by 180 reviews.
Potensic ATOM LT GPS Drone Review: A Beginner’s Dream or Just Hype?
The Potensic ATOM LT GPS Drone is a lightweight, foldable drone designed for beginners and hobbyists. With a take-off weight of under 249g, it’s FAA/Remote ID registration-free, making it a hassle-free option for casual flyers. Packed with features like a 2.5K EIS camera, 4KM FPV transmission, and an impressive 80 minutes of total flight time (thanks to two 3000mAh batteries), this drone promises a lot for its price point. But does it deliver? Let’s dive into the pros and cons based on real customer experiences.
Pros: What Makes the Potensic ATOM LT Stand Out?
1. Lightweight and Portable Design
One of the standout features of the Potensic ATOM LT is its under 249g weight, which means no FAA registration is required. Its foldable design makes it easy to carry around, fitting snugly into a pocket or backpack. Customers love how portable it is, with one reviewer mentioning, “It’s so compact and lightweight, I can take it anywhere without feeling burdened.”
2. Impressive Flight Time
With two 3000mAh batteries, the drone offers a total flight time of 80 minutes, which is exceptional for an entry-level drone. Users appreciate the extended flight time, with one stating, “I was able to fly for almost 40 minutes on a single charge, which is way better than other drones I’ve tried.”
3. User-Friendly for Beginners
The Potensic ATOM LT is designed with beginners in mind. Features like Auto Return Home, Follow Me, and Waypoint Fly make it easy to operate. One customer shared, “As a beginner, I was nervous about crashing, but the auto hover and return-to-home features gave me confidence. It’s incredibly easy to fly.”
4. Decent Camera Quality
The 2.5K EIS camera with a Sony sensor delivers clear and stable footage. While it’s not professional-grade, it’s more than enough for casual users. A reviewer noted, “The video quality is surprisingly good for the price. The stabilization works well, and the footage is smooth even in moderate wind.”
5. Excellent Customer Service
Multiple customers praised Potensic’s responsive and helpful customer service. One user shared, “I had an issue with the controller, but their team shipped a replacement immediately. Their dedication to customer satisfaction is impressive.”
Cons: Where Does the Potensic ATOM LT Fall Short?
1. Controller Connectivity Issues
Some users reported difficulty connecting the controller to the drone. One reviewer mentioned, “I couldn’t get the controller to work properly at first, but customer service helped me resolve the issue.” While the problem was fixed, it’s worth noting that this could be a potential hiccup for new users.
2. No Sound in Videos
The drone’s camera doesn’t record sound, which disappointed a few users. One customer said, “I wish the videos had sound, even if it’s just ambient noise. It feels incomplete without it.”
3. App Account Requirement
The iOS app requires account creation to operate the drone, which frustrated some users. One reviewer shared, “Over the holidays, their servers were overloaded, and I couldn’t create an account. It made the drone useless as a gift.”
4. Limited Wind Resistance
While the drone handles moderate wind well, it struggles in stronger gusts. A user noted, “In Level 5 wind, it was a bit shaky. I had to bring it down to avoid losing control.”
5. Learning Curve for Advanced Features
Although the drone is beginner-friendly, some users found the advanced features like Waypoint Fly and Follow Me a bit tricky to master. One reviewer said, “It took me a while to figure out how to use all the features. The instructions could be clearer.”
Real-World Performance: What Do Users Say?
Flight Experience
Most users found the drone easy to fly, even in challenging conditions. One customer shared, “I crashed it into my house while inspecting a wasp nest, but it survived without a scratch. It’s surprisingly durable.”
Battery Life
The long battery life was a highlight for many. A reviewer said, “I flew it for almost an hour on a single charge, which is more than enough for my needs.”
Camera Performance
While the camera quality is decent, it’s not without flaws. One user mentioned, “The footage is clear, but it struggles in low-light conditions. It’s great for daytime flights, though.”
Customer Service
Potensic’s customer service received glowing reviews. A user shared, “When I lost my drone due to a glitch, they sent me a replacement without any hassle. Their support team is fantastic.”
Conclusion: Is the Potensic ATOM LT Worth It?
The Potensic ATOM LT GPS Drone is an excellent choice for beginners and casual users. Its lightweight design, long flight time, and user-friendly features make it a standout in its price range. While it has some drawbacks, like controller connectivity issues and the lack of sound in videos, these are minor compared to its overall performance.
Final Verdict:
- Pros: Lightweight, portable, long battery life, beginner-friendly, decent camera, excellent customer service.
- Cons: Controller connectivity issues, no sound in videos, app account requirement, limited wind resistance.
If you’re looking for an affordable, feature-packed drone to dip your toes into aerial photography or just have some fun, the Potensic ATOM LT is a solid choice. Just be prepared for a slight learning curve and occasional technical hiccups. Overall, it’s a great value for the price and comes highly recommended by most users.
Specification Potensic ATOM LT GPS Drone Under 249g, 2 Batteries 80 Mins, EIS 2.5K Camera, 4KM FPV Transmission, Brushless Motor, Auto Return, SurgeFly, Entry Level Foldable Drone for Adults Beginner, Expansion Kit:
Comments from Amazon:
Great drone but even better customer service. After my last review, they noticed I wasnt satisfied and reached out how they could make it better. After a couple of emails exchanges, we both ended up happy. I've flown the drone a couple of times and my view of it are changing, while it may not have the best camera, or go high or far, it will still bring joy to anyone who uses it as a beginner drone. It has many great features and the remote is super easy to use, you have to use your phone or if your like me get an adapter for a tablet and it even better. Battery is good, lasts as long as they claim under good outside conditions. Highly recommend their drone and products, thank you potensic for the great price and even better customer service.
Flies very well. Easy to controle. Still haven't figured out how to save a picture or video. Sometime it saves them most of the time it dosn't.
Title: Promising Features, But Controller Issues and contacted by customer service that is anything short of impressive in todays age. Was very impressed by the dedication and service to the customer by this company. Will buy my next drone from this company in the future! Review: I purchased the Potensic ATOM LT GPS Drone, hoping for a great entry-level drone experience. The compact size and features like the 2.5K camera, 4KM FPV transmission, and 80-minute flight time (with 2 batteries) were appealing. However, I couldn’t get the controller to work properly, which made it impossible to fly the drone. Pros: Excellent and responsive customer service. Lightweight and under 249g, so no FAA registration is needed. Foldable and portable design. Comes with useful features like Auto Return and GPS positioning for safe operation. Expansion kit included and long battery life with 2 batteries. Cons: Had some difficulty with controller connecting properly but customer service was excellent in helping to solve issues and shipped a new drone immediately, and proved that customer service is alive and well! Very impressed with the service and commitment to the customer. While the drone's specs are impressive for an entry-level model, It is an excellent drone and functions well! Rating: (5/5) due to prompt and excellent customer service.
I've tried little cheap stunt drones before and I wouldn't make it 5 feet without crashing it. I was skeptical after reading about it's features with auto take off and auto hover etc.. well I'll say this. You can't ask for much better. After setting it up. Your phone fits very nice in the remote. And unlike others I seen. You don't have to charge the remote or hook up to the phones wi fi. I set it on the ground after reading instructions. Hit take off button and thought. Oh boy this is scary I'm gonna crash it.. And just like that it flew up 2 meters and hovered perfectly still. Wow ok. So I thought alright let's take it up I can't hit anything there. And straight up it went. When you let off the remote it instantly stops where it's at and hovers perfectly. It's very very easy to fly. And if you get confused or sketchy. Just let off and get your bearings. Also the screen shows what direction your going. And also has a small pip screen of a Google map that's right on the money accurate. Including changing the scheme of the map like Google does. So before you take off the thing reads exactly where it took off from. And we first I got freaked out it was too far away and panicked. Although there was no reason to. Either or. I hit the return button.. and I'll be. By itself it came back and landed 1 foot from where it took off. I use this all the time and it works every time. It even comes back if it knows there's not enough battery left to make it back if it goes further. It's great. All this was very helpful while learning to fly it. After about 5 times up. Now I'm buzzing it all over the place no problem. Cause I know it will come back. The set path feature is very cool and the others as well. The camera is unbelievably clear and stable. I took mine up about 4 times to 400 feet and flew about 1/2 -3/4 mile every time plus some messing around on 1 battery charge. I did crash it once. That was all on me. I flew it up the the soffet on the house inspecting a yellow jackets nest. Which was cool seeing the bees attack it. But I hit forward instead of backward and hit the house. Didn't phase it one bit... I know there's much better ones on the market. But for the price I don't think there is. But this one you'll love it. Esp if you were like me and afraid of ruining it before you even knew how to fly it.. buy it. Update.... So I had a problem occur. It was towards evening and I flew the drone. And it became erratic and went somewhere. Lost connection and crashed. Because it disconnected. I was unable to locate it. I was upset to say the least. It went a few days thinking. I said I'm gonna email the company and ask if there's any way to retrieve it? I knew better but at least I tried to ask. They immediately got back to me very fast. Asked me if I could send the flight log. I had no idea what or how. But they easily explained to me and I did so. It was a Friday I sent it to them. Monday morning they emailed me back telling me a new drone and battery are on their way. Something created a glitch nobody is sure of. My fault. Their fault who knows. Either way I had a brand new one at my door within a few days. What more could you ask for? I mean I already assumed it was something I did. And was just checking it we could somehow find it. And now because of a great company I have a brand new drone. And been flying it over and over. Had it out almost a mile the other day with no issues. It will go much further using set point flying. And so far. Every time I hit return home. It lands within 2 feet of where it took off. Very pleased
Great drone at this price point, very user friendly especially for first time flyers, easy to control, very durable and photo and video is great. Highly recommend!
There is no reason to require an account in order to operate the drone. The required iOS app will not allow you to use the drone unless you create an account. The drone might be great, but the iOS app requires an account. Over the holidays, their servers must have been overloaded or something, because they would not respond and allow new account creation to be completed. Useless holiday gift. Look at the paperweight we can't use because of an unnecessary account creation process.
Awesome quality quadcopter for the price, and I was actually blown away with how good the video transmission is, even at a mile out. The video quality is even better than I expected as well. Just wish the video had sound (even though the propellers are probably so loud you couldn't hear anything but that anyways). But for 200 bucks, you can't really beat it. The return to home feature when the controller loses connection, works absolutely perfect. As long as you have your "return to home height" set correctly, you should never have to worry about losing this thing. I plan on buying a dji in the future, and wanted to get something cheaper, but not TOO CHEAP to get some experience with, and this thing is absolutely perfect for that. I'd give it 6 stars if I could. Very user friendly interface. The power is enough to still fly with moderate wind, and in sport mode with low wind, this thing goes pretty fast. I'd say around 35-40mph.