SYMA X500 4K Drone with UHD Camera for Adults, Easy GPS Quadcopter for Beginner with 56mins Flight Time, Brush Motor, 5GHz FPV
$429.83
Additional information
| Weight | 998 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 23.88 × 7.11 cm |
| Brand | SYMA |
| Product Dimensions | 23.88 x 23.88 x 7.11 cm; 998 Grams |
| Batteries | 2 Lithium Ion batteries required. (included) |
| Item model number | EX500 |
| Manufacturer Part Number | EX500 |
| Mirror Adjustment | Remote Control |
| Item Weight | 998 g |
| ASIN | B089QNP5KC |
| Date First Available | 5 June 2020 |
| Manufacturer | SYMA |
Kirill Taranouchtchenko –
It’s a fun experience, once you have practiced for 30 minutes
It’s a fun little machine and can easy to control. It is also very durable. I flue it into the wall (accidentally) a couple of times, and crash-landed it a couple more and it was just fine. The only thing I wish I didn’t have to do is to go through all the 9 steps of setting it up for flying EVERY TIME I turn it off and then on again. I also wish all the labels for the buttons and the joystick were printed on the transmitter/remote controller itself – instead, they are printed separately on a piece of paper that I had to tape to the controller, and the 9-step instructions are on the back of that piece of paper, which is also very inconvenient. My son has fun flying it, but I do not have fun going through the 9 steps to get it ready for flying.
aceproduction –
Incredible features you won’t find in drones twice the price
After playing with its smaller cousin, the Syma X300 drone for a little over a month, I decided to take a step into a higher level drone and bought the X500. I wanted to explore the features and feel of flying a larger drone complete with GPS and a camera that enables FPV flight. After searching brands and price points, I decided to get into the 500. Between the x300 and x500, I’ve gained valuable flight experience all for just over $250 ($189 for the x500 and $75 for the X300). I’ve put in a lot of hours on the X500 and am getting to the point where I feel comfortable dropping $1k plus on a drone.Let’s talk about some great points on the X500; It folds up compact and comes with a very nice form fitting carry case which holds the drone, extra battery (comes with 2 batteries), charger, and controller. The case is small and fits nicely in a backpack. I threw it in my hydration pack and took it on a hike so I can capture some really great imagery. The camera has motion command. If you fly it in front of you and hold up your hand, it will automatically snap a still image so you can be hands free instead of holding a remote. The possibility of great photos in areas with high exposure (cliffs, etc) makes it safe and easy to capture photos of you and your group.One of the greatest features I could not find in any under $200 drone: The Syma X500 has built in GPS. What does that mean for the pilot? It means that if you get into a situation where you are in a panic….hit a button (the green lights on the drone will turn red) and let the automation / GPS take over the flight controls landing the drone safely where it took off. You can also program it to fly to waypoints on a map so it can run video capturing missions without the need to fly it with the controls. This has been great fun for my son who has a huge interest in robotics. You can program the waypoints on your smartphone easily using the Syma App (free) and even get into the picture if you decide to record video. Or use the “follow” mode and the drone will follow you (or whoever has your smartphone) like a personal flying videographer. You can capture some really cool footage while riding a bike or trail running.The “Orbit” Mode is another fun feature which allows the drone to focus the camera and circle around any point you designate which makes for interesting composition on a video.You never have to worry about losing the drone if you run out of battery power. The battery lasts around 25 minutes and if you run it too low, it knows to return to the point you took off and will do so without you having to fly it home.The camera is 4K which gives great HD imagery, but I would recommend flying it in low to no winds if you want to really get good video. There is no image stabilization in the camera and if that is important to you, you’ll need to spend a lot more money. But again, my goal is to learn how to fly drones and explore the features. I would be afraid to step right into a $1200 plus drone and that is my eventual goal.The controller is really easy to use and holds your smart phone which you get real time imagery of where you are flying so you really get the feel and understanding of FPV flying.SYMA has a solid name and is not a newcomer to the drone market. I attend CES every year in Las Vegas and their booth is always a “must see” with consistent crowds. My experience in owning the x300 and now x500 has been great and also a great activity for my teenage sons. If you want to get into flying drones or get your kids interested in robotics (which is a fast growing industry to forge a career in), I would not hesitate to buy the X500.
Basic Unboxing 101 –
A peculiar foldable drone from Syma with some of the longest battery life I’ve seen
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**Another round with me Basic Unboxing 101**Some time back last month in July, I saw a listing with one of Syma’s newest drones. At first I thought was a Zino (Saving that reference for another time). Closer glance it was modeled after the Zino.Now, for those of y’all who don’t know what a Zino is. It’s a 4k capable drone that folds, has 28 minutes of battery life, moddled after one of DJI’s last gen model.The only difference here with the X500 hundred and the Zino is the price and some features. The price being 200 dollars apart, feature wise is how the front facing camera can gimbal at 90 degrees, and some app features with their respective controllers are different.The X500 is controllable like any other radio/GPS bound drone. With other the Android/ios app, or its radio controller.Let me go ahead and break down the fundamental pros:-Build quality ***** stars. I can’t count how many times I crashed this drone. Be it treesa, buildings, concrete, rocks, trash can (Don’t ask). This drone was built too last!-The battery life ***** Stars. It comes with 2 large celled ion batteries. Charge time for both is around 160 minutes. When it can to flying the drone, either recording, taking pictures, flying at full speed, the battery clocked in around 22 minutes. About 4 mi minutes off from its 26 minute claim, but still decent enough.-The radio controller layout likes its predecessors is the same. Which is a good thing. As I fully rely on my muscle memory.-4k capable and streams to your phone. Nuff said on that-It’s folds, comes In carry case that’s padded, all of its accessories and controller fits in with it.Now, that’s it for the positives. Time for a reality check with the model that I received:-Off the bat abysmal app on both Android and ios. Screen size makes a difference when you want to see what settings you are getting yourself into.-The app says it supports 5ghz wifi, but to no avail on both Android or ios does this work. Let me explain, on both versions the app itself has a tendency to swap back over to 2.4ghz. In no shape or form did I change it it after the in app setup. Since obviously you can’t use 2 wifi networks at the same Time on both Android or ios. So, you have to rely on Mobile to get the job done. Which brings me to my next problem.-GPS coverage and mobile network support. If you don’t have more than 8 sattelites, or a decent mobile internet connection you are screwed. Have fun with with a drone that loves to stray away on its on.-The gyroscope on my model might be a bust. I’m not exactly sure, but during my test runs I’ve noticed after 17meters (with in direct line of sight) the drone loves to sway backwards on its own. For whatever reason why this is unavoidable on both the app controls and its radio controller.-The drone is unresponsive with both the app and radio controller. It could be one of several things. Such as interference, not enough satellites, poor reception, FAA doing uncomprimised tests to sabotage my work! (Just kidding)That’s about all of the nity bity nit picks I have with this drone. It’s decently built right, battery slides in and out, comes with extra parts for replacement, carrying case, the drone folds, and has 2 cameras (front gimballed mount, and bottom firing camera.
Christine –
The Syma X500 is an EXCELLENT drone!!!
Appearance: The Syma X500 has a soft touch exterior that feels great to hold and is most definitely lightweight. It has a coherent design with multi-colored signaling lights that help first time drone users understand when it is pairing, when the compass has aligned, etc. It is extremely compact and has a useful, portable carrying case that fits all of its spare parts. Of those spare parts, there is an additional battery with an easy charging process and up to 56 minutes of total flight time with both batteries combined. Given that many of us are first time drone users, I love the fact that it comes with four additional propellers in case of any crashes due to inexperience with the drone. For its compact build, it is truly incredible how much flying can be done at once! Not only is the drone compact, but the remote controller folds up very nicely to fit in the case, and when it is opened to its full ability, it has many user friendly features.Compatibility: The app that is used to work the drone on a device is user friendly and allows you to take advantage of the advanced features of this drone. If you do not have a microSD card to transfer photo/video taken from the drone, Syma has developed this app to allow one to record directly to a device which is incredible. You must first download the app and then connect your device to the drone’s wifi. Afterwards, you calibrate the drone and then the app takes you to the digital controller where you can see a variety of its features all at once. It makes this drone even better for its affordable price. And even more, there is an option to enter VR mode if you happen to have a pair of VR glasses.User Friendly: The pairing process is very simple which makes me want to use the drone 10x more! A quick flick of the wrist and it is ready to fly!Advanced Features: The Syma X500 features GPS return to home, Follow Me, Draw a path where you can direct it to move in various shapes or set specific points for it to reach, and even Hand-Gesture Shooting. I was very impressed by the fact that the drone will automatically return to your “home point” if its power becomes too low or it loses connection, which is possible if you are not in a grassy or open field. Many of its features can be utilized within the app making it a seamless drone to run directly from your phone. For its exceptional price, it comes with a 4K FHD Camera, has gimbal movement of up to 90 degrees vertically and is able to take high quality photographs.Overall: I am really loving this drone and would 100% recommend this to anyone I know! It has been easy to get used to, and has many features that I would not expect for its price. Not only is it perfect for a beginner, but the Syma X500 has the potential to do so much more!- Lexi Ranno
Charles –
Great Into Drone!!!
Drone is great…only issue is that it seems to have a balancing issue, as when you hover, it drifts. There is no adjustments that can be made like on some other drones. We verified it was not just the wind by flying in our large shop. Drifting was still an issue. It didn’t make it unusable just a little more difficult for my son to fly. He was able to overcome this issue and was flying like a seasoned vet on the first day. Highly recommend this drone as we have tried a couple of others in this price range, and this was far and away the best one.
Jason –
Well-designed, affordable drone with an excellent array of features
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Firstly, Syma is widely known for it’s radio-controlled vehicles that pack a lot of features at a desirable price point. So it was no surprise that right out of the box what I initially noticed was a sleekly designed, lightweight, and eye-catching drone that in fact reminded me a little of DJI’s Mavic. I need to mention here that the package includes a padded, zipped carrying case for both the drone and remote control, as well as extra pockets for miscellaneous parts. The overall size and weight of the case with drone, control, batteries, is very suitable for travelling.Foldable drones are fantastic and the Syma X500 is beautifully streamlined and sleek appearing with it’s metallic grey color scheme, headlights and multi-colored tail lights.Flight characteristics: Myself and my 13-year-old have now run several sorties each and found the Syma X500 very easy to control especially when in headless mode. It’s just fun to fly, responds intuitively to control input, and is very stable for beginners. Auto take off and land facilitate any flight mode/plan. Different speed modes will allow you to try new skills as you gain experience and advanced pilots will find a lot to like.Batteries: Includes 2, 7.6V 1700mAh lipo batteries, with a flight time of about 25-minutes per battery. No question this is excellent flight time at this price point, and a major bonus.Camera: High resolution photos and video can be recorded directly to your device via wifi or to an onboard microSD card (not included).App: Syma Air app. Available for free on both Google Play and Apple App Store. Within the App I found a nice array of well-implemented features. FPV was stable. Of course some of the drone’s features, a partial list below, are activated through the App.Features:Built in GPS. Accurate tracking, smart flight modes, and one-button return to home. I found the GPS signal easy to acquire and maintain.Optical flow sensor. Stabilized flight when GPS signal is low or absent. Generally, the X500 is a stable flying drone.Orbit mode. Tracks around a point of interest.Follow me mode. Locks onto your cellphone and follows you from behind.Headless mode. When you just want to zoom around for fun, one button 360’s, flips.Gesture mode. Allows you to take videos and photo by gesturing at the drone. Cool way to impress friends and family.Summary: We are very pleased with the Syma X500’s flight stability, control, battery quality, camera, and advanced features. It’s hard to believe all of this comes at such an affordable price point, too. I do not hesitate to recommend the X500.
Michael –
Good beginner drone. Thought would be sturdier
Drone works well, instructions were a little confusing at times. I wish it were sturdier. Overall drone is what I paid for.
Amazon Customer –
Great but camera issue
I bought this as my first drone. It’s great except for two major things. 1) it can’t “unlock” it on the app which then doesn’t allow you to use the auto take off and land function and 2) the camera does not work. It videos and takes pictures only if used by tapping phone screen. The remote buttons do nothing. And the camera will not change angle. It is straight forward and that’s it. Remote nor phone app will change angle of the camera. So flying is fun but I feel I am missing out on the camera factor as that’s really why I wanted this. But to get a picture with it, I have to fly level height to what I want to photo. So… pointless.
rielanem –
Great for beginners!
I have flown hundreds of hours with Phantom drones, so I really wasn’t sure what to expect when I bought this for my 9 year old. First of all, it comes in a nice carrying case. The drone and controller fit snug inside and there is plenty of room for batteries and all the spare parts that are included.The drone is nice and compact when folded up and seems very solid. Controller is a nice size and fits well in my hand. It isn’t too big for my 9 year old either. He can access all the controls without much effort. Like most of these drones, there are two speed modes. Click the right joystick down to toggle between the two. I typically fly on the low speed inside my house and then the high speed outside. I flew this inside first and was surprised by how steady it was. It held its position very well without much input from the controller.We took the drone outside next and switched to high speed. It took the drone a while to lock onto the GPS satellites, but once it did it seemed to hover pretty well. There was a little bit of drift, but not terrible. There was a light breeze that night and the drone was definitely affected by it when flying around. It wasn’t too strong that the drone couldn’t overcome the wind, but it did affect it significantly. My son crashed it a couple times, once into a tree and another into the ground. The drone held up very well though. No visible marks or scratches anywhere, propellers didn’t even have a dent in them. I was really impressed at the durability. I also crashed this drone inside my house and it landed on tile. Same thing, not a mark or scratch anywhere on the drone. Battery life is really close to the manufacture’s 20 mins/battery. Depends how fast you’re flying, but I was definitely surprised how long it lasted. Camera is not on a gimbal, so the images aren’t stable, but clear as long as you aren’t moving when you take them.We have flown this many times inside and out since and love the easy take off and landing. I wouldn’t recommend flying this outside unless you have an open area and it isn’t too windy. Very well built drone, excellent for someone who wants to learn to fly and not spend a thousand dollars.
Tad Bailey –
My 1st Drone and I don’t know what to compare it to.
Being my first drone I really don’t know how it stacks up against the competition but I do have some opinions.Seems to be well madeThe instruction book is horrible, I think a lot was lost translating Chinese into English.Took me several days to realize you don’t use the phone app and RC at the same time but after that it was pretty straight forward using either.From a distance in sunlight I can’t tell if I’m coming or going, I need to practice a lot more.All emailed questions to SYMA were answered quickly but that Chinese to English translation left me scratching my head.Ordering spare blades seemed painless but I think they’re coming from China. We’ll see how that goes.I have been unable to find a SYMA forum, I find forums valuable especially for beginners.Overall I think I’m happy but I need to do a lot more practice.5-2-22 UpdateI am getting better with practice but I think there are some quirky software issues mainly dealing with the GPS. My gimbled camera won’t move up or down any more either.I ordered some blades and the first order got lost but when I told them about it they were very responsive and received the replacements about a week later.6-23-22 UpdateJust wanted to let you know that SYMA has offered to refund my money due to my review here but I declined because overall I’m am satisfied for what I purchased. Is it perfect? No, but for the money its a decent starter drone.