locks into take-off once activated. The intelligent LCD transmitter displays signal, battery power, speed and other flight data.
Easy to Maneuver: Up/Down, Left/Right, Forward/Backward, Left/Right Sideward Flying, Hover, 360¡ã Eversion, Support Cruise Control, Headless Mode, Low Battery Warning for the Transmitter.
Reliable and Friendly Customer Service: Ready to respond within 24 hours, 30-day money back guarantee, 12 month replacement warranty and lifetime support guarantee.

Billy's Thoughts:

I have fond memories of the Airhog commercials during the late 80s and throughout the early 90s. While I had plenty of toys growing up, the Airhog vehicles were always out of the toy budget, though there were several of the planes and helicopters that I would have loved to own. Thanks to all the "drone" rage, now anyone can afford to buy a quadcopter, small or large.

About two weeks ago, I received the NextX F1 Trooper Drone, a high performance quad-rotor helicopter, to test out and reviews. Plus, as you can see I'm also featuring it on my Holiday Gift Guide. A retail price at nearly $100 (though it can currently be purchased on Amazon for $65.59), it comes with 1 - Quadocopter, 1 - LCD Screen Transmitter, 1 - HD Camera, 1 - 4GB SD Card, 2 - 650Ah Li-polymer Battery, 8 - Blades, 4 - Protective Covers, 1 - Screwdriver, 1 - Hex Wrench, 1 - USB Cable and 1 - User Manual.

With this being my first quadocopter, I had no idea that it would require some assembly after I received it. For some reason, I thought it would be already be all together right out of the box, but it wasn't. The blades and the protective covers have to be attached to the quadocopter, which doesn't take very long. Make sure to look at the diagram sheet that comes with it to make sure that you attach the correct blades to the right spot. The battery (needs to be fully charged) has to be connected and slipped into the body above the camera (the SD card needs to be inserted into the camera). The remote (transmitter) needs 4 AA batters that are not included.

I recommend either testing it out in a big open yard or a garage with lots of space. If you've never flown (well controlled) one of these before; then you're going to be like me, you're going to bump into anything and everything, so you need plenty of room.

Once I figured out the controls, it was easy to get the drone to take flight, though there were a few crashes. The battery lasts between 15 to 30 minutes, but you can quickly switch it with extra one. Overall, the NextX F1 Trooper Drone is a fun little toy to play with and it should appeal to both kids and adults.