Preface: UAV The low-end market is highly competitive

Speaking of drones, perhaps the first brand in your mind is Feidajiang (DJI) Not surprisingly, a survey once showed that DJI accounted for 70% of the whole UAV market. Dajiang's products were initially sold abroad, with product lines ranging from 3000 or 4000 fairies to tens of thousands of insights. Unlike aircraft models, UAVs prefer aerial video shooting, productivity tools, rather than pure play.

Unmanned aerial vehicles are not as low technology threshold as mobile phones. From remote control to pan tilt camera to flight control, technology accumulation is required. Because the flight environment is very different, once the aircraft is bombed, the aircraft will be slightly damaged, and the serious person will be injured. Therefore, the requirements for safety of UAVs are very high. Xiaomi focuses on cost performance, so it has attracted wide attention since it has not been released“ accident ”, let Xiaomi UAV become“ Laughingstock ”。 It's really the first "bomber" for young people. After trying it out, Messi has different experience?

Qualified UAV:

1. High safety and stability

2. Easy to operate, long remote control distance

3. UAV has high positioning accuracy, and basic automatic hover and homing functions must be provided

4. The aerial video is clear, and the image transmission is not stuck

5. Aerial photography has many playing methods and rich functions

6. Endurance at least 20 minutes

An aerial photography entry-level UAV (1080P), the reference zero V version and the Dajiang Genie 3 standard version are both 3000 or above, not to mention 4K and more high-end professional UAVs. Xiaomi or other manufacturers except Dajiang want to share the vacuum market below 3000. This time, Xiaomi UAV entered at a butcher's price of 2499 yuan, with optical flow assistance+GPS dual positioning. Let's explore whether this performance can meet the needs of entry-level aerial photography, despite the previous "embarrassment".

Obviously, Xiaomi UAV The biggest advantage lies in the cost performance ratio In addition to obtaining similar configurations of other UAVs, 2499 also adds optical flow assisted positioning, dual GPS positioning, and 16.35 million high pixels. The control distance can reach 1000 m. In terms of functions, the mainstream also has: one button automatic takeoff and landing, one button automatic return, automatic positioning hover, pointing flight, multi-point route planning, and point circling flight.

Just looking at the configuration of Xiaomi UAV, there must be friends who want to "buy buy". However, Messi advises you to understand before you decide. After all, more than 2000 is also money.

Unpacking: Excellent workmanship, like a drone

Xiaomi UAV adopts the detachable design of PTZ, which is similar to zero. The PTZ is packaged separately, which should also be convenient for later maintenance.

Xiaomi UAV uses the orthodox "MI" logo of Xiaomi, rather than the logo of Mijia, which also shows its importance in Xiaomi.

Open the package, because its support adopts folding design The Xiaomi UAV host can be placed evenly, which undoubtedly greatly improves the portability.

The bottom floor of the host is the remote control and various accessories.

The PTZ camera is integrated, and the PTZ uses three-axis anti shake. The camera has a 1635 megapixel camera with a f/2.6 aperture. The parameters are good.

The following is a family photo. A set of spare auxiliary oars and guard oars are presented as gifts, which is very sincere.

Detail Body:

Xiaomi motor: entry-level 2212800KV motor, whose manufacturer is unknown, but its workmanship and texture are good.

A set of orange protective paddles is provided for the propeller cap+high-quality blades, which can clearly see the position of the UAV in a conspicuous color while protecting it.

The arm is marked in silver and orange, respectively corresponding to different forward and backward propellers, which is easy to identify. However, it should be noted that the "orange" metal cap and blade are separable designs, which can reduce replacement costs, but they are easy to fall off.

Two characteristics of Xiaomi UAV structure:

（1） Foldable, easy to carry

Xiaomi UAV adopts 434mm wheelbase design, and the landing gear can be folded, which can be put into the backpack after folding, with good portability.

（2） Modular, easy to maintain and upgrade

The advantage of modular PTZ camera is that it has lower maintenance cost and is easy to replace. The other is that it is easy to upgrade. If the interface is unified, it should be able to upgrade to 4K camera in the later stage.

Features: Optical flow positioning auxiliary positioning module

Xiaomi UAV is equipped with optical flow sensor, which can fly at low altitude (not indoor). Its bottom and wing are equipped with a large number of silver heat dissipation nets, so heat dissipation is considerate.

The signal light of Xiaomi UAV adopts the design of double white lights in the front, one green light and one red light in the back, and the lampshade is made of frosted material, not dazzling. The front double white light also has lighting function at night, which can improve the brightness of aerial photography and identify the direction. Messi thinks this is done well.

[Battery&charger]: 5100 mA, official endurance 27 minutes

Xiaomi UAV uses a 5100mA battery, which is similar to the capacity of ZeroK and Dajiang. The measured endurance is also about 20 minutes. There are four holes on the battery. Press the orange button to display the remaining power, which is more intuitive, but it may be that the light is white light, and it is not clear in the sun.

Xiaomi's charger is made by Hangjia, a well-known hardware manufacturer. Both the materials and workmanship are quite good.

【 Remote control 】: Excellent workmanship, good practicability

Many people say that the remote control handle of Xiaomi UAV is similar to a game handle, but it does look similar at first glance. It can be inferred from its dual antennas that the remote control distance is at least 1km.

There are not many function keys in the remote control operation interface, but the most basic ones are "one button return" and "one button takeoff and landing". In addition, there are power on keys and power display.

The side wheel can adjust the angle of the camera and the brightness of the white light, so that the actual operation is a bit rough.

You can see the long and vertical anti slip rubber strips on both sides of the back. There are two small shortcut keys A/B on both sides, which can capture and switch shooting modes during flight.

The remote control lever uses a conventional barbed paddle, which has good anti-skid performance, and it is not fleshy to control the aircraft.

Mobile phone holder: With a mobile phone rack, Messi actually measured 5.5 inch clip, good stability, and skid resistance, but the mobile phone rack Pitching The angle is slightly small, and the flexibility is slightly poor.

In the middle of the remote control, you can see a Micro USB charging port on the left and a USB port connecting the phone on the right.

Wired connection is beneficial to stability.

Messi carefully compared the other two drones on hand. Xiaomi's workmanship and materials are really good. He carefully observed the "plastic body" and“ hardware ” Xiaomi's quality is excellent, and its advantages in the top supply chain are well reflected.

Appearance summary:

From the perspective of appearance and workmanship, Xiaomi has done quite well in this price range. Of course, we all know that appearance alone is not enough for unmanned aerial vehicles, and they have to "fly".

Preparation for takeoff: Never, never, never!

1、 Download the Xiaomi UAV APP and upgrade it to the latest firmware.

2、 Check the power of the aircraft and remote control to ensure that the battery is sufficient.

3、 Make sure to fly in a safe and open place (suburb, non restricted area).

4、 Connect the equipment, calibrate the aircraft, and prepare for takeoff.

In fact, many of the drone bombing is due to poor preparation before the test flight, so we must carefully do the preparatory work at every step to reduce the risk of bombing. The old driver should listen to his words.

Security: Too cautious, affecting the use

"300 minute novice mode" ： Consider novice, safe design

Xiaomi UAV needs to fly for 300 minutes to unlock the "novice mode (100 meters away, 50 meters high)". If you convert it to 20 minutes, you need to fly about 15 times to unlock. With the frequency of use, it normally takes 1-2 months to unlock. This setting is a torture for "old drivers". However, considering the purchase group of Xiaomi UAV, this design is understandable. After all, skilled control is also a safety guarantee. However, Messi personally suggested that Xiaomi set the novice time at 150 minutes, because too long could easily dampen the enthusiasm of users.

“ mine clearance ” Takeoff conditions: 14 take-off GPS (harsh, pick the place)

① Takeoff reference height: Xiaomi UAV does not use the conventional "GPS mode"+"attitude flight mode" (purely manual control) for takeoff, but only uses a GPS takeoff mode, that is, it can take off normally only when the number of GPS satellites reaches the safe takeoff number, which seems to be all right. Xiaomi's slot point is that it has set quite rigorous GPS flight conditions. Unlike zero seven GPS takeoff lines, Xiaomi's takeoff conditions need to reach 14 stars or more, twice zero. (This condition is rarely found in urban areas)

② Take off still pick a place: If you reach 14 satellites, you may not be able to take off successfully. This is a strange place and also a big problem of "minesweeping". In a university campus, messi failed to take off from 14 stars in the center of the big playground, "minesweeping" all the way, and finally got permission to take off from a certain place (12-14 stars). The whole process took half an hour, and the power consumption was 15%. This experience is not friendly to beginners, and the city is basically out of luck

"Minesweeping" is undoubtedly the biggest slot of Xiaomi UAV. In order to make it safer, it seriously affects the experience. This is a very bad thing. It is also the performance of a company that does not pass the technical standards. Maybe the "first flight bombing" event made Xiaomi more cautious, even too cautious.

Flight control: Functional foundation, general stability

  Automatic takeoff and landing: practical, high success rate

Low battery automatic return? Normal, stable performance

Xiaomi will automatically prompt to return when there is still about 20% of the power, and can also return by pressing the button. The actual measurement shows that it can indeed return. The landing error is about 1-2m, but it can not be trusted completely. Necessary manual correction is required. Because there may be high building obstacles on the way back, and Xiaomi does not have the function of obstacle avoidance recognition.

How about the handle?

The actual control movement is relatively simple, but when suddenly moving or changing the direction, the aircraft still shakes, not as stable as the zero degree V version; The impression of flight control is average. The PTZ control is somewhat fleshy, and the PTZ response and movement speed are slow.

Flight condition, is hovering stable?

The flight of the aircraft is relatively stable, and the hover is also fairly good. The image transmission has no problem in the novice mode, and the delay is relatively small. Messi cannot know how the image transmission will be after unlocking, but Xiaomi's wind resistance performance is poor, and it drifts slightly when encountering strong wind.

How about image transmission and signal? Not bad (novice mode)

In the novice mode with a height of 50 meters and a distance of 100 meters, the image transmission and signal are strong. When approaching the limit of the novice mode, the image transmission display“ in ”, it can be predicted that there will be some attenuation in the later image transmission.

Other functions?

The Xiaomi UAV can be started and returned with one button. The shooting mode has a new "live" mode, but because the "novice mode" takes too long, the messi cannot be unlocked, so other functions (automatic positioning and hovering, pointing flight, multi-point route planning, circling flight) cannot be tested ）

Is there any BUG in flight? Have encountered

In addition to the "minesweeping" mentioned above, Messi also encountered an embarrassing moment. In the novice mode, the plane reached the maximum distance at a distance of 100m and a height of 50m during a takeoff. When the plane was pulled back from a distance and reached the top of the head, it was prompted that the maximum distance was reached. In fact, the actual distance was less than 50m. This bug messi encountered once, and returned normally after flying in the opposite direction and adjusting again.  

Live photos and aerial videos: Meet basic requirements

As a productive aerial photography equipment, the stability of aerial video quality and image quality determines everything. Fortunately, Xiaomi's 1600W camera+3 axis PTZ is relatively stable. Xiaomi camera Good distortion resistance ， The imaging ability during the day and at night is fairly good, but it is not a surprise. The anti shake effect of PTZ is good. Although the aperture is a little small, it can generally achieve the purpose of aerial photography recording.

The definition is good during the day, but there is no anti glare filter. When encountering strong light during the day, the proof is overexposed.

Lens distortion: Compared with zero V, the distortion of Xiaomi UAV is slightly better, but the definition is the same as 1080P zero difference. The picture level is general, zero aperture (F1.8)/Xiaomi aperture (F2.4)

Night effect: High definition, general light filtering, and acceptable noise control.

Xiaomi UAV aerial video display: (daytime+nighttime)

（ Since the novice mode is not unlocked, the flight altitude and distance are relatively close, and the Xiaomi APP does not have its own editing function. Sorry for the limited level.)

Endurance time? 20-25 minutes

After being fully charged, if it can take off normally, it will automatically return after the remaining 20% (the remaining 5 minutes), and it can basically be recorded by aerial photography for about 20 minutes. This performance is satisfactory, and most UAVs are only at this level. However, it should be noted that the "minesweeping" mode is also a major factor in power consumption.

Summary of Xiaomi UAV: act with undue haste

  advantage:

Excellent materials and workmanship

Good cost performance (especially 4K)

Various safety considerations

One button takeoff and landing, automatic hover, and low-power homing function are practical

1080P aerial photography effect reaches the standard

Disadvantages:

Take off pick place (minesweeping)

"Novice mode" takes a long time and flight control is average

PTZ control lean meat

Average wind resistance and stability

APP does not have clip function

From the perspective of aerial photography quality, Xiaomi UAV has really reached the entry-level standard, and the image quality is acceptable according to conscience. However, Xiaomi's "minesweeping" and "novice mode" have disappointed many newcomers, perhaps for the sake of "safety", but if it seriously affects the experience, the safety will be insipid. Xiaomi UAV is a good attempt. The 4K may be more cost-effective. I hope Xiaomi can be more perfect. It may be too urgent to launch it to the market after the technology is mature.

Messi observed and thought: I can see Xiaomi's efforts, but lack sincerity

During the period of test flight, the firmware of flight control and PTZ was upgraded frequently. On the one hand, it shows that Xiaomi is also constantly optimizing, and has not given up "treatment". On the other hand, it also reflects that Xiaomi UAV was released too quickly. Under the premise that technology and stability are not yet mature, it hastily shipped to consumers, although it has received a small amount of funds, But it is difficult to gain public praise and satisfaction. Take an example from UAV: you may know that Dajiang Genie 4 and Zero2 are competitive models that mainly fight against obstacles, but Dajiang Genie 4 has been released for a long time, Zero2 has not been shipped (Zero2's technology and experience need not be doubted). If you want to sell, you can definitely ship as many products as Xiaomi, but if you push immature products to consumers, The subsequent bad consequences are incalculable, even hitting the signboard.

Who is suitable to buy Xiaomi UAV and which version?

First of all, the 4K of 2999 is definitely more cost-effective, and 4K is the first choice.

1. Never owned UAV, eager to buy at a lower cost

2. Play first, photography second, for the sake of freshness (suburban play).

3. Millet loyalty powder.

Picture/text: Buyi messi

Weibo: Buenos Aires Messi

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