Xiaomi mi drone 4k camera specifications. The long-awaited Xiaomi Mi Drone RC quadcopter. Max. flight time

This product may require an adapter for a Russian plug

To rule Quadcopter Xiaomi Mi Drone 4k You can use the app or remote control. With just one touch of a button, the user can initiate automatic takeoff, descent, return flight, and also start the autopilot. With the help of the application, even special circular movements of the device can be easily performed.

These advantages allow the user to concentrate on the composition of the frame to capture the beauty of the scenery or further enjoy the beautiful views from the bird's eye view.

A very useful feature is available in the application - automatic flight route planning. Thanks to this feature, the quadcopter will automatically fly along a pre-set route and return back with a more complete photo or video report.

Speaking of features:

Xiaomi Mi Drone 4k has a PTZ camera with stabilization of each pixel. A microchip installed inside the camera calculates real-time motion compensation according to flight conditions, and also drives a three-axis brushless motor to stabilize photography. The control accuracy can reach ± ​​0.02°.

Xiaomi Quadcopter 4K version is equipped with image transmission technology high definition 4k with low latency and high noise immunity, which allows the remote control to capture beautiful landscape shots at a distance of up to 2 km.

The Xiaomi quadcopter uses 5100 mAh large capacity rechargeable batteries from LG/GREPOW, which can extend the flight time up to 27 minutes. Convenient and easy-to-operate slide-out battery compartment ensures easy and fast replacement.

Thanks to the introduction 4-core Cortex - A7 and the use of advanced algorithms for visual perception of the light flux, the Xiaomi quadrocopter has an improved perception of different textures of the earth's surface. Even if the quadrocopter is used indoors, where there is no satellite signal, it is able to hover at the desired point.

If the connection with the remote controller is lost, the quadcopter will immediately switch to the return mode. In case of unforeseen circumstances during the return, you will be able to determine the location of the device in real time through the GPS system.

Xiaomi Quadcopter automatically hangs in the air at the edge of restricted areas, such as airports, to avoid dangerous situations.

Specifications of Xiaomi Mi Drone 4k:

• maximum flight speed: 18 m/s
• lifting speed: 6 m/s
• sink rate: 1.5 m/s
• height (max.): 120 m
• flight time (max.): 27 minutes
• flight (control) range: 2,000 m
• operating frequency: 2426.5 - 2461 MHz
• power range: 20 - 23 dBm
• battery: 5100 mAh
• charger: 16V and 2.9A
• propellers: length -10, height 4.6 inches
• dimensions: 254 x 13.8 x 38 mm
• weight: 1376 g

Buy Xiaomi Mi Drone 4k quadcopter you can in our sales offices in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Yekaterinburg or order with delivery in Russia by placing an order on our website.

Usually this happens: if some unit is part of a certain apparatus, then a separate study of this unit can only be found in the technical documentation of the developer. Which, firstly, is replete with indecipherable specific terms and indicators, and secondly, you will not find this documentation. Trade secrets, you know. A similar case is with the hero of today's review: the available materials that are devoted to his study are limited to the notorious "unpacking", descriptions of various types of completeness, battery capacity, etc. More "advanced" authors talk in detail about how to adjust the behavior of a quadrocopter in flight, measures security and other aviation wisdom.

However, the camera, the highlight of the device - which, by the way, is half the cost of a quadcopter - receives very little attention. Rare examples of filming (presented, as a rule, using social networks or Internet video services) and general phrases that “the camera shoots well” - in fact, this is all the information available. While many operators, including professional, but limited in funds, are interested in the usual questions in such a case: what is the actual resolution of this camera? What is the quality of compression in different shooting modes, does the viewing angle change when changing modes? What's up with her sensitivity? And much, much more, including even the accuracy of the gyro-stabilizing suspension.

Without claiming to be the ultimate truth, we will try to fill the existing gap by studying in detail the operation of the 4K camera of the popular four-rotor flying machine, Xiaomi Mi Drone. We will not delve into the theory and practice of flights, this is the lot of the relevant thematic sites. Moreover, we will not touch on the legal side of the issue of using unmanned aerial vehicles (although such remarks in the comments can be useful and even welcome in every possible way).

Design, technical characteristics

The camera comes in a large white elegant box with cleverly designed internal partitions. No, probably, a quadrocopter is still supplied.

The camera itself is hidden in one of the cardboard compartments. As well as other accessories, without which the device will not take off and start shooting. Our kit includes the following accessories:

• quadrocopter
• gimbal camera
• Propeller — 8 pcs.
• USB cable
• Battery
• Charger
• Remote control
• USB Wi-Fi adapter

The spherical body of the camera, clamped on both sides along the horizontal axis, thanks to the suspension on servo drives, can rotate 170° horizontally and tilt up to 270° vertically. These are approximate values, of course. In operation, changing the horizontal angle is done by turning the entire quadcopter body, and with a vertical tilt of the camera’s view, in practice, no more than 90 ° is required, from horizontal to “straight down”. The existing large degrees of freedom of rotation and tilt of the camera are required for something completely different - to stabilize the frame, to hold it when the quadcopter body tilts.

The device must not be operated during even light rain. It's not just about the camera, but about the copter as a whole. The unprotected service interfaces of the camera are located on the side of the body opposite the lens: there is a micro USB port and a slot for a micro SD/SDHC memory card. Between them you can see a grill, under which there is a miniature fan that cools the electronic filling of the camera. Let the reader not be disturbed by the sound of a running fan: the camera in question does not record sound in this implementation. Generally. By the way, I'm sorry.

The camera/gimbal block can be easily detached from the body. So easy that it causes serious concern. What if it snaps off in flight? Rather, hardly. But the overall fragility of the whole structure is really a question. There is not a piece of metal here, all parts are made of different plastics. What motivated the developers? Weight loss? May be. But in any case - not an increase in reliability and strength.

A replaceable drone battery occupies most of the internal volume of the device. This battery powers the motors and all electronics, including the camera.

The included remote control allows you to attach your smartphone to it. The connection of the remote control with a mobile device is carried out both via a short USB cable and via a Wi-Fi point that the remote control creates when the supplied Wi-Fi adapter is connected to it.

Recording and creating photos are activated both by virtual buttons on the smartphone display in the control mobile application, and by mechanical buttons located at the bottom of the remote control.

Thus, the complex, ready for flight, will consist of three interconnected devices: a quadrocopter, a remote control, and a smartphone.

Any modern miniature electronics is usually prone to significant heat during operation. This also applies to cameras, the degree of heating of which depends on several factors:

• The selected recording mode. In maximum modes, the processor heats up more, processing the video stream - the main culprit of overheating.
• Ambient temperature, presence of direct heat sources (sun, etc.)
• Time of continuous work. If the chamber does not provide for cooling, active or passive, then the electronic filling will either heat up to a certain temperature and the chamber will continue to work, or it will heat up to critical temperatures with an emergency shutdown of the chamber for cooling. The second option is much more widespread - today it is actually a standard that is valid for the vast majority of microelectronic gadgets that shoot video.

If the first item listed in our case cannot be avoided in any way, then the last two do not frighten at all. After all, the camera during operation is mostly in the shadow of the quadcopter body, blown by air currents, and the built-in fan is also not idle. Well, flights and long-term video recording are incompatible concepts: a fully charged copter battery will last for 20-30 minutes of medium-intensity flights.

Nevertheless, the required measurements of the heating of the chamber were made. Not in flight, of course, but in stationary conditions at room temperature. The following thermal images were obtained after 15 minutes of continuous video recording in the oldest mode - 4K (3840 × 2160 30p). It can be seen that separate sections of the chamber—in the upper part of the spherical body and in the block of stabilizing drives—heated up to 40–41 °C. So-so heating, not worth attention and even more anxiety, taking into account the above considerations.

Main famous Specifications of the quadcopter camera are shown in the following table:

Video/photography

When preparing articles with reviews of video or cameras, no attempt is made to make a feature, view or action film, as some readers would like. The purpose of each purely technical article is to talk about the operational properties of the device, to show, if possible, how camera settings or shooting conditions can affect the nature and quality of the resulting video, and also to get acquainted with the original videos shot in fixed conditions for later comparison with shooting, made by other machines.

Image processing in the quadrocopter in question, as well as other work, is handled by the system on a chip. Together with the 12-megapixel sensor used, this allows you to record video in the following five modes:

The camera can switch from NTSC (default) to PAL. The frame rate in such a standard will be a multiple of 25. The situation with the bitrate is not entirely clear. The maximum possible bitrate is not indicated in the body of the file, it remains only to calculate it manually. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that the bitrate level can change several times depending on the nature of the scene being shot, on the number of moving objects, color and light. The bitrates given in the table are valid for a predominantly static scene. While in some cases the bitrate of the last, fifth mode, can rise up to 60 Mbps (an example of such shooting will be given below).

While recording the main video files, regardless of the selected mode, the camera creates duplicates with a size of 1280 × 720, a frequency of 25 frames per second and a low bit rate of 1.5 Mbps, they are recorded on the memory card in parallel with the main video. These files have the ending " THM”, these videos are needed as preview material on a mobile device.

When forming a video stream, the camera encoder creates two types of frames: I (key or reference) and P (differential). There are no bidirectional frames (B) in the stream.

You can visualize the difference in detail and nature of the picture that different recording modes give, using the following still frames and original videos.

If you do not pay attention to the overexposed sky (we will talk about it later), then in general the impressions from the quality of shooting and recording remain more than positive. But this does not apply to all video modes. Thus, the maximum frame size mode obviously does not have the artifacts that are present in Full HD mode with a high frame rate. We are talking about the notorious aliasing, the gradation of sloping contrasting borders. Such a defect usually occurs during address scanning of the sensor, or, in other words, when reading with skipping lines (in a completely different way - the colander effect).

So, about the overexposed sky. Yes. Indeed, overexposed. The problem is not in the camera, but in the operator. Although, if it's fair, then in the camera controls. Exposure adjustment - by the way, the only adjustable parameter related to video shooting, except for the choice of size and frame rate - is made by the wheel, which is located on the right side of the control panel. When it is rotated, the EV scale with a moving slider is displayed on the display of the smartphone, which is currently connected to the remote control. It would seem that there is nothing complicated here - know how to turn the wheel until the optimal brightness of the picture is obtained.

It wasn't there. In daylight in an open area, navigating by the smartphone display is not a good idea. More precisely, not at all good (however, a lot depends on the model and cost of the mobile gadget, but that's a completely different story). Now, if the software provided the user with a “zebra” function, upon activation of which the overexposed areas are shaded, it would be a different matter. It remains to act at your own peril and risk, setting the exposure "by eye".

What's more, it's easy to accidentally hit this exposure adjustment wheel while flying the quadcopter. The result of negligence is known in advance. Fortunately, in the settings of the mobile application, it is possible to reassign the function of this side wheel to adjust the brightness of the white LEDs that are located on the two front arms of the quadcopter.

There is also a universal way to overcome the consequences of an erroneously exposed exposure. True, this applies only to photographs. The fact is that the camera is capable of taking pictures in RAW format. Due to this, during subsequent processing (“developing”), the user can “pull out” any levels.

It will be more difficult to do this with video, since there is no necessary dynamic range in the compressed video stream, and if the sky in the recording is “whitened”, this cannot be fixed.

The camera resolution was measured in bright artificial light. Due to the rather large viewing angle of the camera, it is impossible to capture the entire test table; for such a survey, the table must be too large. Moving this table closer to the lens means leaving the focus area (the minimum distance at which all objects are in focus is 30-40 cm). Therefore, we resorted to another proven method - to shoot from different distances one section of the table, printed on a meter-high sheet. Subsequently, the resulting video is combined in the video editor with the original image of the test table until the proportions of the key sections match, while the frame size is not changed. As a result, the desired key area is obtained, in which lies the answer to the question of resolution.

Judging by the results obtained (by the way, quite predictable), the "native" resolution of the camera is the same maximum possible mode, 3840 × 2160 at 30 frames per second. The resolution in this mode reaches more than a decent 1700 TV lines. The 2560x1440 mode that follows it is clearly a derivative of the Full HD frame, since the resolution of 900 TV lines in this mode is absolutely identical to that present in the smaller frame, 1920x1080 at 60 and 30 frames per second . So, let's take the following rule: if the operator needs the highest detail, coupled with a large frame size, then shooting should be done in the oldest mode, 4K 30p. If the priority is the frame rate, then, accordingly, you need to choose one of the two high-frequency Full HD - 100 or 60 frames per second. With all that said, the presence in the camera of the junior mode 1920 × 1080 with a frequency of 30 frames per second can only be explained by the potential savings in bitrate if there is a shortage of free space on the memory card or difficulties in transferring material over the Network.

In conclusion about the nature of the picture, an important thing needs to be inserted: despite the rather wide viewing angle of the camera, there is absolutely no fisheye defect in the frame. It is excellent! How tired of struggling with this distortion, which is present in almost all miniature cameras.

Any self-respecting camera must have a stabilization mechanism. But why talk about stabilization if you mean a camera without any built-in stabilizer? That's right, no need. However, in our case, the role of the stabilizer is assigned to external devices. There are two of them:

• shock-absorbing suspension on soft rubber hollow balls-dampeners with hooks effectively eliminates the initial small vibration transmitted from the motors with blades along the body of the drone
• servos of the stabilizing gimbal, on command from the sensors, in time (at least in theory) turn and tilt the camera in the direction opposite to the inclination of the quadcopter body

As a result of the joint work of these two stabilizing devices, the picture is really held in place. There is no typical “mowing”; the drone’s smart electronics, processing the readings of many sensors, do not allow sudden movements.

Only seldom-rarely, short-term small pulling off of the picture or a "blockage" of the horizon can be traced. However, after several hours of using the drone, the author got the impression that the device seemed to be learning. At least, such obstructions of the horizon, which were present in the first surveys, are not found after several hours of flights. As an example, let's give a visual comparison - on the left side of the video, filmed literally on the first day of operation, on the right - shooting after several hours of flights (due to the large volume of original video files, clips obtained by cutting without recoding are shown).

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An important note: the sensors of the stabilizing drive are very sensitive and the camera will refuse to work if even ordinary sparse grass touches the camera body while turning on the drone. In order for the camera to be able to initialize the operation of the gyro gimbal servos, the device must be turned on on a flat surface. Well, at least without weed.

To view in a larger size, click the button Original size

The next question in line is rolling shutter (for more details, see the material Rolling shutter in video filming - description of the defect, examples, explanations). The slope of the verticals in shooting with our camera is quite measurable, because there is no FishEye defect in the frame, Fisheye. With the help of our stand with a rotating disk, on which a vertical line is applied, a completely “readable” result was obtained. Blurred lines due to the stand being too close to the lens do not interfere with measuring the desired angles at all.

Based on these results, we can say that the camera in different video modes uses a different reading frequency from the matrix. More precisely, three frequencies. The slowest read is a full frame from the entire area of ​​​​the matrix - these are the first and last modes, 4K 30p and 1080 30p. In this case, the slope of the verticals was 5.8°. This is a pretty good result, indicating that the camera uses a really fast sensor. Even faster information is taken from the sensor in 2560x1440 60p and 1920x1080 60p modes - line skipping is clearly used here. However, the study of the nature of the resulting picture indicates a fairly accurate software processing of the picture, due to which the defect of aliasing and moiré is practically not evident. The slope of the lines in such modes is 3.8° - an excellent result. Finally, the 100fps high-speed video mode produces a tilt of just 1.2°. However, to achieve such a reading speed, the developer had to resort to too many skipped lines, which no longer makes it possible to hide pronounced aliasing and the resulting moiré.

Conclusion: the user may not be afraid of the jelly effect or slanted verticals in all three shooting modes. This belief is due not only to the presence of a speed matrix in the camera, but also to the design of the camera carrier - the drone itself. Which will not allow any chatter or vibration.

It's time to examine the quality of coding. In static scenes, it does not cause any particular complaints with rare exceptions. But a picture saturated with movement (a lot of foliage, small branches, etc.) can harbor unpleasant surprises. The best way to identify flaws is to remove the water flow. Better yet, a fountain.

You don't need to use your eyes to see compression artifacts called pixelation. This is due to the lack of bitrate. More precisely, the threshold level that was set by the developer is not high enough.

By the way, to the issue of bitrate, which was raised at the beginning of the chapter. In this shooting of the fountain, in all modes, except for the one with a frequency of 100 frames per second, the average bitrate of the videos was about 60 Mbps.

This level, 60 Mbps, seems to be the maximum possible in the current camera firmware. This is how the bitrate can change, and hence the file size, depending on the nature of the image being shot: from 15 Mbps in a static scene to 60 Mbps (1080 30p mode). Four times!

We have already mentioned that in this camera there are almost no image controls. The camera always operates in fully automatic mode. The only adjustable parameter is the exposure level. You can change it directly during video recording, and this is done both on the smartphone display in the control mobile application, and using the side wheel on the remote control.

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By the way, despite the presence of exposure adjustment, it is not fixed at all. Automation continues to work, because this available change only sets the maximum brightness threshold. It should be noted that the automatic change in exposure due to a change in illumination does not occur smoothly, but rather abruptly. Almost like cameras.

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All other parameters that can be adjusted do not apply to the camera itself. However, one way or another, they can be considered shooting parameters, since a controlled drone is used here instead of the operator’s hands. Thus, the settings for the drone’s reaction to user actions, the inclusion of different flight modes and other functions can be quite attributed to the shooting parameters. As well as the rules for controlling a drone during shooting.

For example, it should be remembered that with a sharp increase in linear speed when moving forward, rotating front blades may appear in the upper part of the frame. This is due to the fact that the drone leans in the direction of acceleration to accelerate, like any helicopter. But the camera - more precisely, its gyro-suspension - is held in place, its lens remains directed to the same point. This is where the blades fall into the frame.

To view in a larger size, click the button Original size

In the evening and at night, the blades in the frame, of course, will not be visible. Their place will be taken by marker lights located on the front beams of the drone.

To view in a larger size, click the button Original size

Thus, for spectacular camera movements, it makes sense not to rely on manual control (after all, the operator is hardly an experienced pilot), but to use the modes programmed into the quadcopter. There are several such modes in the copter: departure, flight, following the points specified on the map, etc.

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Although, to be honest, all these blades with light bulbs are such trifles... They completely dissolve against the background of general entertainment, against the background of unusual angles that were previously inaccessible to the operator.

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Most cameras with micro-optics are almost always useless when shooting in low light conditions. Our camera is no exception. She is almost blind, not even in the dark (to say nothing of her), but even in the dark, when the human eye can still easily distinguish details. With our camera, you need to remember: if the shooting takes place at dusk and there is not a bright enough light source in the frame, such shooting is useless. The next takeoff scene was filmed in Central Russia, shooting time is early July, two hours before midnight.

To view in a larger size, click the button Original size

I am glad that there is no aggressive gain in the camera, which would draw out the darkness by increasing the sensitivity. However, even with the existing conventional amplification, there is noise in the frame, albeit small.

Finally, let's remember the presence in the camera of a high-speed recording mode with its 100-frame rate. During subsequent editing, such a video can be slowed down by two, three, or four times. As a result, some scenes can turn out to be very spectacular: fleeing brides, balloons flying into the sky ... We don’t have a lot of brides and flying balloons, but a balloon filled with water is quite available.

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In conclusion of the flight chapter, we will nevertheless dispel one of the fears of a potential drone owner: the quadrocopter will report that the battery is running out long before the energy reserve is completely exhausted.

To view in a larger size, click the button Original size

The maximum frame size at which the camera can capture still images is 4000×3000 dots. Shooting is done in JPEG, at the same time a frame can be recorded in RAW format. Taking a photo during video recording is possible only if the video is recorded in modes with a frame size no higher than 1920 × 1080. version for Android , ). The process of connecting the remote control to your smartphone is a simple step-by-step process and is usually straightforward. True, not all smartphones support working with the remote control. Apparently, you need a mobile device that has USB OTG technology (support for external USB devices).

Before starting work, the user is invited to take a short beginner course. It consists of several instructional slides that explain the basic operations.

In view of such activity of the developer, one can hope that the parameters that are missing today, which are responsible for the operation of the camera, will still be implemented in the drone firmware and in the mobile application. Namely: exposure lock, shutter speed lock, white balance selection, digital zoom. It would not hurt to also increase the maximum bitrate for 4K mode, at least twice. And even better - three times, at least up to 150 Mbps.

With a USB connection to a PC, the camera in question becomes an external USB drive called the A9 Platform.

Now the most important question that certainly worries any avid quadcopter pilot: the delay in transmitting the video signal from the drone to the display device. In the case of analog transmission, this delay is usually negligible. Almost absent. But with digital it's different. Features of the interframe video stream compression method are dictated by an unshakable rule: there will be a delay. Another thing is the magnitude of this delay. It turns out that measuring the lag is not difficult at all. It is enough to shoot a simple scene with some high-speed camera, where there is a quadrocopter in the frame, transmitting a video signal from its camera to the remote control. Further, this signal is sent to the mobile device connected to the remote control and displayed in the interface of the control application. There is a digital timer in the background of the stage, constantly counting down with a display of tenths of a second (I think tenths will be enough for us).

As a result of this simple experience, we got the following results: the video stream transmission delay with a wired connection of the smartphone and the remote control was about 0.5 seconds, and with the wireless connection of the smartphone and the remote control, the delay decreased to 0.3 seconds. As you can see, the main delay occurs at the stage of transmitting the video stream from the remote control to the smartphone, while the remote control and the quadcopter communicate with each other through a more powerful and high-speed channel.

As for the maximum range of video signal transmission, there are certain organizational difficulties. Simply put, we did not dare to conduct such experiments as part of a quadrocopter camera review. If you fly away for a kilometer, the signal will disappear - so look for fistulas. Yes, the copter has an automatic return to the starting point mode when the connection with the remote control is lost, but, we repeat, it is better to check the performance of this mode in other conditions. More precisely, on the other conditions. Fortunately, the Web has long had materials on this topic. There are even communities where they compete in flight range, and the records achieved are five kilometers or more using amplifying antenna reflectors.

conclusions

The considered camera can in no case be attributed to the main means of video filming. A quadcopter with a camera (“flying camera”) is only an auxiliary tool for obtaining special angles that were previously achieved only with the help of expensive cranes (although our copter puts any crane on the blades in terms of climb). Of course, each "extra" tool requires the presence of an appropriate person who knows how to work with it and is responsible for it. Which accordingly increases organizational costs.

A fairly detailed study of the characteristics of the camera made it possible to formulate the main disadvantages and advantages of the device. Of course, in isolation from the carrier - a quadrocopter. So, the camera has three clearly negative properties:

• fragile construction
• almost complete absence of manual settings for shooting parameters (*see note)
• low bitrate in 4K mode

The design cannot be changed in any way, this is clear. But the last two points, no doubt, may well be defeated in the next versions of the firmware of the device and the mobile application. At the same time, it is important that the positive qualities found are not lost. Here are the pluses:

• no overheating
• high efficiency double stabilizing device
• high resolution
• no fisheye optical distortion
• correct operation of automation (white balance, etc.)

In conclusion, it should be added that the developer offers a simplified version of a quadcopter with a Full HD camera. Tellingly, these devices differ not only in cameras, but also in other characteristics, including altitude, range and flight duration. Of course, the reviewed 4K version of the drone surpasses its younger Full HD counterpart in all of the above characteristics.

*Note: a month after the work on the article was completed, in the next update of the proprietary mobile software, the shooting settings nevertheless appeared.

They are available only when the application interface is in camera mode (which is quite logical), and their composition is limited by exposure, saturation, contrast, sharpness and white balance settings.

The editors thank Rudolf Malinovsky
for help in preparing the article

As the owner, I decided to create a topic about Xiaomi Mi Drone HD/4K UBS.
At the moment, due to the amazing combination of features and cost, this is one of the most interesting drones. The workmanship is beyond praise! All details: body, props, remote control, charger - are made amazingly.

Drone appearance (caution! large size)

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Mi Drone is notable for the fact that it uses a 1/2.3 Sony Exmor R matrix at 12.4 megapixels. There is a suspicion that in the 4K version of the drone this is an IMX117 module, such as we could see in the GoPro3 +. The matrix is ​​installed inside the PTZ camera module (with pan and tilt) along with a processing processor and an active cooling system. Structurally, this is a 3-axis suspension made of carbon and polycarbonate (weight is only 150 grams), driven by brushless motors and capable of stabilizing up to 2000 vibrations per second. The Ambarella microprocessor (probably Ambarella A12s) corrects distortions in the image in real time, records video on a memory card (installed in the module) and transmits a 720p signal to the remote control. The manufacturer specifies an FPV transmission distance of up to 2 km in the 4K version, but there is no way to personally verify it yet.

Camera Lens Focal Length:

• in the HD model - 4.2 mm, which is equivalent to 23mm by 35mm;
• in the 4K model - 3.7 mm, which is equivalent to 20mm by 35mm;

Aperture F2.6 in HD and F2.8 in 4K version. The maximum resolution for 4K version is 3840 x 2160p at 30 fps. There is a 25 fps mode, but there is no 24 fps mode in the current firmware version. MPEG-4 codec with a maximum bit rate of 60 megabits/sec. when sampling 4:2:0 with a color depth of 8 bits.

To be honest, due to software processing and excessive sharpening, 1080p quality is very deplorable. I recommend taking the drone in 4K version. It has the same problems, but the picture is much better. Recently, an update was released that adds white balance, contrast, color and sharpening to the camera settings. To my regret, there is no disabling "sharping", and the setting only allows you to increase this parameter even more. It's funny, this is perhaps the only drawback of the camera of this drone, which, by the way, is no worse in other respects in comparison with the DJI Mavic. Yes, it is far from the Phantom 4 Pro, but there is a larger sensor, and the cost is many times higher.

There are no complaints about the quality of photos, the picture is excellent considering the size of the sensor. Unfortunately, this is not to say about the process of photographing, there is a lag of 1.5-2 seconds between pressing a button on the remote control and the actual moment of shooting.

The camera module supports Micro SDXC memory cards up to 64GB, with a recommended class of 10 / U1 or higher. From myself, I recommend using U3 (V30) class drives for the 4K version, for example Sony microSDXC UHS-I SR64UXA or SanDisk microSDXC UHS-I Extreme V30 .

32 gigabytes is enough for 3 flights with 4K video shooting and a small amount of photos.

On the network you can find various descriptions and characteristics both for the drone and specifically for the camera. You should only believe the official specification http://www.mi.com/en/drone/specs/

I strongly recommend that you start from the specified data first of all. The drones look similar, but their characteristics are different, and the camera modulesnot compatible with each other!

Appearance of the PZT camera (caution! large size)

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Official page http://www.mi.com/en/drone/

Main characteristics in Russian:

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Drone
Radio control frequency: 2400 ~ 2483.5 MHz (both modifications);
FPV radio frequency: 2.4GHz (4K version) and 5GHz (HD version);
Motors: brushless 2212 800kv;
Maximum speed: up to 18 m/s (PRO mode);
Maximum lifting speed: up to 6m/s (PRO mode);
Maximum descent speed: up to 1.5m/s (PRO mode);
Maximum lifting height (PRO mode): 50/120 m;
Supported coordinate systems: GPS / Glonass;
Maximum flight range (1080r/4K): 1/2 km.;
"Return home" function;
Drone dimensions: 310 x 380 x53mm;
Drone weight without battery: 670 gr.;
Flight time: up to 25-27 minutes..

Camera
Sensor: Sony Exmor R CMOS 1/2.3;
Resolution: 12.4 MP;
Viewing angle (FOV): 94° (4K version) and 104° (HD version);
Focal length: 3.7 mm equiv. 35mm = 20 mm (4K version) and 4.2 mm equiv. 35mm = 23 mm (HD version);
ISO range: 100-3200 for video and 100-1600 for photos;
Maximum fast shutter speed: 1/8000 s;
Maximum photo size: 4608 x 3456 (HD version) and 4000 x 3000 (4K version);
Photo formats: JPEG or RAW;
Supported video resolutions and maximum frame rates: 3840 x 2160p 30 fps, 2560 x 1440p 60 fps, 1920 x 1080p 100 fps (4K version);
Format: MPEG-4;
Maximum video bitrate: 60 Mbps;
Memory Cards: Micro SD 8GB to 64GB, Class10/U1 or higher recommended. From myself, I recommend using U3 (V30) class drives for the 4K version, for example Sony microSDXC UHS-ISR64UXA or SanDisk microSDXC UHS-I Extreme V30.

Battery
Battery type: 4S, 15.2V, 5100mAh, 77.52Wh, LiPo (according to some data produced by LG);
Charging time: 1.5-2.5 hours depending on the degree of discharge.

Ground Chat
Transmitter with built-in batteries and retractable mounting system for Android phone (diagonal up to 6 inches);
Connecting the phone with a USB cable (included) or via Wi-Fi (Mi dongle optionally comes with a 4K version);
Battery: 3.7V, 5000mAh, 18.5Wh, LiPo (non-removable);
Weight: 500 gr..

The calibration problem was solved using a different method of carrying out this procedure.

Since one of the legs of the drone uses a 3-axis magnetic sensor QMC5883L from QST as a compass, then calibration in only two planes (as recommended by the application) is not enough!

A couple of thoughts about buying in Russia .
If you do not consider Russian hucksters, then in banggood.com or gearbest.com the 4K version of the device costs about 25-27 thousand rubles, depending on the current exchange rate and delivery method. And it is there that you should buy it, since this quadrocopter is not officially sold anywhere except China. Therefore, not a single seller in the territory of the Russian Federation has a factory warranty. I myself personally spoke with the official representatives of Xiaomi in Moscow (in April 2017) and they told me that they can't bring a drone!

Drone links and accessories:

Drone Xiaomi Mi Drone WIFI FPV With 4K

The drone was purchased by pre-order in the Gearbest store, the price at the time of the order was $ 533, but I decided not to wait for the 4k version, since there was no certainty with the date of its release to the market.

And finally, this long-awaited parcel reached me.

The drone is a well-assembled product without any backlash, the battery and rotor mounts are reliable, the plastic from which the MiDrone is made is pleasant to the touch, but a little easily soiled.

Mi Drone is equipped with convenient folding legs that make it easy to transport, when folded without screws, it fits perfectly into a regular 35 liter backpack and is easy to carry. The leg folding mechanism works exactly, I did not find any backlash.

Convenient markings are applied to the screws and the body, which greatly speeds up the assembly and disassembly of the quadcopter. Assembly is quite fast and there are no problems. The average time I spent on assembly and preparation for flight was about 5 minutes.

The device is equipped with a 5100 mAh battery, the claimed flight time is 27 minutes, in real conditions the drone showed 20-23 minutes, which is pretty good, it flew 20 minutes in the wind at maximum height. As you can see in the close-up photo, the battery compartment is made with high quality and does not cause any complaints.

At the bottom of the drone there are 2 ultrasonic sensors responsible for determining the distance to the ground at low altitudes. They cope with their task by allowing the drone to hover accurately in one place.

Next, let's move on to the camera, it is marked YTXJ01FM and measures 67x76x110 mm, the maximum video resolution is 1920x1080 60FPS, the maximum photo resolution is 4608x2592. Mounting the camera to the drone is also quite simple, you need to insert the camera into the pass and snap it into place. Video and photo quality is good.

The camera is located on a 3-axis gimbal.

The remote control is made of the same material as the drone, the sides are rubberized, it is comfortable in the hand. On the remote control there is a return home toggle switch, the control knobs themselves, an on / off button for the remote control with a charging indicator, an auto takeoff / landing button, as well as control wheels for turning the camera, and 2 programmable buttons on the back. The remote on/off and takeoff/landing buttons have a red backlight.

The assembly of the remote control is of high quality, nothing creaks or plays, the joysticks work smoothly and gently without distracting from flight control.

The remote control has a convenient folding mount for the phone, it is securely fixed and does not slip out of it, it is also worth noting that despite the folding design, the mount does not sway from side to side as on some other models from other manufacturers.

Now let's move on to flying. Mi Drone flies well, it's true, the control is responsive and clear, in strong wind it behaves stably and predictably, although the drift increases slightly. Hanging in place under normal conditions is not satisfactory.

The actual flight range in open areas was 500 meters, the maximum height was 120 meters, it was not possible to fly further, the video signal disappeared, and then the radio control, the drone switched to the return home mode and began to fly back, an interesting feature of the return home is that it returns backwards as it flew, and does not turn forward with the camera. The return home works perfectly, the quadric flies exactly to the landing site, however, if you move to the side with the remote control, it will fly exactly to the remote control and begin to descend above you, the whole process is completely controlled and predictable, I didn’t have any problems. The program initially included a beginner mode with a limitation of 100 meters in range and 50 meters in height, in order to remove it you need to fly in this mode for 300 minutes, during which time you will completely get used to and feel your new drone.

The camera shoots well for this price segment, it has a 12 megapixel sensor manufactured by Sony and can record video in 1920x1080p resolution with a maximum frequency of 60fps. The camera has a 3-axis gimbal, the whole bunch, as my tests have shown, works very smoothly and accurately, and performs all the functions assigned to it. The maximum resolution of photos is 4608x2592 pixels.

Sample photo (taken in clear and sunny weather)

Video example

Conclusion
Xiaomi turned out to be a good product designed for a wide range of audience, namely for novice pilots and those who have long dreamed of buying a good drone at a bargain price. In terms of the combination of characteristics, MiDrone is definitely not inferior to its competitors, drone control is smooth and responsive, and quite often coming out firmware updates with new features indicate that the company does not intend to abandon its product and will expand its functionality in the near future. Separately, I want to note the long flight duration, it flew off on one battery in good weather for 28 minutes (95% battery discharge), which is significantly higher than other manufacturers. I definitely recommend it for purchase to those who are just starting to fly, you will get an unforgettable pleasure from flying, and the high level of safety of the drone will save you from many troubles.

We recently released a review of today's test subject's brother, the Xiaomi MITU Mini RC Drone 720p. Today, we will review an unusual quadcopter with many pleasant surprises. After studying, we can confidently say that this model is guaranteed to appeal to fans of this technique. Let's get started.

It is obvious that the Xiaomi brand has thoroughly decided to capture the market of all consumer electronics. The catalog of the company is expanding monthly with new products, which cannot but rejoice, because this manufacturer offers quality products at affordable prices.

Drone Xiaomi Mi Drone 4k is not a pioneer for the Chinese brand, but its predecessors did not have such opportunities. The filling here is very serious, which allows us to consider this drone a competitor to the DJI line.

4K technology has not yet gained popularity in the field of quadrocopters, so each device that supports this format deserves special attention. It can really be used in the professional field for video recording.

At the moment, the Xiaomi Mi Drone 4k quadcopter is rarely seen outside of China.

first look

The laconic cardboard box characteristic of the manufacturer contains the following elements inside:

drone Xiaomi Mi Drone 4k;

remote control with two antennas;

suspension with a camera;

8 propeller blades (of which 4 are spare);

charger with cable;

cable for USB connection;

instructions and other booklets.

It is worth noting 2 points right away:

original design;

excellent build quality.

The housing elements are securely fitted and made of high-quality plastic. Belonging to the class of expensive copters immediately catches the eye. The drone itself has a rectangular flat body with rounded corners.

At first glance, the suspicion creeps in that due to the high landing gear, transportation will be very difficult. However, the manufacturer took this factor into account and used a folding mechanism that allows you to remove the chassis during transportation.

Battery with parameters 15.2V 5100mAh LiPO is easily removed from the case by moving the latch. The battery takes up almost all the free space and is inserted from behind. Removing the battery is not difficult.

As for the highlight of the camera apparatus, we can say that it is installed in an unusual spherical module. It is fixed on the suspension from below, on the front of the copter. The height of the chassis legs performs a protective function, preventing impacts and damage to the module. It is not possible to use the camera outside of the drone.

Available modes

The device feels great indoors and outdoors, successfully coping with the wind. In calm weather, the Xiaomi Mi Drone 4k quadcopter stays in the air for about 30 minutes. The wind reduces the duration of the flight by about a third.

The copter uses GPS to determine coordinates and navigate the terrain. If the signal is not available, then ultrasonic sensors are used in these cases. The maximum control range is 2000 meters, but in some cases it is reduced due to atmospheric conditions, the presence of obstacles and signal-damping devices. If the connection with the remote control is unexpectedly interrupted, the drone returns to the point fixed by it earlier. The main thing is that the battery charge is enough for this.

The following control functions are available to the pilot:

autopilot;

auto landing and takeoff;

route planning;

selection of a point or object on the map;

circular wrap.

The camera works according to the user-defined task. While testing the functions of the device, we found a lack of a useful follow option. Xiaomi is famous for the quality of product support, so there is a high probability that this mode and many other useful things will be present in the next firmware updates.

The user has the ability to configure the following settings:

Permission.

frame rate.

exposure.

Perhaps one of the few drawbacks is the very limited customization. With such a powerful camera, the owner expects much more functionality. In addition, it is not always possible to adjust the brightness based on the smartphone picture.

However, it is worth noting that the automatic settings work expediently, due to which it is possible to shoot really good videos. Problems can only arise when shooting clear skies.

Remote controller

Device management is simplified as much as possible. This becomes obvious at a glance. Having tried the control in practice, we found that this does not reduce the comfort of control. The remote is comfortable in the hand. The control sticks and shift buttons are easy to reach.

We did not find our own display to which the video is transmitted - for these purposes, a smartphone or tablet is connected to the remote control. This can be done via a USB cable or a Wi-Fi network, where the remote control becomes an access point.

The manipulator has a separate battery with a capacity of 5000 mAh. This should be enough for 5 flights. Charging time is approximately 4 hours.

Camera module

It’s worth mentioning right away that this is the most expensive structural element. In fact, the cost of the camera is half the total cost of the quadcopter.

We found that the camera is capable of shooting at 100fps as well. To do this, you must select a resolution of 1920 × 1080. During the preparation of the review, it was found out that the copter records video in 2 streams: one is the main mode, the second is a light version for preview on the screen of a smartphone or tablet with a resolution of 1280 × 720.

What can you say about the performance of the camera? The device works great! As a result, the user gets a clear picture without blurry areas. Contrast and excellent color reproduction are maintained under any conditions.

Separately, it is worth talking about the suspension of the camera. 3-axis stabilization reduces shake and ensures smooth camera movement when panning and tilting. The damping of vibrations during gusts of wind and sharp turns occurs almost instantly.

The quality of shooting in the evening leaves much to be desired, but given the size of the camera and the performance of its main competitors, it’s a sin to complain. First of all, because of the effective noise reduction. There are no complaints about the FPV function either.

Transportation

To prepare the Xiaomi Mi Drone 4k drone for a trip, just remove the gimbal with the camera, fold the landing gear, disconnect the propeller blades. All. You can pack the contents in a small backpack or case.

Flight preparation

The model does not have a training mode that limits the user's freedom. It is enough to view a few slides, and you can start flying.

What should be done?

Charge and insert battery.

Install the camera module.

Install screws.

Download the Xiaomi application and connect the device to it.

Note: Since the model is based on the Chinese market, the control menu will also be in this language. On the Internet you can find an unofficial crack.

Specifications

Review results

What can be said in conclusion? Xiaomi Mi Drone 4k, which we reviewed, is definitely worth the money. Relating to the class of expensive copters, it has a significantly lower cost and even outperforms its competitors in some respects.

Advantages of the model:

quality camera;

ease of transportation;

thoughtful design;

automatic stabilization;

capacious battery;

convenient remote control;

regular updates that expand the functionality;

price.

Among the shortcomings can be identified:

minimum set of modes;

lack of Russification.

Quadcopter Xiaomi Mi Drone 4k will be a serious contender in the field of elite drones. Powerful engines, large radius and "smart" automation make it a versatile machine for professional and amateur use.