We purchased the Holy Stone HS170 Predator Mini RC Helicopter Drone so that our expert reviewer could thoroughly test and review it. Read on for our full product review.

The HS170 Predator Mini RC Helicopter Drone is an entry-level drone in a very different class of devices than its more technologically advanced (and much more expensive) brethren. As long as buyers temper their expectations of the HS170, they’ll have a pretty good time. Just keep in mind that you won’t get any of the advanced video and photo recording features found on more expensive products, and most notably, you also won’t get the computer-aided flight control and sensor-loaded object avoidance technology. All of which is to say that a budget drone like the HS170 can be a lot more difficult to fly than a more expensive one.

Let’s take a closer look at what the HS170 Predator Mini RC Helicopter Drone does well and where it falls short. This will give you a better idea of what it’s like to purchase and own one of these little drones.

The HS170 Predator Mini RC Helicopter Drone is a small, lightweight quad-rotor drone equipped with basic flight controls from an included 2.4Ghz remote controller. It definitely feels a little cheap and flimsy due to its construction, but it’s exactly what you’d reasonably expect from a sub-$40 drone.