

One of the biggest problems we've experienced with other drones is that with forward motion the drone tilts, the gimbal angles to accommodate this shift and the propellers encroach on camera footage.
HEXIO PLUS DRONE UPDATE
With the drone airborne, camera movements can be easily changed via the app, and an impending software update will enable users to customise and combine movements for unique shots. This does, however, mean that after paying £700 for the drone, you can't fi lm anything until you shell out for a GoPro.
HEXIO PLUS DRONE UPGRADE
Plus, you can upgrade in the future – something that can't be said for fixed-camera drones. GoPros are still the leading action cameras, and the latest Hero 4 Black delivers optimum resolution and frame rate, so you know your footage will be great. Initially, it's disconcerting being followed by an autonomous drone, and the instinct is to keep looking up for reassurance that it's there, but the drone's movements are precise and eventually trust takes over. Reaction to sudden bursts of speed or movement is instant, and the gimbal's 3-axis stabilisation keeps the camera fixed firmly on the subject.Ĭonnection between drone and smartphone is consistently strong, and there's no noticeable difference in drone reflex whether the phone is in your hand, or stowed in your pocket or backpack. High winds added even more for the Hexo+ to tackle, but it kept pace, those six propellers working hard to maintain stability. We tested it by hurtling down a sloping field on a mountain bike. They could also add quirky angles to an outdoor wedding video.įollow Me is the most spectacular mode and the main reason to buy this drone. The panoramic 360, Fly In/Out and Slide Sideways modes will all perfectly capture the moment when you conquer your next mountain peak. Shooting with this setting on a snow-capped mountain or golden beach would look incredible. Highlights include Hover High, where the drone sits directly above you, taking in a huge amount of the landscape and moving with the smartphone-wielding subject on the ground. Camera movements are selected by a single tap within the app menu the drone fl ies into position and awaits your command to Start Shooting. That aside, the fun really begins when you're comfortable with the drone and ready to shoot. PlayStation VR review: is it better than life?.Hexo says that “obstacle avoidance tech available today isn't quite cutting it in our eyes”, but DJI's new Phantom 4 has surely moved this to the top of the company's to-do list. Once you get a feel for how the Hexo+ reacts, you can choose the best spots to film, but it's safe to say that trees and power lines are a no-no for this device. We can't emphasise enough how quickly this process happens, and if space is limited, the drone will crash. When you select one of the 12 available camera movements – we started with a predictable Hover Close – the drone takes off and makes four 90-degree turns to calibrate before flying into position, where it hovers, ready to execute the camera movement. When you fi rst open the app, there are some simple pre-flight checks – and, of course, you'll need to agree to the conditions of use.īefore shooting your first frames, conduct a few test runs to learn how the Hexo+ goes about its business.
HEXIO PLUS DRONE BLUETOOTH
It takes just 21 seconds from switching the drone on to it syncing with GPS, and connecting your phone to the drone via Bluetooth is a doddle.
HEXIO PLUS DRONE FREE
The Hexo+ uses a phone's GPS position via the free Hexo+ app, along with four other sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer, magnetometer) to pinpoint where the subject is and how it's moving to ensure optimum tracking and framing. That's cheaper than other brands, but still steep considering the average 15 minutes of fl ight time per battery (dependent on conditions and which camera movements are selected).
