X8C Venture

I write this with mixed feelings as I have had many ups and downs with this quadcopter. My previous experience with quads was limited to those weighing around a half pound. The best way I can describe the difference is that the much heavier X8C "lumbers" around the sky. Some reviewers have been what I consider overly harsh about the X8C's flight and photo capabilities. I try to be fair and not too judgmental when I review a drone. However, I have an issue with the build quality of this quad. First, the motors are held in by two very short screws and they have a tendency to come loose over time. Not knowing this I damaged a propeller gear when one of the motor mount screws came out and got caught in it. Owners and prospective buyers should be aware of this and check the motor mount screws regularly. Luckily, other than requiring a bit of dexterity, motor changes are very simple and no soldering is required. Motors bring up another issue as they tend to fail and/or loose power. This may have something to all the weight they have to carry around. Yet another issue is the extremely limited range of the transmitter. I revert to my comment about build quality as the first X8C I flew could not maintain a connection between the transmitter and the quad. One such loss of contact resulted in the quad crashing from about 20 feet up which totaled the inside of the drone. The other eerie characteristic of this quad is that it occasionally drifts off and no amount of transmitter input or persuasion will bring it back. There are several documentations of this phenomenon on the internet. Like all Syma quads, the outer, plastic antenna on the transmitter is decorative. Both the quads and transmitters have a simple, short piece of wire coming off their boards that act as antennas. There are antenna hacks all over the internet, but I have yet to try one. The times I was able to fly the X8C without some sort of failure or malfunction were enjoyable and challenging. In my opinion it is not a quad for beginners. It is heavy and underpowered and requires a deft hand on the transmitter to fly it. I highly recommend taking off and landing on soft ground and or grass as this quad can be difficult to land. My situation requires that I fly from a gravel road and flipping the quad over when landing is somewhat routine. If your operating area is limited and you have no desire to perform professional photography, this quad will probably serve you well. Call me less than impressed.