Hello and welcome to my Holy Stone HS165 review. Are you looking to pick up one of these smart camera drones? But not sure if the Holy Stone HS165 is the right GPS camera drone for you? If so, look no further because the Holy Stone HS165 is a good smart camera drone for beginners. While there’s a lot of drones to choose from, I created an in-depth Holy Stone HS165 review to guide you through all the details that you need to know about this quadcopter.
Holy Stone is a well-known drone manufacturer that has earned a reputation for crafting high-quality drones. The Holy Stone HS720E is their flagship drone and it’s no wonder that the brand has broadened their audience base with the Holy Stone HS165 drone. Whether you are looking for small drones or big drones to start with, the Holy Stone HS165 is actually an inexpensive entry-level camera drone designed for beginners.
In my Holy Stone HS165 review, I will talk about build and design quality, features, camera quality, and flight performance. At the end of review, you will be able to make an informed decision whether to buy Holy Stone HS165 drone. That being said, is this the right GPS camera drone for you? Stick around with us and read through our Holy Stone HS165 drone review to find out!
Holy Stone HS165 Drone: Package Contents
Before we talk about the details, let’s discuss what to expect inside the box. When you order this camera drone, you will know what is included in the package. The Holy Stone HS165 is a ready-to-fly drone which means you can start flying it right out of the box. It does have a micro SD card slot, though if you want to store pictures and videos, I recommend purchasing a 32GB micro SD card to go along with the drone.
Here’s a list of what is inside the package:
- 1 x HS165 Drone
- 1 x Remote Controller
- 2 x Drone Battery
- 1 x Carrying Case
- 1 x USB Charging Cable for Drone
- 1 x USB Charging Cable for Remote Controller
- 4 x Spare Propeller
- 4 x Spare Screws
- 1 x Screwdriver
- 1 x User Manual
Holy Stone HS165 Drone: Build and Design Quality
My first impression with this camera drone was how sleek, compact and stylish the design was. The Holy Stone HS165 drone features a sleek and curved airframe that gives it an unique look compared to other drones under $200. This drone is made with high-quality ABS plastic which provides superior durability, making it sturdy and crash-resistant against rough impacts. The motor arms are foldable and can be folded to create additional space for storing in your travel case or backpack.
Each motor arm is equipped with a brushed motor that helps propel the Holy Stone HS165 drone. In the front, this drone is equipped with a camera which can capture 2K stills and record 1080P HD videos. The camera is fixed though, which limits the ability to adjust in contrast to other camera drones such as DEERC D15 and Potensic D68 for instance.
The battery is located at the back and is a completely modularized design. A single battery provides up to 14 minutes of flight time. Inside the package comes with an extra battery which brings total flight time to a whooping 28 minutes. The LED lights are stationed at each motor arms and around the airframe that provides visual assistance for spotting during the flight operations. Overall, the design and build quality of the Holy Stone HS165 drone is decent.
Holy Stone HS165 Drone: Flight Performance
In the next part of the review, we are going to talk about this camera drone’s flight performance. Getting to know how easy it is to fly the Holy Stone HS165 drone is important for beginners and recreational remote pilots. One of the biggest advantages that this drone has is the built-in GPS module. Thanks to the GPS module, the drone can maintain precise positioning through using the data that it communicates with the satellites.
The Holy Stone HS165 drone also utilizes an optical flow system that automatically adjusts internal air pressure level to keep it even throughout the flight for a smoother flight experience. A single battery keeps this drone running for up to 14 minutes, though you will realistically be able to fly it for up to 12 – 13 minutes. This is to account in the time it takes to power on the drone and having at least some remaining juice for landing the drone.
When it comes to flying, the Holy Stone HS165 drone can fly up to 400 meters away from the home point. At this price tag, it is actually pretty good flight range compared to similar drones such as the Potensic D60 and Ruko B7 drone. Flying the Holy Stone HS165 drone is incredible simple and easy enough that a beginner without any flight experience will be able to do so due to the autonomous flight system.
Holy Stone HS165 Drone: Camera Quality
One of the important parts about Holy Stone HS165 drone review is the camera quality. If you are new to flying drones and want one that is good enough to start with. The Holy Stone HS165 drone comes with a built-in camera, which can capture 2K HD stills and record 1080P HD videos at 30 frames per second. While the camera quality isn’t that stellar compared to premium drones such as Mini 2, Mavic Air 2 or any of these DJI drones.
The Holy Stone HS165 drone, however, will teach you how to capture and master the basics of aerial photography. As you develop and hone aerial photography skill, you can decide whether to upgrade to better, smarter, and expensive drones. Many beginners start off with one of these easy drones first because it’s a great way to get the experience first and you certainly can do the same with Holy Stone HS165 drone.
The color and lighting quality on this drone is average. You can view video in real-time by connecting your smartphone to the drone. The maximum image transmission distance is 250 meters. Any further than that and there will be delayed image transmission. While you can capture and record footage on your smartphone, getting a 32GB micro SD card and insert it in the drone is recommended. That way you can get true resolution quality on these files.
Holy Stone HS165 Drone: Features
There’s so many features that this drone has to offer thanks to GPS integration. One of the coolest features is intelligent flight mode. With that feature, you can command the Holy Stone HS165 drone to perform Follow Me Mode, Orbit Mode, and even Customize Waypoint Mode. The intelligent flight mode gives you the option to get creative with this drone.
The Holy Stone HS165 drone also comes with speed mode that lets beginners learn the rope. By default the drone will be set to the slowest speed setting. Once you become comfortable with the flight controls, you can adjust the speed to further improve your flight skill level. Additionally there’s two features you should also take advantage of: Headless Mode and Altitude Mode. While the latter is self-explanatory, the Headless Mode reorients the flight direction from drone to remote controller.
There’s also safety features. If you ever lose sight of the drone, simply push the Smart Return to Home button and it will recall. You also can stay in check with out of range alarm and low power alarm. If the drone ever reaches one of them, it will transmit a warning sound to the remote controller. Aside from that, the Holy Stone HS165 drone is packed with features, including foldable design and automatic stability.
Holy Stone HS165 Drone: Remote Controller
In the next part of Holy Stone HS165 drone review, we are going to talk about the remote controller that comes included with this quadcopter. My first impression with the HS165 remote controller was the quality of craftsmanship. It features side grips for support that makes it easy enough to hold the remote controller. If you have played video games on consoles before, you might see some resemblances to a game controller.
Except, you will be flying an actual camera drone. The Holy Stone HS165 remote controller comes with control levers which is used to command the drone’s altitude level and the direction it is flying in. In addition to that, there are buttons that lets you tell the drone to switch modes such as Headless Mode and Altitude Hold. Each button comes with inscription that tells you what they do which makes the remote controller super beginner-friendly.
Lastly, the remote controller comes with a mount holder that you can insert your smartphone. It will transform into a real-time video streaming that you can view through the eyes of Holy Stone HS165 drone. To do that, you need to connect your smartphone to the drone using app. Once the connection has been established, you can access through the Holy Stone app and take advantage of additional features including intelligent flight modes.
Holy Stone HS165 Review: Conclusion
As we come to the conclusion of our in-depth Holy Stone HS165 drone review, this is definitely one of the best GPS drones for beginners. If you are still asking yourself this question: should I buy the Holy Stone HS165 drone? I would say yes and here’s why: The Holy Stone HS165 drone features a compact, portable design that truly packs so many features made for beginners and recreational remote pilots. With a flight time of 14 minutes and goes up to 400 meters, it has a lot to offer that keeps beginners engaged throughout the flight operations.
The drone also boasts an impressive camera that can both capture stills at 2K HD resolution and record videos at 1080P HD resolution quality. It offers a smooth learning curve that beginners will have an easy time adjusting to and master the basics of flight controls as well as aerial photography. No matter your flight skill level is, the Holy Stone HS165 drone is a great quadcopter at entry-level for all.
I hope you find our in-depth Holy Stone HS165 drone review helpful and informative. If you have any questions about this foldable GPS camera drone, let us know in the comment section below. Stay tuned for more drone news, guides, reviews, and deals at Dronesfy. Happy flying and fly smart!
