Children used to get encyclopedias, watches and bicycles as communion gifts. Trends keep changing, nowadays the more original the gift, the better. All kinds of electronics like tablets, laptops, smartphones are popular. Recently we could see a fashion even for quad bikes! In an age when many things are available to children, it's hard to surprise them or cause them joy and excitement about a gift. In our experience, it is certain that the drone will delight any 8-year-old! In addition to the fact that it is sure to be a gift that will please the recipient, it has additional advantages. With it you will provide your child with a dose of fresh air while learning new technologies, which is very important in these days of computers and the Internet. However, a drone is also a certain responsibility that falls on an adult. It should, therefore, choose wisely. This guide is meant to help with that ;)
Drones can be divided into several categories-they are related to the technology and what their purpose is to be. The simplest division is that into professional and recreational/toy, and it is the latter category that is safest for children of communion age. The drones shown below have been selected from a diversity of product and price so that there is something for everyone.
Drones for communion for £100-£450
DIY drones are an interesting proposition. Nowadays, most of the drones available in stores are already prepared to fly right out of the box. DIY drones will make double the fun of both assembling and flying. The basic model consists of blocks, controller, motors, batteries and other components essential to make the drone take to the air (https://megadron.en/dron-with-blocks-diy-blocks/, https://megadron.en/dron-z-klockow-do-budowy-diy/); the most expensive of the models was equipped with an FPV (live view) camera (https://megadron.en/dron-with-blocks-diy-wifi/).
Ready-to-fly drones such as the JJRC H31 (https://megadron.en/jjrc-h31-waterproof-drone/) and JJRC H31C (https://megadron.en/jjrc-h31-z-camera-2mpix-waterproof/). There is one difference between the two, and that is that the H31 does not have a camera, while the H31 C does. The manufacturer advertises them as indestructible and waterproof. As for water resistance, note that the drone can fall into puddles, but should not bathe in them for too long. Flying in the rain is also allowed for this model, but again should be done in moderation. No electronic item should be exposed to moisture for a long time. However, as for indestructibility, it is indeed very resistant to various adversities.
The most well-known company producing recreational drones is Syma. It solved the issues of dividing models by price and application very well. From each successive family of drones we can find a given model in a version without camera, with camera without preview and FPV camera. One of the newest series is the X15 (https://megadron.en/syma-x15/), X15C with camera (https://megadron.en/dron-syma-x15c-rtf/), X15W with preview (https://megadron.en/dron-syma-x15w-fpv/). It's a small drone, will work best for indoor flights. It has many attractive features like 3d rotation, hovering, autostart and auto-landing. In the case of the X15W, we can schedule the drone's flight in the app. In addition, the calibration in the drone is done only automatically.
An absolute classic among drones are the Syma X5HC (https://megadron.en/quadocopter-syma-x5hc-camera-2mpix-view/) and X5HW (https://megadron.en/syma-x5hw-podview-na-zywo-fpv-zawis-dron/). Both are equipped with cameras, one without preview and the other with FPV. These are very accident-proof drones, especially if you install propeller guards, they will perform well outdoors in less windy conditions. You can perform less complicated stunts with them.
The newer generation of the drones shown above are: Syma X5UC (https://megadron.en/syma-x5uc/) and X5UW (https://megadron.en/accumulator-syma-x5uw-x5uc-500mah/). They are slightly smaller than the Symy X5HC/X5HW, have a more attractive look for some, the camera shots look more natural, and the drone has a route planning option in the app. It will be suitable both at home and outdoors. For the X5UW version, the FPV camera has a higher resolution and longer range than the Syma X5HW model.
Another product, the most expensive to date, the V686G ( https://megadron.en/quadrocopter-wltoys-v686g-fpv/). Until recently, its cost exceeded PLN 600. It has the longest range, up to 150 m, and is the only drone, in this price range, with a screen built into the camera, where we have a live preview.
Drones for communion up to £1,000, in the range of £450-£1,000
Our choice- DJI Tello (https://megadron.en/dji-tello/)
Drones in this price range were hard to come by. These are the very novelties that have recently appeared on the market. One of them is DJI Tello, the cheapest product at the moment from the renowned professional drone brand DJI.
It is a toy, but also a platform for development and something really impressive. Sold by DJI but developed by Ryzen, it has Intel components. Out of the box, you can say you bought your kids a great toy because with 13 minutes of flight time, Wi-Fi control, mid-air evolutions, visual stabilization and a 5MP camera, they'll be impressed. Stabilization means that Tello maintains its position after letting go of the rods indoors as well as outdoors up to a height of several meters. This system replaces GPS, so you don't need it. DJI Tello drone connects to a cell phone or tablet, TV game controller, so there are possibilities here! Start playing with your kids now!
Tello has some hidden talents, it is not just for entertainment, photos and recordings. For example, you can easily program the drone through the SDK interface, which will be an ideal learning experience for children. This means you can easily do a lot of crazy things at home, at work or at school. With all this you both learn a lot. In fact, you have access to the relevant SDK development tool. Now you can develop features and capabilities in an extremely cheap and easy way. Regardless of how it looks, it really will be fun with DJI Tello.
Parrot Mambo FPV (https://megadron.en/parrot-mambo-fpv/) is another suggestion. This drone is slightly different from the above. It can be described more as a racing drone (but still a toy drone). Of course, it has an FPV camera, the preview will be facilitated by the goggles included in the kit. Despite the lack of GPS, it is extremely stable, almost "standing" in place. He performs stunts with equal precision.
Syma X8pro (https://megadron.en/syma-x8-pro-camera-fpv-gps-range-200m/) is the largest drone in the entire list. It is definitely a piece of equipment that should be flown outdoors, especially since it is one of the few recreational and toy drones that has GPS. It has autostart and auto-landing, range up to 200 m. It has a live view, a knob on the camera allows you to change the camera angle.
Drones for communion over £1,000
In this price range is the DJI Spark (https://megadron.en/dji-spark/). It is undoubtedly a drone of the highest quality. 12 mpx camera, 1080p recordings, camera settings, options such as panoramic and spherical photos. Spark can be controlled with a controller (combo included https://megadron.en/dji-spark-fly-more-combo/), smartphone and gestures. It is powered by brushless motors, so it is best of all suitable for flying outdoors. The hover performs perfectly because it is assisted by GPS. The flight time is as much as 15 minutes, which is almost twice as long as those shown above. The color range of these drones is also large, you can choose something both for a girl and for a boy. With this drone, it is important to remember that an adult guardian should always be present when a child is flying. A child can be provided with a controller, but it is, however, an adult who must be the guardian of the flight. This model is a popular tourist drone, so this purchase will also bring more joy to parents who would like to immortalize the places visited with videos and photos from the air (the quality of recordings and photos is of a good level).
Gadgets as a gift for communion
An interesting suggestion for a communion gift can be gimbals for smartphones. Nowadays, almost every child has a smartphone so they can keep in touch with their parents and friends. Children, of course, use them for other things including, of course, photos and videos ;) You can turn this fondness into a beautiful passion, hobby, it can become a way of life in the future. Gimbal is a device that makes recordings smooth. With this device, ordinary shots can become movie shots, and we will be able to watch the recordings from the smartphone on a large TV, without any vibrations (sample recordings/applications - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaJTpZAVG0M ). The gimbal looks a bit like a selfie stick, but is mechanized. New to the market is the DJI Osmo Mobile 2 gimbal (https://megadron.en/gimbal-dji-osmo-mobile-2/), it is a cheaper version of the DJI Osmo Mobile. Several conveniences have been introduced such as a rechargeable battery that lasts up to 15 hr. You can also charge your smartphone on it, it works as a powerbank. Plus it's small and lightweight. The DJI gimbals were modeled on the Vimble C, a cheaper counterpart made by Feiyu- Tech. It can serve us for 5 h. Works with phones as well as sports cameras.