• Great features and capabilities | • Ready to fly out of the box |
• Hands-free flight control | • Return to home point for easy retrieval |
• Follow Me technology |
The Iris drone is packed full of features and capabilities that you’d expect from quadcopters twice the price.
Out of the box, this quad is ready to fly. Just charge the battery, attach the self tightening propellers, and you are ready to go.
New to flying? Setup a flight path with the free DroidPlanner 2 app (not available on iPhone or iPad) allowing you to easily draw your flight path for hands-free flight control.
Return to home point brings your Iris drone back if it travels out of range or if the battery runs low.
The Third Person View Follow Me technology allows the Iris drone to follow and film you while carrying your GPS enabled Android phone or tablet.
Pros
- Stable and Easy to fly
- Affordable replacement parts
- Return to Launch Feature
- Auto Pilot flight path
- Follow Me technology
Cons
- Difficult to land and launch manually
- Gimbal and camera sold seperatly
- Delay in shutting off motors
- Can take a while to get GPS locks
Specifications
Size: | 19.5 inches X 24.5 inches X 12 inches (Length X Width X Height) |
Weight: | 3 lbs |
Max Payload: | 0.8 lbs |
Battery: | 3S 5100mAh Lithium Polymer |
Flight Time: | 12 to 19 minutes |
Controller: | FlySky FS-TH9x RC (Included) |
Camera: | Gimbal Kit for GoPro Hero (Gimbal and Camera Sold Separately) |
GPS: | Yes (uBlox GPS w/ integrated magnetometer) |
Return Function: | Yes (Return to Launch) |
Mobile/Tablet App: | Yes (Android Only) |
Autopilot: | Yes (32-bit Pixhawk) |
FAA Registration: | Required (FAA Page) |
Complete Review
3D Robotics really hit the ball out of the park with this one. The Iris Plus drone has got to be one of the best bangs for your buck! This drone is packed full of features that are normally found in units twice the price.
If you’re new to the world of quadcopters and want big boy features at a reasonable price, this is the unit for you.
The drone Iris comes with a flight protection feature called return to home point (also known as return to launch). This helps prevent loss or damage if your drone either runs out of juice or goes out of range.
The way this works is once the Iris drone senses that the amount of battery left is just enough to get it back to where it started, it heads back. Also, if you accidentally fly the drone out of range of the remote control, the return to home point is enabled and it will return and land in the same place it started.
There is also a return to home point button on the controller, making it easier to bring your Iris Plus back once you’re done.
Of course return to launch is not a feature that is limited to just this drone. Many other drones that are equivalently priced or more expensive have this feature, but the Iris Plus doesn’t stop there.
Another great feature is the auto mission planning. You can set up a flight path with the free software on your Mac, PC or Android device (No app for iPhone or iPad yet). The DroidPlanner 2 app (free) allows you to easily draw your flight path for hands-free flight control.
Also, If you opt for the additional gimbal and GoPro HERO camera, you can set a specific area for the drone to focus the camera on while it is on its flight path. This is great for getting aerial images and video of your house, your child’s little league game or just a day in the park.
The most impressive feature of the Iris drone is 3DR’s Third Person View Follow Me technology. In this mode, the Iris Plus follows and films you while carrying your GPS enabled Android device. It also controls the gimbal, keeping the camera centered on you, putting you at the center of your own adventure.
The aren’t many other devices that have this capability for such a reasonable price.