The familiar shape, the speed and the ease of control of this UPair One 4K Camera drone remind us of the DJI Phantom 3. This quadcopter is the low cost alternative to the very popular Phantom 3. The propellers are interchangeable with the Phantom 3 propellers. The 4k camera gives you the very best quality video and images.
The ground controller of this UPair One 4K Camera drone uses the standard frequencies for controlling the quadcopter – 5.8 G for the viewer and 2.4 G for the quadcopter. These frequencies are the same frequencies as used by the Phantom 3 and most other quadcopters.
Note: This UPair One drone has no WIFI transmitter therefore to way to interface to a smart device to provide for app control. It uses the ground control unit to both control the quadcopter and the viewer to monitor the camera functions.
If you prefer a mobile app-controllable version of this quadcopter, check out our review on UPair One Plus drone
Model: UPair One 4K Camera 5.8G FPV drone
Price: In the $400 range
Weight: 2.9 lbs (1350g)
FAA Registration required: Yes. Any craft over .55 lbs (249.5 g) must be registered.
What you get with UPair One 4K Camera 5.8G FPV drone:
Package:
- One RTF (Ready to Fly) UPair one aircraft
- Size: 8.9 x 14.4 x 9.4 in.
- One Gimbal+4K Camera
- Total Weight (also called All Up Weight [AUW], including battery, camera and gimbal) = 1350G
- One 5400mAh Power Battery
- One 2in1 Charger
- One 1500mAh Controller Battery
- One Remote Controller
- Two set of Propellers
- One User Manual
Camera and sensor info:
- Camera: 4k (high-definition) The very best available
- Panasonic (1/2.3 inches)
- Gimbal mounted camera – 2 axis gimbal
- Sensor: 12 Megapixel CMOS Sony Sensor. Capture highest definition HD aerial footage and photos.
- Can take pictures at any angle
On Board Flight controller
- Altitude hold
- Position hold
- Follow me mode
- GPS positioning with up to 15 satellites
- Auto Return to home (RTH) on loss of signal or low battery
Ground Controller
- 7 inch screen (big screen makes it easier to preview the video images that you are shooting)
- Two joy stick standard controls, makes it easier to transfer your skills from another quadcopter to this quadcopter.
- Standard controller freq. 5.8 G makes it easier to use same controller for multiple quadcopters.
- Has an arrow showing you the direction to take-off point.
- Return to home button. If something happens in mid-flight, you can get your quadcopter back to take-off spot easier.
- Auto takeoff and landing, one button to get it up to flying altitude.
- Headless mode, makes piloting easier, you can turn in any direction regardless of the direction the quadcopter is pointed.
- Altitude hold, makes flying easier as you don’t need to control vertical level, just watch for obstacles.
- Position hold, just one button to make the quadcopter hover.
What you don’t get with UPair One 4K Camera 5.8G FPV drone:
- No wifi transmitter – no smart phone app.
- SD card (need 16g or 32 g class 10 Card – buy separately)
What UPair One 4K Camera 5.8G FPV drone can do?
- FPV (First person view). It makes you feel like flying inside the quadcopter cockpit.
- Real-time images and panoramic views.
- Can fly 500m high, 800m distance.
- Controller distance 500m.
- Flight time = 18 min.
- Altitude hold mode, (fly over rough terrain it the same altitude).
- Position hold (hover).
- Headless mode.
- One button RTH (Return to Home).
- Programmable flight path (way points) to fly a complex, but pre-determined flight path.
- Video control over the built in features of the ground control. (Video camera control from the ground control unit [2.4 gHz] has less “lag” and is slightly more responsive than a smart device over wifi.)
What UPair One 4K Camera 5.8G FPV drone cannot do?
- It does not do flips or 360 degree eversion.
- It does not have ‘collision avoidance’.
Scorecard – UPair One 4K Camera 5.8G FPV drone
| Design | Features | Battery Life | Ease of Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10/10 | 9.5/10 | 9.5/10 | 10/10 |
PROs: UPair One 4K Camera 5.8G FPV drone
- More affordable pricing than DJI Phantom 3 with many similar features in both drones.
- Better 4K HD camera and 12MP CMOS than many in this class and price range.
CON: UPair One 4K Camera 5.8G FPV drone
- When you are shooting a complex video, sometimes it would be nice to have a second “pilot” to control the camera. This model cannot do this because it does not have Wi-Fi control for a smart device to interface to the quadcopter.
Summary
This UPair One 4K Camera 5.8G FPV drone (View on Amazon)has an excellent performance over a decent flight time. Most features are the same or similar to the DJI Phantom 3. Although the UPair One has a slightly shorter flight time (18 min, compared to Phantom 3’s 23-25 min.) you won’t notice notice it on most projects. The improved control of the camera over 2.4 GHz helps to give you smoother videos. This well-priced quadcopter is an excellent choice for a beginner who wants a FPV drone with GPS one-key return, and to shoot 4K videos.
Note:Software update required before flight? Updates come out when problems are identified. You should check before you fly the first time and again every few months.
Comparison: UPair One 4K vs. UPair One Plus 4K vs. Phantom 3 4K camera drone
Check out our review series on camera drones.
