The drone world has plenty of choice for us customers. Very affordable to very expensive, pro-consumer, professional cinema, beginners, racing, commercial and even underwater ROVs, there is something for everybody. In the photography world we would usually be looking at camera-equipped drones, either built-in or with the capacity to carry a camera payload.
In this instance, the Drocon DC-65 Mini RC Drone is probably one of the cheapest on the market and has no built-in camera or a way to carry one. So, why would this be a good choice for photo and video people wanting to get into aerial video and photography? You have to start somewhere learning how to fly a drone. Even with clever automated features like altitude hold, flying a drone still needs practice.
What goes up, must come down, and it’s better to have those initial bumps and crashes in a cheap drone rather than an expensive 4K version. In this regard, the Drocon DC-65 Mini RC Drone is an ideal starter drone from cost alone. Let’s see if it has enough features to get you up to speed for the larger, more expensive units.
Drocon DC-65 Mini RC Drone Design
Mini is definitely the word for this drone. The dimensions are only 4.2 x 4.2 x 1.5 inches and it weighs in at 23.8g. Being so small means it doesn’t need FAA registration.
The full package comes with a drone, a 2.4GHz controller which also acts as a compartment to store the drone, spare propellers, a USB charger, and a screwdriver for screwing everything together. To initial charge takes about 40 minutes to power the drone, which provides about 6 to 8 minutes flight time at a range of 30 to 50m.
Once the drone folds down, it’s small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. The foldable facility and propeller guard both help protect the drone and in itself is a great feature for a drone under $50.
A nice little searchlight has been stalled upfront of the drone, helpful in both daytime and nighttime flying. Basically, the Drocon DC-65 is a solid little unit for your first forays into flying.
The Drocon DC-65 Mini RC Drone in Use
You would hardly think this is a drone when folded down. Only the propellers are a giveaway and even when outstretched, it looks like a child’s toy — very small indeed. The internal battery gives around eight minutes of flight time which is adequate at this price point.
A 50m control distance for such a small drone may seem a long way for a beginner, but things don’t have to get out of hand with the Speed Mode engaged. This keeps the speed and performance in check, so you can slowly get used to the basic flight controls. If you want to crank the drone up to maximum speed, it can hit 15 to 20 miles per hour and with internal features like a 6-axis gyroscope and built-in barometer, everything is kept stable.
The included remote control is very well built for the price, and it doubles up as a storage unit for the drone with a built-in portable charger. Trim buttons are available to balance an unsteady drone.
The modes and functions like Headless Mode and Speed Mode are easily accessible and there is a large power button in the middle of the controller to easily see when everything is working. Just enough features here to gain an understanding for more advanced drone flight, while not overwhelming the beginner.
When you still have your drone training wheels fitted, you want beginner-friendly features. Altitude Hold keeps the drone in one spot, while a Headless Mode directs the drone based on the direction of the movement lever, rather than the direction the drone is facing. This makes flying far easier for the beginner.
There are also more advanced features such as high-speed rotations and 360-degree flips. This makes the initial flying attempt much more controllable and gives far more confidence than more advanced drones.
How Does the Drocon DC-65 Mini RC Drone Compare?
At such a low price point, not much more can be expected from a drone. Drocon produces the Drocon Hacker Drone. It may not be as robust as the Drocon DC-65 Mini RC Drone, but it does have a 720P HD camera with similar beginner features like the Headless Mode and comes in at around the same price point. What you gain in a camera, you lose just a little bit in flight.
| Drocon Mini RC Drone | Drocon Hacker Drone | |
| Charge Time | 40 minutes | 50 minutes |
| Range | 50M | 50M |
| Flight Time | 8 minutes | 5-6 minutes |
| Weight | 23.8g | 19g |
Conclusion
This is a very simple drone to fly without prior flying experience. The whole package feels well built and can take some of the initial knocks and bumps when learning to fly. Beginner-friendly functionality helps with whole flying experience and that’s the key point with this diminutive drone. To give confidence to flying a drone for the first time, so that you can easily take your next steps into a more expensive unit.
As a beginner’s drone the Drocon DC-65 Mini RC Drone definitely ticks all the boxes and being so small it can literally be taken anywhere to practice. And this is the key area for this drone: practice. It’s cheap enough to gain your first flying colors and if you progress to a more expensive unit, the Drocon DC-65 can act as a fun, little play drone or be given to the kids.
But, even though this is a clear first steps into drone flight, you cannot help but miss having an included camera on board. At this price point it’s really asking a lot and the lack of camera means more has gone into the drone itself. If you need a training drone which also gives you your first steps into aerial video and photography, then there are other options available. However, for pure flight training, which is the most important thing for a drone, you really can’t beat the Drocon DC-65 Mini RC Drone.
