We all have heard about the success of DJI, which can rightfully be called the market leader in multicopters. But, nevertheless, there are very worthy solutions on sale that have something to show. Today I’m going to tell you about the Walkera QR X350 Pro, a quadcopter that will allow enthusiasts to get the features of more expensive competitors at a lower price. Can he really compete with more eminent competitors?
Outwardly, this quadcopter very much resembles the DJI Phantom 2: the same white plastic, minimalist style and red marks on the rays. The design of the legs, however, is different: the QR X350 Pro has four separate legs, and the Phantom 2 has two double legs. Hull dimensions are 289 x 289 x 200 mm, flight weight is about 1.3 kg.
The quadcopter itself comes fully assembled. Several configurations with different equipment are available for sale. You can choose from several transmitters: Devo F7, 10 or F12E. Most often, the Walkera QX 350 PRO Devo F7 version is available for sale. This transmitter belongs to the entry level and allows you to work with 7 frequencies. If you pay attention to the kit with the Devo F12E transmitter, then you will get an excellent device “for growth”. Such a transmitter has the ability to replace antennas with any other, and will also allow you to easily switch to a larger and more serious multicopter in the future.
A G2-D two-axis gimbal is attached to the bottom of the quadrocopter body. There is also a version with a 3-axis G3-D gimbal on sale, but I would not recommend this option unless you have a cameraman to control the camera separately. The key difference between the gimbals is the dampening of vibrations in the 3-axis gimbals, which results in significantly less ‘wobble’ in the video than with a 2-axis gimbals.
As a camera Walkera QR X350 Pro allows you to use any action camera GoPro Hero 3 and 4 generations, you can find out about them here. All you need to stream video is a Devo F7 remote control with LCD display and a separate video transmitter for your GoPro camera, which can be found in many stores.
If video quality is not that important to you, then you can use the iLook + camera from Walkera itself. As a rule, it either comes with a quadcopter or is sold separately at a very low price. Designed specifically for aerial photography, iLook+ features a built-in transmitter and detachable antenna. I consider this option more acceptable, since it does not require additional wires for connection, thus a more convenient and reliable solution is obtained. The quality of the video in this case will be inferior to GoPro by only 15-20%.
The device can hover in the air, return to the take-off point and fly over points (you can select up to 127 points). It also features automatic landing and takeoff to make handling easier and reduce the risk of accidents. It’s all set up manually with a computer, so it takes a bit of enthusiasm to implement all the features.
The X350 PRO has a 5200 mAh battery (57.7 W). Maybe it’s just a coincidence, but the DJI Phantom 2 also comes with a 57.7Wh battery. This allows Walkera QR X350 Pro to fly up to 20 minutes without any additional cargo. If you install a camera and a gimbal on the quadcopter, then the flight time will be reduced to 15 minutes, which is almost completely consistent with other solutions on the market.
The flight time will also depend on how aggressively you pick up speed and fly continuously without hovering. In addition, temperature will play a role: an increase in air temperature slightly increases battery life, and a sharp decrease in temperature, on the contrary, reduces it.
Conclusion
Despite many similarities between Walkera QR X350 Pro and DJI Phantom 2, I would not compare them directly. The fact is that Phantom 2 is maximally simplified so that every fan can use it. Because of this, the Phantom 2 is more expensive and has corresponding disadvantages. The Walkera QR X350 Pro, on the other hand, is cheaper, but it has less automation and you will have to carefully configure the flight controller. However, with a little effort and proper setup, you will get a quadcopter with great capabilities.
Timur Bublik