JJRC X9 Heron Drone is an upgrade to the previous X9 model. This new model has many more features that you can enjoy. It also comes with an advanced level HD camera, which also has a 2-axis gimbal system. All this leads to stable photos and videos. This drone is suitable for everyone. It comes with a superior technology that has challenged the drone market. Here, we will talk more about this drone. After reading this, you will know if this drone is perfect for you or not.
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Our Verdict
This drone has a similar design to DJI Spark. It is available in two color options- grey & black or white & grey. It is a mid-range drone that is suitable for everyone. It has a decent camera with enough stabilization that will make your pictures distortion-free. It has an older GPS. Moreover, the drone can connect only with 7 to 8 satellites. Both of these factors lead to accuracy problems. You can not rely on the return to home feature as well. Despite this, it is a good deal at this price.
Design
The Is a modified version of SJRC Z5. The size and weight have been improved in this version. Also, the model functions smoothly when compared to the SJRC Z5. The JJRC X9 is a very stable drone and can be folded whenever needed. This makes the drone compact. By launching this drone, the company has set some new standards in the market.
The drone has an optical flow sensor at the bottom. This comes in handy while flying at very low altitudes. This will help hold the drone a lot steadier than just the GPS alone. It is helpful while capturing selfies. So, this is a pretty cool feature of the drone.
The drone comes with a 1080p HD camera. The camera includes a two-axis stabilized gimbal. So, you can expect some stable pictures from this drone. There is a microSD card slot at the back of the drone. You can insert your SD card and record directly to the card rather than your phone via Wi-Fi. Additionally, there is a USB port at the back of the drone. The port is for updating the firmware on this.
You get a 3s LiHV battery with this drone. It is an 11.4V and 1000mAh battery. It is proprietary, and it slides in the back of the drone. The drone has a button in the back for checking the battery level. You will have to do a quick press and then a long press to the button for turning the drone on. It makes some sound when it is turned on. To turn off the drone, you will have to hold down the button for about three seconds.
This 14.8 X 14.5 X 6 cm drone weighs around 258g. You can carry it along easily with a proper carrying case. The drone has a range of about 600m. Advanced level techniques are available in this drone. It is a brushless version. The design of the drone is quite similar to that of DJI Spark. There are LED lights present under each rotor of the drone. These lights make the drone look pretty cool. They also help with night flights. You will get a flight time of 15 minutes with this drone. Everything mentioned above makes the design of this drone futuristic.
Flight
has an older GPS. So, when you are flying it for the first time, you have to charge the batteries. Then, turn the device on. You will need to let it stay like that for a while to connect with the satellites. After this, you have to charge the batteries again. This whole process is totally worth it in the long-term. By following this process, you will get connected to 7 or 8 satellites. Even though it will have a little less accuracy, the optic flow sensor will still help you a lot. It will help you. I have a very smooth flight.The drone works pretty well with the right number of satellites. You might face some issues in return home mode. It would help if you did not Rely upon it because it can fail sometimes. The drone works very well in windy conditions. The lightweight body does not become a hindrance in such windy conditions. You should fly the drone under bad conditions only if you are an experienced pilot.
It is easy to fly the drone. The intelligent modes make the work even easier. The drone has a pretty fast speed. The maximum speed can go up to 20 km/h. The drone has the following intelligent modes.
1. WayPoint
This intelligent feature allows you to draw a route on the app. The drone will follow the route that you will draw. Meanwhile, while flying, the drone will capture videos and photos as per your needs. Once the route has been completed, the drone will come back to its starting point.
2. Follow Me
In this mode, you can lock the subject you want the drone to capture. The drone will follow the subject wherever it will go.
3. Point Of Interest
Under this move, the drone well orbits around the subject that you have locked the drone onto.
You cannot call it an exact drone. It is good enough to follow your instructions. You are getting a good deal with the money you will be spending. Controlling the drone won’t be a problem if you are an experienced pilot.
Camera Quality
The Comes with a 1080p FHD camera. Even though it is enough HD camera, it is still not 4K. The quality of the camera is standard. But you can definitely take some good aerial pictures and videos from the camera. The camera includes a two-axis stabilized gimbal. You can definitely expect some stable pictures from the drone. It is a brushless gimbal. This makes sure that your photos are distortion-free. You can also stream live video footage to your phone. The quality of that live footage will be 720p. 5G transmission technology is used to send the video to the mobile. There can be some lags sometimes during transmission. But don’t worry, the video will be obvious.
You can adjust the camera up to 90° up or down with a wide-angle lens. You can control the wide-angle lens with the remote controller. By controlling the wide-angle through the remote, you can get an exact angle. It helps in taking a perfect picture. The camera is good indeed, but you cannot compare it with The camera of DJI Spark. You will be satisfied with the camera if you are not into professional photography.
Battery
With the 1000mAh battery of this drone, you will get a flight time of 15 minutes. The time might get reduced if you use some features while flying the drone. The LED indicators near the battery will tell you the level of the battery. It takes around four hours to charge this battery. You can buy a separate battery to double your flight time as well. It will be fun.
Storage
The drone does not have internal storage. There is an SD card slot on the back of the drone. You can insert your SD card and record directly to the card rather than your phone via Wi-Fi. You’ll have to buy the SD card yourself according to your needs. An SD card is not included in the package.
Pros And Cons
- 2 axis stabilization
- 1080p camera is pretty good
- Compact
- Foldable
- Lightweight
- Optical flow camera
- Altitude hold
- Enough flight time
- GPS not very accurate
- Gimbal movement is a bit jerky
- 225m FPV range is not enough
Final Thoughts
The is a decent drone with some excellent features. Everything performs quite well. There are chances of facing accuracy issues with this drone because of the older GPS. It cannot be delightful sometimes. If this will be your first drone, I am sure you won’t notice any problems with it. But, if you are an experienced pilot, some little accuracy issues can become quite irritating. Otherwise, you will get amazing aerial footage and pictures with this drone.