Update March 2022: Currently the Ruko U11 is unavailable on Amazon, a good alternative is the Ruko F11 Pro, read our review about it here. And to buy it straight away: check it out here.
Flying a camera drone doesn’t have to be that difficult. In fact, the Ruko U11 is one of the newest smart camera drones that was recently introduced to the electronics market. If you are looking for an alternative camera drone that’s inexpensive compared to a flying beast like Holy Stone HS720E for instance.
Then the Ruko U11 might be the perfect camera drone for you. Afterall, it comes with everything you need to capture stunning aerial shots to racing and keeping yourself company during downtime. Of course, there’s a lot of drones out there in the market but is any of them a good match for you?
Which is why I assembled an in-depth Ruko U11 review to help you learn more about this brand new camera drone. In this review article, we will cover the basics like design and build quality, flight performance, controllability and features.
At the end of our in-depth Ruko U11 drone review, you will be able to make the final buying decision whether to grab this quadcopter or explore alternatives. Without further ado, let’s dive and find out if the Ruko U11 is the perfect camera drone for you.
Package Contents
Before we talk about its design and build quality along with features. You need to know what’s included in the package. Oftentimes buyers buy something and end up regretting because they weren’t expecting or didn’t know it wasn’t included with. That being said, the Ruko U11 drone comes with everything you need to get started for starters.
Expect to get these following package contents upon receiving Ruko U11 drone:
- 1 x Ruko U11 GPS Drone
- 2 x Batteries
- 1 x Travel Case
- 1 x Remote Controller
- 1 x User Manual
- 1 x USB Cable
- 1 x Screwdriver
- 4 x Extra Propeller Blades
Design and Build Quality
The Ruko U11 drone is made with high-quality and durable ABS plastic that provides exceptional sturdy framework and protection against rough impacts. The body framework itself is thick enough that it does a good job protecting important internal components like GPS module, battery and camera.
Both front and back comes with built-in LED lights which is designed to provide visual assistance for positioning. Each motor arms are foldable that makes traveling absolutely a breeze for tourists and travelers. The size dimension of the Ruko U11 drone when folded is 5.9 x 6.49 x 2.36 inches.
However, when you unfold the drone, its total size dimension extends to 9.25 x 7.68 x 2.36 inches. The propellers also take advantage of aerofoil technology which makes it completely foldable. It is a technology first introduced by DJI Mavic Pro as a compact and lightweight drone for aerial photographers.
On the back of the drone is where the battery is stored at. Each charge gives up to 20 minutes of flight time. The power button is located underneath the drone. To power on the drone, push the button and hold for two seconds. You will see green lights showing up. Connection to the remote controller will be established when the lights turn solid.
The Ruko U11 drone weights 270 grams, which is pretty darn lightweight but will be able to handle light to moderate winds with relative ease. On the front, this drone is mounted with a 4K UHD camera. Design-wise, the Ruko U11 drone gets a big thumb up from me in terms of portability and compact size.
back to menu ↑Flight Performance
One of the most important factors when it comes to checking out these smart camera drones is the flight performance. The Ruko U11 drone comes with a battery which provides up to 20 minutes of flight time. Although, the total flight time per charge will account roughly 17 – 18 minutes.
That is to account in the time powering on the drone and establishing connection with the remote controller. Not to forget to mention that you also will need to have some battery juice prior to the end of the flight mission. Depleting the battery is never a good idea which is why the drone needs some flight time for landing and in case of emergency.
The Ruko U11 drone commands a maximum flight range up to 300 meters or almost 1,000 feet. It’s roughly one-third of what Holy Stone HS720E has to offer. Though, if you are an avid FPV user, you will not have to worry about going out of control because the FPV mode has the same operating distance.
As mentioned before, this camera drone weights only 270 grams. Which means it can handle light to moderate winds outside. Furthermore, the Ruko F11 drone is equipped with brushless motors which delivers even stronger performance thanks to high revolution per minute (RPM).
back to menu ↑Controllability
If you have never flown a smart camera drone before, you will be impressed with how easy it is to fly a Ruko U11 drone. This camera drone is equipped with a GPS module that communicates with satellites to obtain precise location to help maintain a steady hovering position.
Furthermore, the Ruko U11 drone utilizes barometric to measure air pressure and adjust to keep the drone leveled. It also uses an optical flow sensor that detects the landscape and automatically adjusts the drone’s height level throughout the flight mission.
Which means the remote pilot only has to focus on navigating the drone using the remote controller. The transmitter itself is straightforward, simple and easy to use. If you ever lose sight of this camera drone, simply press the smart return to home button and the drone will fly back to the base.
You also can adjust the camera remotely to gain better aerial vantage if needed to. The camera can be adjusted up to 90 degrees in both directions: up and down. Though, one of the biggest upgrades that improves the drone’s controllability and responsiveness is 5G Wi-Fi. This upgrade greatly improves real-time video streaming and makes it incredibly smooth enough that you will have the best of all for FPV flight experience.
back to menu ↑Features
Believe it or not, the Ruko U11 drone is packed with tons of features and you can thank the integration of the GPS module. This smart camera drone has the ability to perform intelligent flight modes such as Orbit Mode, Follow Me Mode, and even Tap Fly Mode.
Intelligent flight modes is one of the best features that lets you command the drone to perform a certain set of flight paths autonomously. For instance, if you are going out for a walk and you want to record a video of yourself, you can set the Ruko U11 drone on follow so it will track anywhere you go.
These intelligent flight modes are an awesome way to get creative and develop new video content that you can share with platforms like YouTube and Facebook. While the majority of its flight features are focused at making it capable of performing advanced maneuvers, the drone comes with automatic landing and takeoff functionality.
Which means you can command the drone to launch whenever you are ready. When you are done flying the drone for the day, you can command it to land and watch it descend to the ground. You also can turn on and off the GPS hold function. If you want to experience a true and challenging flight, turn off the GPS hold and race the drone like a professional.
back to menu ↑Conclusion
To conclude our in-depth Ruko U11 review, this is probably one of the best affordable smart camera drones for beginners. If you are shopping around for an entry-level camera drone that can perform everything you just read in this article, then the Ruko U11 is your best choice.
While I prefer high-end drones such as DJI Mavic Mini and Holy Stone HS720E, the Ruko U11 isn’t a bad drone at all. It’s lightweight, packed with awesome flight performance, flight capabilities and tons of features to keep you busy.
The fact this drone is equipped with a 4K UHD camera makes it one of the best entry-level quadcopter for any recreational pilot and aspiring aerial photographer. The Ruko U11 drone will teach you a lot about the basics of flight and capturing aerial shots. In no time, you will become a great pilot with the Ruko U11 drone.
I just bought this u11 drone and it is my first drone. I have set it up a little bit but haven’t taken it out for a test run yet, or even used it since I’m in a wheelchair at the moment. I appreciate the review very much as it gave me a little bit more confidence as to using this new drone that I got myself for my birthday!