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Holy Stone HS600 2-Axis Gimbal Drone Review: A Beginner-Friendly Powerhouse
The Holy Stone HS600 is a feature-packed drone designed for both beginners and experienced pilots. With its 4K EIS camera, 10,000 FT transmission range, and Level 6 wind resistance, this drone promises to deliver stunning aerial footage while being easy to operate. Whether you're capturing breathtaking landscapes or documenting your adventures, the HS600 is built to impress. But does it live up to the hype? Let’s dive into the details based on real customer experiences.
Pros and Cons: What Customers Are Saying
1. Build Quality and Durability
The HS600 is praised for its robust build quality and durability. Many users highlighted its ability to withstand windy conditions, making it a reliable choice for outdoor adventures. One reviewer mentioned, "This drone stays put in winds like 15mph and fights with even stronger gusts. That’s a huge difference compared to other drones." The brushless motors and foldable design add to its sturdiness, ensuring it can handle rough handling during travel.
However, some users noted concerns about the propeller blades. One customer shared, "I bent the blade while taking it out of the box. I now remove the propellers for storage." While this isn’t a dealbreaker, it’s something to keep in mind when handling the drone.
2. Camera Performance
The 4K EIS camera with a 2-axis gimbal is one of the standout features of the HS600. Customers raved about the crisp video quality and smooth stabilization. One user said, "The camera takes great videos and pictures. The dual-axis gimbal and EIS ensure stunning 4K video." The 5x zoom and 100° FOV further enhance its versatility, allowing users to capture detailed shots from various angles.
That said, a few users mentioned that the camera doesn’t move independently, which can limit creative flexibility. One reviewer noted, "The camera does not move, so it’s going back. I’ll try this again when I get the next HS600." While this isn’t a major issue for most, it’s worth considering if you need more dynamic camera control.
3. Flight Performance and Range
The 10,000 FT transmission range is a game-changer for many users. One customer shared, "From my house at the end of town to the water tower down a highway, like 2 plus miles. I was scared I’d lose it, but the signal was still 97%." The GPS intelligent return-to-home function also adds a layer of security, ensuring the drone returns safely even in challenging conditions.
The 28-minute flight time is another highlight, though some users wished the battery charging time was shorter. One reviewer mentioned, "The batteries take some time to charge, but the flight time is excellent." Overall, the flight performance is impressive, especially for a drone in this price range.
4. Ease of Use
The HS600 is designed with beginners in mind, and many first-time drone users found it easy to operate. One reviewer said, "This is my first drone, and it’s very easy to fly. The instructions are clear, and the app interface is intuitive." Features like follow mode, waypoint tracking, and auto return home make it accessible for novices while offering advanced capabilities for experienced pilots.
However, some users reported minor issues with tracking modes. One customer noted, "The drone has trouble tracking the target in locked follow mode. I’ll need to contact customer support to resolve this." While this isn’t a widespread problem, it’s something to be aware of if you plan to use these features extensively.
5. Portability and Design
The foldable design and portable carrying case make the HS600 a great travel companion. One user commented, "Its compact form factor ensures it easily fits into my backpack. It’s perfect for capturing stunning aerial views on the go." The lightweight frame (541g) strikes a balance between portability and stability, though some users appreciated the extra weight for better wind resistance.
Conclusion: Is the Holy Stone HS600 Worth It?
The Holy Stone HS600 is a fantastic drone that offers exceptional value for its price. Its 4K camera, long transmission range, and beginner-friendly features make it a top choice for both novice and experienced pilots. While there are minor drawbacks, such as propeller blade fragility and limited camera movement, these are outweighed by its impressive performance and durability.
If you’re looking for a drone that combines professional-grade features with ease of use, the HS600 is a solid investment. As one satisfied customer put it, "By far the best drone for the money. You will be very happy!"
Specification Holy Stone HS600 2-Axis Gimbal Drones with Camera for Adults 4K EIS, Integrated Remote ID, 10000 FT Range Transmission, GPS Drone with Brushless Motors, 4K/30FPS, Follow Me, Level 6 Wind Resistance:
Comments from Amazon:
This is my first drone. I looked for a drone that’s easy for beginners to learn and provides top notch picture and video quality output. Also important is that as proficiency grows, it has enough intermediate and advanced features to still be useful and fun. I did a lot of research before buying. I looked at many different drones from numerous suppliers. I talked to friends that have been using advanced drones for years. I found that the HS600 drone is tailored made for beginners, but also has many features only found in much more expensive drones – some of which my more advanced user friends really appreciate. Some people list the weight of the drone as a detriment, but I look at it as an advantage as I live in an area with windy conditions. The HS600 handles the wind better than many other drones. I know there are smaller drones, but this comes with a nice hard carrying case, so size doesn’t matter. Also, don’t be deterred about FAA regulations, it only takes a few minutes to take the TRUST and register your drone (registration costs a trivial ½ sawbuck). I looked through the manual and was a little intimidated getting started. But after going through the procedure once, I was completely at ease. It couldn’t be any easier. I started out in beginner’s mode and took some great videos and pictures around my house. I’m having some construction work done and wanted to document the progress with arial photos. The videos and pictures came out amazing – even on my first flight! After just a week of use, I took the training wheels off by turning off beginners mode. I am taking more advanced videos and I must admit, it does take a little practice. I wanted to take a 360-degree video at a couple hundred feet above ground. My first attempt, I rotated the drone too quickly, however, my second attempt came out great. The camera takes great videos and pictures. The drone camera utilizes a dual axis gimble and EIS for stunning 4K video as long as you have a TF card (highly recommend one). Transferring pictures and video to your phone is a breeze. The HS600 comes with several operating and video modes. GPS tracking works well, but you can’t move too fast, otherwise it has a difficult time keeping up. Orbit is pretty cool for taking videos of subjects on the ground. Other picture and video features include hand gestures for taking selfies and video. I’ve tried locked follow mode, but the drone has trouble tracking the target. I have to contact customer support to try and resolve this issue, but I’m in no hurry as this is only a minor inconvenience. The controller is sturdy and easy to use. The interface provides flight information and control and the ability to take pictures and capture videos. It has a return to home button, which I’ve only used once as the drone is easy to maneuver manually close to its landing location. Wi-Fi connectivity has been great as has the GPS signal. I primarily use my iPhone to change flight modes and of course as an FPV. The APP interface is intuitive and easy to use. The flight time is excellent. I have not had to end a session yet due to low power, but I could see this happening in the future as flying the drone is becoming addictive. The batteries do take some time to charge. I have to say that this is an excellent drone that beginners will appreciate, and more advanced users will enjoy as well.
This is my first done and I have completed my first flight today. The drone has a very powerful motor, and it is relatively easy to fly for beginners. The instructions are easy to follow. It takes high quality pictures and videos, and it is a joy to fly. It appears to have a high qualify built. It is a great drone at a great price. I highly recommend it.
Holy Stone HS600 Is a good product. Follow the instructions to put it up and get it going. I have never flown any of the drones until now. It is great to see product like this, I am concerned about the blades as to get this out of the box caused me to bend the blade. I now take the propellers off the unit to store it. I have used it every day. The control is good but the ability to stay in 1 place is not what is going to happen. The distance traveled was great. The camera does not move so it is going back. Try this again when I get the next HS600.
Just received my HS600 and have completed my first flight! This is my first quadcopter drone, and it is very easy to fly. I read through the instruction booklet (well written and very easy to understand) and watched the intro videos provided by Holy Stone and others on YouTube. I had no problem flying it around the park and taking pictures and videos on my very first flight! What do you need to get started? No charger is included so you’ll need a USB charger capable of 5V 3.0A (15W). All the charging ports on the batteries and transmitter are USB-C. The kit comes with two short USB-A to USB-C cables. I used a two-port charger (45 W) that provided two USB-C ports and two high quality (5A capable) USB-C to USB-C cables to charge the two batteries (about 4 hours) and then the transmitter (about 2 hours). You’ll also want to get a 128 GB MicroSD card. (The documentation refers to a “TF Card” but that’s just another name for MicroSD. Be sure to get one that is rated at least U1. I’m using a U3 card which is fine. Do not get a card larger than 128 GB as the drone cannot utilize anything larger than that. I used my Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra with its Torras case. This is one of the larger phones and it fits into the transmitter’s phone holder without a problem. This drone is heavy, 557 grams according to my scale, so you’ll need to register it with the FAA before flying. This is done online at faadronezone-access.faa.gov and is very easy to do. You will need the drone’s Remote ID serial number which you’ll find on a sticker on the side of the drone’s body. There’s a $5 charge. Once you have the registration number create a label and affix it to the HS600 body. The drone is very stable in the air not only because of its excellent GPS and software, but also because it is heavier than other drone “toys”. It is capable of handling wind speeds up to about 25 to 31MPH. Hopefully you’ll never need to test that! But being able to handle such winds will come in handy at the beach or in the mountains. You’ll find that the drone is very stable in the winds and gusts that you’ll typically fly in. An option within the App permits images to be captured at 4000 by 3000 pixels, an advantage as it permits you to crop the captured images afterwards to get exactly the shot you want. Video may be set to 2.7K at 30 fps or 4K at 20fps. The 5x zoom is very useful. The two-axis gimbal helps deliver very smooth and steady cinematic video. As a beginner I really liked the return-to-home and auto-land features. There are several other automatic features making this a very intelligent camera platform. All around it is a very solid performing drone, very well built, and an excellent beginner’s drone. The only drawback is that this drone does not provide any obstacle avoidance, although it does provide an altitude ceiling and a radius distance fence. Its many advanced features will enable this drone to continue to be a favorite as you advance from novice to advanced piloting.
It's a perfect product, it has all the features and has a battery that does not take hours and you get 2 of them!! It works beautifully, great videos. It has rang you won't believe. From my house at the end of town to the water tower down a highway, like 2 plus miles. I was scared ide loose it but signal was still 97%.By far the best Drone for the money. By the way ,this drone stays put in winds like 15mph and fights with evan stronger. That is a huge difference in any other drone it's not flying away from you. Home button is verified it works extremely well. BUY this before you waste money on cheaper. You will be very happy!!