It seems that drones have gone from being an expensive hobbyist gadget to a must-have Christmas toy in just a few years. Whilst drones marketed at kids are smaller with fewer features, the gap between the higher end models and the budget versions seems to be narrowing. Many now come equipped with cameras and have a companion smartphone or tablet app to control them. Many of the flight manoeuvres and controls can also be found in the budget models too.ย However, Spin Master’s recent launch of the Air Hogs DR1 drone has brought FPV (First-Person View) technology to the mass market with an affordable device that allows you to control the drone with a front row cockpit seat.
I also have fantastic news for you… I am running a GIVEAWAYย so one of you can Win An Air Hogs DR1 FPV Racing Drone too! Check the details about this giveaway at the bottom of the post.
Event at KidZania, London
With Jason Bradbury
After attending a launch event for the drone in KidZania, London, we were sentย anย Air Hogs DR1 Micro Droneย to review.
BOX
Even though the drone is small, the box is quite big because you also get theย FPV headset, to give you a much more immersive experience.
CONTENTS
- 1x Lightweight drone
- 1x Controller
- 1x FPV headset
- 1x Short USB charger
- 4x Spare propellers
- 2x Spare control sticks
- 1x Rotor removal tool
- 1x Instructions
Nick getting his hands on one of the drones on display
Suitable for those aged 10 and over, this drone is great for older children as well as โbigโ kids like my husband Nick, who perhaps want to practise on a smaller drone before investing in a large much more expensive high-end drone. It even hasย two settings, an easy control mode and an advanced control mode. The easy mode makes it great for those who have never flown a drone to quickly get up and running.
MAIN FEATURES
Drones on display at the event
Unlike larger versions, these smaller drones are also perfect for indoor use, so great for any weather. You can put together your own little race course to fly around the house to perhaps compete with other family members or friends. With FPV technology you can still control the drone when it is out of sight as the view from the cockpit is beamed directly to the app on your phone. You can also place your phone inside the included FPV headset to give you a fully immersive experience.
The drone is controlled by an included remote control whichย requires 2 AAA batteries (not included). It isnโt heavy and feels comfortable in your hands, making it easy to use. As well as the normal flight operations the controller is used for taking photos and recording video from the onboard camera.
At the launch event, we watched the DR1 being used in a real exhibition drone race. We also got the chance to test it out, flying the drone around the building in KidZania. You can see a video from the event, including footage we filmed in the drone.
The drone gives about 10 minutes of flight time before it needs to be recharged. This is typical for smaller drones like this but the good thing is that you can recharge it fully within about 30 minutes with the USBย charging lead included in the box. Note that you will need to either charge it via a computer or laptop USB port or via a USB mains adaptor (not included). ย A green light flashes on the drone when the battery starts to get low indicating that it needs charging.
OUR THOUGHTS
We have really enjoyed playing with this drone. The FPV functionality is great and really adds a great new dimension to controlling and using the drone. The drone is easy to control, and although our girls are too young to fly the drone they have enjoyed watching me and Daddy playing with it. It would be great if you could fly the drone longer before it needed recharging but understand that this is typical for small drones.
The Air Hogs DR1 FPV Drone has an RRP of ยฃ99.00 and it is perfect for kids 10 years old and over.ย You can buy this drone at all good toy retailers such as Argos andย Amazon.
GIVEAWAY
Now onto the giveaway. I am running a giveaway so that one of you can Win An Air Hogs DR1 FPV Racing Drone.ย In order to have a chance of winning, you just need to enter the giveaway below.ย Good luck!
Win An Air Hogs DR1 FPV Racing Drone
*Terms & Conditions:
- Open to UK residents.
- UK entrants over the age of 18 only.
- You canย Win An Air Hogs DR1 FPV Racing Drone
- ONE winner will be chosen via Gleam and announced on this page.
- The winner will be contacted by e-mail within 7 days of when the competition ends. If they do not respond within 10 days once notification is sent, another winner may be chosen.
- All times are GMT.
- There is no cash alternative.
- This set will be provided by A Moment With Franca
- Please allow 14 days for delivery.
- Incomplete or duplicate entries will be deleted.
- Entrants must leave a means of contact: either twitter handle or email address.
- This Giveaway starts on Thursday 14th December 2017 at midnight.
- This Giveaway closes onย Thursday 4th January 2017 at midnight.
What do you think about the Air Hogs DR1ย drone? Do you or your kids have a drone at home? If not, have you considered buying one?
*Disclosure:ย We were sent the drone for the purpose of this review. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.ย I have also given another box which I will use to run the Giveaway. Contains affiliate links.
Thanks for stopping by,
Love you allย โค๏ธ
Franca ย 💋
Linking up with:
|ย ThePrizeFinderย |ย Loquaxย |ย Super Luckyย |
We dont have a drone but my boys have been pestering me for one ! yes I would x
We don’t have one but it looks brilliant. Would definately consider buying one
My kids love the idea of it
The drone looks incredible. We donโt have one nor have considered buying one as they are so expensive. Christmas is on a tight budget as usual so winning this would make my daughterโs Christmas (sheโs a bit of a tomboy). Thanks for the opportunity x
We don’t have one yet but it looks fun!
no we don’t have a drone so far air hogs looks good
Looks fantastic. My son will love it.
It is great! Yes Iโm sure he will do! ๐
The drone looks fab! My girls have always wanted one but we’ve never had one x
I have often thought about buying a drone as we live in such a beautiful part of the country…….my husband would love one to play with!! Maybe one day
We don’t have a drone as yet but it’s something me and the boys would love
I am considering buying one as a shared christmas gift! My boys would love it!
The Air Hogs DR1 drone looks like a great little gadget. We don’t have a drone at home but it’s something we may consider in the future.
We donโt have one yet,but seeing this has made us want one
I got a mini drone last year to practice the basics. I’ve been toying with the idea of training to be a Drone Pilot but certainly would love to take up racing them.
One of the twins was given one for his birthday leading to squabbles, so we intend to even the situation up for Christmas. It would be great to do this with a prize rather than waiting for Decembers pay packet!
Oh yes! That would be great! Good luck! ๐
We don’t have one and I think it would be fun!
This looks so amazing.
We havent got one yet
Santa is planning a special delivery for us
Will be great fun
We don’t have a drone but they look like so much fun i think all the family would love this.
Love the drone – we currently don’t have one as it is a lot of money just to smash into the ground – my piloting skills leave a lot to be desired
We don’t have a drone at home, but have definitely considered one.
I would love to get a drone for the family. I know it would be a big hit. They’re not cheap things to buy though.
I live on top of mountains’ this drone would be ideal for me!
This is what I would have dearly loved to bve won for Christmas for myself. Being severely disabled, you literally feel trapped and grounded. I would love to reach for the skies and race around in VR. love watching the VR CHAMPS do their stuff. Itโs incredible how they have honed their gift. Iโm so jealous! Lol xox
This looks fun, we haven’t a drone but I know my son would love one
It looks great I’m only the dumb grandma though, I think grandchildren would love it
My son has a little cheep drone which he flies mainly into walls! I’m sure he’d love a new one!
This would be brilliant for holidays!
would love to win for my son for his birthday as he didnt get one for xmas and as he mentioned to me a few times it was on his list
we don’t ha’ve a drone but my husband and son would love one
We keep looking at Drones for myself and for my daughter. This looks like a great choice to suit both of us.
We would love to own a drone, as of yet we haven’t got round to buying one but it’s definitley on my wish list.
No we don’t own a drone but it’s something we have looked into. We go cling alot and it would be great yo take one of these on our adventures!
*camping lol
we had a drone it was only cheap but I have to say most enjoyable, the only thing was the battery life was poor
We don’t have a drone but we would love one. I am worried, however, about where to fly a bigger drone and the implications! These, however, are just perfect.
No donโt have one yet but have considered one for hubby
We don’t have a drone, but I now my grandchildren would absolutely love one as amazing as this prize.
i think my son would love this
This looks fab, we have never had one but am sure the kids would love it x
No I haven’t but my Grand Children would love it
I don’t really know what they are but my young grandson would love this I’m sure
The review of this drone is very good. Thank you. Our youngest received her first drone from Santa and is just getting to grips with it and enjoying it.
Yes my partner has one
We don’t have a drone at the moment but we do have one on our wants list. This looks fab fun and I’m sure we would all get so much pleasure out of using it.
we have an outdoors one which is great fun, but cannot fly it in winter, we have had a lot of fun with its camera. this version looks like fun flying in our hallway, living room and the large space in the attic !
Don’t have one but it looks good
Looks a lot of fun. We don’t have one, but have thought about getting one
This drone is great. We don’t have a drone at the moment but would consider getting one in the future.
No we do not have a drone.
they look so good my son have been wanting one for ages
my husband had one once but flew it through someones glasshouse, he wouldn’t go and retrieve it!
I think the Air Hogs DR1 drone looks loads of fun! We don’t have a drone at home, but I have considered buying one
This drone looks great, we don’t have one at the minute but I have considered getting one, my relative makes great short films from his holidays with fantastic scenery shots
My brother once bought one and on his maiden flight it fell in to a dog owner neighbour’s garden.
I have 3 boys and each of them got drones for Christmas. They have been a lot of fun but a lot harder to control than we thought so 2 have already been broken (hence the reason for entering) but they love them. Fingers crossed
My son wanted a drone for Christmas although I did worry about their robustness. If I paid good money for something I’d rather it didn’t break quickly. There’s been a few air hogs products that have caught his eye actually so it might be something we could get in the future. I think drones are great gadgets to play with or get amazing photos with but I do think they pose a risk if common sense isn’t used.
We don’t have one and have never considered a Drone until I read your review, I thought they were for surveys and photos never thought they would be so much fun.
They look fab, we haven’t tried a drone yet, my son is 13 and has had a few r/c helicopters but they never last so I’ve been dubious about a drone, I’m worried incase they have a mind of there own like the helicopters and just fly and crash where they please lol xxx
My kids had a drone didn’t last long it got broke they would love this
We don’t have a drone.
However it is top of my husband’s wishlist.
I think they are a fun gadget & am sure my hubby & daughter would enjoy using it.
we dont have one but i have considered for the lads! i bet hubby would love it too!
Never had one but would love one
This Drone looks much better than the one we got our son for Christmas, we had it out for 5 minutes and my husband got it stuck in a tree, by the time we got it down the bumpers were all snapped and 3 of the blades damaged, cost ยฃ100 too, so gutted (and fuming at the same time) for him, needless to say my husband owes him a new present
Oh no! Iโm so sorry to hear that! Fingers crossed for you! Good luck! ๐
My oldest son would love a drone, but we have never bought one. They are so expensive!
Nice prize. Love to win for my son birthday
don’t have a drone, but my grandson keeps asking me for one
We don’t have a drone, but the other half has been pestering me for months and months. Money is tight so he’s gonna have to carry on bending my ear………CONSTANTLY!!!
My son has been asking for a drone but unfortunately too late to get him one for Christmas. They do look good fun
I am going to be completely honest and say, having a drone would be LITERALLY my little girl’s (9) dream. Since she’s heard my husband and I talking about them last year, how cool and fun they look, she can’t stop thinking or talking about it. She’s even put it on her Christmas list but, sadly, Santa’s elves were too busy making other toys for the kids all over the world and they didn’t have time to make her one, bless :). It’s Helena’s birthday at the of March and I’d LOVE her to get this AMAZING drone as her birthday/Christmas dream.
I would definitely consider getting one for my little boy. They look like great fun!
lovely giveaway
We don’t have a drone yet, but it looks amazing fun!
We don’t have a drone at the moment, but my husband and eldest daughter would absolutely love one!
Great prize, my hubby has a drone, but my boys have been asking for one!
I’ve always wanted to get one for my son’s. They are just so expensive. My lads would love this
i think the drone would probably end as my toy! rather than the kids
Lol I know what you mean!
We haven’t got one, looks like fun.
Looks like great fun, I reckon my husband would enjoy it as much as the children haha x
We don’t have a drone, but it looks so much fun & lots of excitement. The next ‘must have’ item I think
We would love a drone to fly about. But how does it handle in wind? Some of the smaller ones look like they could be blown off course.
My nephew would love this! We don’t have a drone here!
3 of my boys got drones for Christmas and they love them
We have never had a drone but it sure looks fun to fly. Thanks for the review.
You are welcome!
I think drones look really fun but our neighbour has one and the noise is sooo annoying x
We dont have one as yet
We only have a tiny minute drone. This one looks like a lot of fun! We have been wanting a new drone for a while now, but not knowing how good/bad they are itโs hard to choose!
I dont know much about drines but my partner loves them. The kids would have fun too if he lets them.play lol
Lol