The recently upgraded Contixo F24 Pro is the perfect combination of durability, compactness, and ease of use. And, the best part about it is that it doesn’t burn a hole in your pocket!
I have been an avid traveller for the past six years, and throughout my travelling career, rarely have I come across an all-inclusive drone such as this one.
In today’s world, the success of a product depends on its user flexibility. It would be no good if a product were designed only for amateurs, or dedicated only to professionals. Bridging gaps is a vital aspect of product building, which is precisely where the F24 Pro comes in.
As it sports a sleek and sturdy build, its stability is top-notch. And it comes with a multitude of features you’d never expect from a drone this inexpensive. But what are the aspects that set this drone a class apart? Let’s find out. But before that, I’d like to introduce myself.
Hi! I am Dhia, a traveller, a passionate drone-flyer, and an engineer. So, without further delay, let’s start flying!
First Impressions
- Design and Build Quality
The Contixo F24 Pro gives a feeling of strength and power from the very first impression. When I first saw the device, it immediately reminded me of two of my favorite drones, the Mavic 2 Pro and HolyStone HS 270.
It’s a foldable and extremely portable drone that I can take with me pretty much anywhere. Measuring a mere 7 x 4 inches when folded, I simply toss it in my backpack whenever I plan on some hiking.
Moreover, the build quality of the product is quite impressive. Made of a highly durable alloy, there’s very little doubt regarding its resilience, and its optimum weight also proves worthy against strong winds.
I really liked the fact that Contixo has designed a drone keeping the first-time flyers in mind. With the foldable motor arms protecting the delicate internal components and the camera kept tucked away underneath a protective cover, it’s built to last for years.
The design protects the delicate parts of the device, and that’s why I think it would suit all the newbies out there. But if you take a look at all the features, it’s also a nice treat for a professional.
- Camera
A good drone is as good as its features, and Contixo understands that. The F24 Pro boasts of a massive 4k camera, which is a significant upgrade over the non-Pro version. It’s a 5GHz transmission camera with a lens that’s adjustable up to 90 degrees. Every time I shoot with this little bird, I really stand and stare at the output for some time!
The 90-degrees adjustability gives me great angles that would have been impossible to achieve otherwise. Furthermore, the 5GHz transmission allows full HD First Person Viewing without any stuttering at all.
You can also enjoy real-time video transmission with the controller for up to 1800 feet. However, the maximum resolution for videos is 2.7k, and 4k is only reserved for images, which seems like a good tradeoff for the price.
Apart from great details, depth, and vibrant colors, the camera also has specific intelligent modes that I’ll discuss later on. But if you’re a sucker for selfies (or better say, dronies), just switch on the device and show the victory sign! It will take a beautiful, wide selfie, which the Contixo app will allow you to share instantly, like all other photos taken with it! Digging it, right?
- Flight time and Battery
As I mentioned previously, this drone has high resilience against winds owing to its metal alloy construction. But the heft doesn’t weigh down the flight time of the drone. Powered by a 7.4 V 2500mAh Lithium-polymer battery, the maximum flight time that I achieve is 30 minutes.
However, in gusty conditions, the flight time gets reduced to 25 to 27 minutes, depending on the intensity of the wind. Considering the USD 300 price range, this is one of the best flight times you’ll get.
- Engineering
One crucial point that I’d like to talk about is the presence of powerful brushless motors. They generate less heat and friction, resulting in higher rotations per minute (RPM) and increased speed.
Furthermore, the device is fitted with a 9-axis gyroscope that provides stability to the quadcopter and helps achieve high aerial flexibility. This is the reason behind the swift movements of the drone despite strong winds.
- Controller
There isn’t much to say about this, except for the fact that it comes with a sleek smartphone holder for real-time video transmission. The maximum range of the controller is over 1 km, giving you ample distance to soar around.
How well does it function?
This drone is straightforward to operate. Although switching it on isn’t automatic like the DJI Spark, but make a peace sign, and it’ll give you a selfie, and a simple wave starts recording the video. Pretty awesome that way, right?
Also, with clever engineering and a durable body, F24 Pro stands tall and strong against the winds. The camera, too, doesn’t suffer from vibrations from random wind movements. As mentioned above, the flying range of the controller is 3,600 feet, which is better than most of its contemporaries. Moreover, once the device gets farther away, it will automatically come back to its take-off point, based on GPS satellites.
Other than this, the intelligent flight modes make my flying experience all the more pleasurable. The “Follow Me” feature tracks wherever I go, and it’s a great function to have for recording all my outdoor adventures. I can’t comment on its precision as it leaves me awestruck every time.
I also get to draw my flight path as I do with the HolyStone HS 270. All my biking and hiking adventures start with me, drawing a custom path in the Contixo app. This helps the device make its way through the best locations, allowing the drone to capture all of the scenic beauty in its path!
What could have been better?
Well, I’ve scratched my head over it but fell short of any critical point to talk about. The only downside of this product is that it doesn’t come with any extra battery. It isn’t much of a drawback for the drone, though. Also, for live video transmission, you’d need a phone with support for 5 GHz Wi-Fi, but that’s true for all 5 GHz enabled drones.
A brief comparison: HolyStone HS 270 vs. Contixo F24 Pro
I included this section, as many of my readers have asked which is the best drone to buy within the USD 300 price range. Keeping all the pitfalls and benefits in mind, I have shortlisted the Contixo F24 Pro and the HS270 from HolyStone as alternatives to each other. Although, their features vary in certain respects.
The HS270 doesn’t have a high flight time like the F24 Pro, and its battery takes a painfully long time (6 hours) for a full top-up. However, the picture quality of both the drones is top-notch, but the F24 Pro can take 4k still images, which the HS270 can’t.
Furthermore, in terms of stability, durability, and engineering, the F24 Pro stands a class apart, and the HS270 is no match for it. But in terms of cost and number of features, the HS270 offers more within lesser price, such as 5GHz transmission, 2.7K video recording, GPS-enabled flying, brushless motors, etc.
So, I’d suggest you make your choice depending on your budget as both these drones are competent in their own ways.
Pros
- Brushless motors
- Compact and durable
- Longer flight time
- Intelligent battery
- Doesn’t sway with the wind
Cons
- Extra batteries aren’t included
Final verdict
The Contixo F24 Pro is one of the best drones among its contemporaries. It’s portable, compact, and beats most other drones with its ease of use. Regrettably, there aren’t spare batteries coming in the box, but the silver lining is that the battery charges fast.
With this quadcopter in your backpack, you’ll be ever-ready for some crazy snaps. Good luck!
