If you and your friends intend to go hiking anytime soon, you might consider accessorizing with the Holy Stone HS160 Shadow. The drone is portable thanks to its foldable and flexible blades that help to reduce its size, ideal for a backpack. However, this does not mean that you should underestimate its flight capabilities.
The device is fitted with a Wi-Fi FPV 720 HD camera that allows you to take crisp images and videos. The media files you take can be stored either in the mobile album system or the app. This drone supports both Android and iOS devices and is compatible with an app that helps you control the drone to get an ideal shooting experience in real time.
This drone is further accessorized with 2 modular batteries and an extra one in case you are going for a long hike. One of its most interesting features is the one-key start and landing that enables any hiker to control it seamlessly. Moreover, it has a gravity sensor mode that enables it to follow the direction you move your smartphone.
What do we like?
• It is affordable.
• It is easy to fly.
• It includes LED lights that enhance its visibility.
• The drone great for backpacking as it is portable.
• It comes in a stylish design.
• It includes a bonus battery.
• It has a foldable design.
What we didn’t like
• It is not ideal for use in windy areas.
• It only about 6-8 minutes of flight time.
• The app is a bit complicated to use.
Who is this product for?
How to Choose the Best Drone for Hiking
Choosing the best drone for hiking may prove to be a daunting task because of the many brands in the market. Each drone is built differently, and you would not want to get yourself one that does not meet your required standards. Below are some of the considerations you have to make to ensure you get yourself the best drone for hiking.
I. Obstacle avoidance
When you are in the market looking for a drone, it is imperative to settle for one that has obstacle avoidance. This is an important feature, especially for those hiking in mountainous or forested areas. Obstacle avoidance helps you to control your drone better. It enables your drone to stop when it encounters an obstacle along its path or enables it to maneuver around the obstacle. This eliminates the risk of your drone crashing and getting damaged. Moreover, it allows you to concentrate more on taking quality images and videos rather than focusing on controlling the drone.
II. Battery life
A drone is usually powered by batteries, implying that it depends on the charge from the batteries to fly and capture images. This implies that it needs a lot of charge in order to fly effectively and capture all the images that you desire. Some drones have a better battery life than others, and high quality drones have a flight time of about 30 minutes before the charge runs out. As such, ensure to get a drone that has a long-lasting battery life for better operations. Carrying extra batteries in your hiking bag may also come in handy.
III. The camera
Ultimately, the quality of the images and videos you take in your hiking or backpacking trip is greatly influenced by the camera fitted on your drone. We advise hikers to get a drone that is fitted with a camera that has excellent image and video resolution. Alternatively, you can buy a drone that allows you to fit your own camera. Whichever drone you choose, ensure to settle with a high-quality camera that can capture auspicious images and aerial videos. Keeping these facts in mind you can do some great travel photography with your drone.
IV. The gimbal
This is another important feature that helps to keep your drone’s camera stable even as you fly it in windy environments. This feature enables you take high-quality images and videos throughout your hiking escapades.
V. The range
Hiking often involves walking for long distances. The range of a drone determines how far it can go, and the bigger the range the better the drone. As such, buy a drone that has a bigger range in order to cover vast areas.
VI. Integrated GPS
When shopping for the best drone for hiking, it is advisable to get one that has an integrated GPS. The GPS feature on a drone allows you to know the exact location of the drone. A drone with a GPS also has a return-to-home feature. This improves the navigation capabilities of your drone, making your task a lot easier.
VII. Portability
Best Drones for Backpacking Conclusion
Drones have come to revolutionize the way we take pictures and videos today. If you are an outdoor person, you will benefit a great deal by accessorizing with the best drone for hiking. Finding the right drone for your needs may not be as simple as it sounds. There are many products in the market, and you must get yourself a product whose quality matches its price. This is because the most expensive drone is not always the best drone. The features on the drone are the ones that count. We excluded drones like the DJI Phantoms, Gopro Karma drone, Ehang Ghost and Parrot Bebop drone due their size and bulkiness. We feel that for hiking, saving as much weight and space is ideal.
To find a drone that will spice your backpacking hiking experience, review the drones listed above and buy the one that meets your hiking needs. Thanks to technology you can now travel the world with a portable drone and have great video and photos available at your fingertips. Bottom line, we hope this article has helped you to learn more about the best drones for traveling and select the top pick for your adventure travels.
