We heard, more than once, that it’s not that easy to purchase a drone. However, isn’t it a little peculiar that most of those tips, tricks, hacks revolved more around outdoor drones? Well, we really love to share our experience in drone piloting, we’ll dedicate today’s article to one of the most overlooked drone categories – indoor drones. So, here you will find everything you need to know to choose the perfect indoor drone.
Why Should I Buy an Indoor Drone in the First Place?
That’s a really good question, one that we will try to answer in this article. Well, apart from the obvious fact that you don’t need to go outside in order to fool around with the drone, they’re much cheaper. Not to mention fun to play with when there’s absolutely nothing to do.
Now, don’t take this lightly. Choosing the right drone is no easy task. There is a lot of stuff to look for when purchasing an indoor drone. Fortunately, we’re here to help you do just that.
So, there are five things you will need to check out in indoor drones: battery, ergonomics, smartphone pairing capabilities, sound, and attachments. Let’s discuss each category.
1. Battery
Of course, the battery’s an import feature, regardless of the device. However, for indoor drones, it’s kind of a life and death situation. More specifically, indoor drones are, by design, smaller compared to their outdoor peers. And as the drone’s size dictates its electricity storing capacity, larger drones will have more juice than small ones.
So, before hitting the shop, you might want to research some specs. For instance, the jjrc h36 drone packs a 3.7V 150mAh Lithium-Polymer battery which is more than enough for about five minutes of flying. Why this drone in particular? Because of its quality-price ratio, its ability to perform 3-D flips, its LED lights, and many other advantages.
2. Ergonomics
As you probably figured out by now (or not!), indoor drones are designed to pilot in close-quarters situations. Obviously, ergonomics plays a key role in the UAV’s overall performance. Now, before buying the drone, take a good look at your home and ask yourself this question: what are the chances of breaking the drone five minutes after opening the box?
Remember that you just can’t go around hitting stuff around the house with the drone. So, if space’s large enough, go ahead and buy it. If not, well, you could consider buying an outdoor drone.
On to ergonomics. As we’ve said, the drone must be small enough to be flown indoors. One of the things we like to look for when shopping for drones is box UAVs. They’re not that different compared to other drones except for the fact that it can fit inside the remote control.
Box drones are great if you have a small apartment or if you don’t want to spend a lot. Careful with those sharp turns and around walls or corners. They’re not so well protected as their much larger cousins. Of course, there’s always the choice of installing some safeguards. Still, we wouldn’t recommend it since it can really put a strain on the motor which, in turn, reduces battery life.
3. Smartphone Pairing Capabilities
Yes, all drones can now be paired with your smartphone. Basically, this means that you won’t feel the need to use a remote control when the phone’s right there.
More than that, some of them, especially the micro category have no RC. There’s a lot of controversy surrounding the topic with or without remote control. Some say that the controller allows you to control the drone with precision, while others say that the smartphone can do basically the same thing without using additional gizmos.
If you’re a newbie, we wholeheartedly recommend an indoor drone that can be paired with your smartphone. The interface is user-friendly, and most companion apps come with interactive drone-piloting tutorials.
4. Sound
What’s sound got to do with a drone, you ask? Well, everything considering that this in an indoor drone. Imagine how annoying it would be to hear a drone that’s louder than a smartphone’s ringtone? So, in light of this, the best thing to do in order to buy the best indoor drone is to test it inside the store.
Give it a couple of spins before putting it back in the box. If the drone has a low sound threshold, then it’s a match. Else, you should put it back where it belongs because you might upset the people you’re living with or your neighbors.
5. Attachments
Even though it’s not as robust as outdoor drones, even indoor ones can accept various attachments. Earlier, we’ve mentioned something about safeguards. Yes, they’re one of the most basics attachments you can install on your indoor drone, but not the only ones.
If you’re in the mood for some doing a little tinkering, you can also add a small camera (though some of them have one) and even a larger battery. Just be careful how you balance this thing. Add too much, and the drone might not get off the ground.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are a lot of things to take into account when shopping for an indoor drone. Stuff like attachments or ergonomics might seem trivial, but they are, in fact, crucial in your decision-making process. Don’t look at just one drone. Do your homework, test as many of them as you can, and then rush out of the store.
