IdeaFly Hero 550: a quadrocopter competing with DJI Inspire 1?

IdeaFly Hero 550 is a new development of the Chinese company Idea-Fly. What's new and special about this model - read below.

IdeaFly Hero 550 is about to hit the mass market (so far only those who directly contacted the manufacturer or had some connections among radio amateurs could get it) and it will be interesting to see how both beginners and professionals react to it. And why? Because:

• Despite the fact that it is 550 mm diagonally (which is not small, but not much), and its total weight is about 2.5 kg, the manufacturer supplied the quadrocopter with a lithium-polymer battery as much as 10000mAh! This allows even a fully loaded Quadroopter to be in the air for at least 25 minutes!
• A 10-channel remote control is provided, which significantly increases the control range of the Copter: compared to the Idea-Fly Apollo, which has a range of 300 meters, the difference is simply huge: the new remote control allows you to control the quadrocopter at a distance of 1100 meters if it is On the ground and up to 2 km in the air! Excellent competitor for DJI Inspire1.
• The new control panel also provides a special screen, where the operator receives telemetry data. They include: the current flight mode, voltage, satellite capacity, distance and altitude.
• The additional weight that can be raised by the copter is 600 grams. Its head is enough for the camera and suspension for it (in the kit you can take a 2 or 3-axle cardan suspension).
• Like the DJI Inspire 1, IdeaFly Hero 550 landing gear during the flight are removed and do not obscure the review for the camera.
• And, of course, the quadrocopter is equipped with a GPS module and a home return function and automatic landing, if the signal was lost during the flight.

And a few photos:

Diagonal size: 550 mm

Operates at a temperature of -10 ° C ~ 50 ° C

Power Consumption: 3.12W

Total: ~ 2500 g

Additional weight (camera, mount): 600 g

Maximum flying weight: <3100 g

Flight accuracy (GPS mode): Vertical: 1 m; Horizontal: 2.5 m

Maximum angular yaw rate: 180 ° / sec

Maximum angle of inclination: 35 °

Maximum take-off / landing speed: 4 m / s

Maximum flight speed: 5 m / s

Flight time: 25 minutes

AC Input Voltage: 100-240V

Medium temperature for charging: 0 ° ~ 40 °

Battery Type: Lithium Polymer 4S

Capacity: 10000mAh

Operating frequency: 2.4GHz ISM

Control Channels: 10

Radius: 1100 m (on the ground), 2000 m (in the air)

Receiver sensitivity (1% PER):> -93dBm

Power consumption: <20dBm

Operating voltage: 95 mA

Power Source: 8 batteries

We can confidently say that IdeaFly Hero 550 turned out to be a very good quadcopter. Of course, when it enters the mass market, then there will be unforeseen problems, glitches with software, various kinds of breakdowns, but this happens with all quadcopters and other equipment, you can not get away from it.

According to technical characteristics, this is one of the most powerful amateur (?) Quadcopters with a camera that can compete with the DJI's Phantom 2 series, or even Inspire 1 itself, on an equal footing. Its significant advantage over the latter is a more capacious battery and the ability to put such Camera, as he pleases.