I found this exact drone on the side of the road with string tied to it so I adopted it and bought the necessary parts and now I've had it for 3 weeks. It flies really well and it's happy with it's new owner
If it haven't been for you, I wouldn't have put together those props, thanks a bunch, I just a got my X8G today and I was really eager to fly it to see how it was, it flew just pretty good. Good review and explanation.
I love the in depth review, most people touch a few bases and move on, you cover all aspects that a buyer wants to know. Doing other research i learned this quad is really easy to change motors, no sodering. Maybe in a future review you can add how easy it is to find parts or replace them. I loved this vid so much i liked and subbed i have since orderd a x8g
That's interesting cause I just bought a run away that of course would need a transmitter. I payed less than a replacement battery which was in the bird. $38 and shipping from an Ebayer who mis Identified it as an X8C but it was a candy apple red X8 Pro in new condition except for two scuff marks on front two arms from its final ( and probably only) landing. Finder took the camera. No biggie. I t runs great. Enjoy your new orphan as I'm sure I will. Dandahermit
Slightly Commodore Amiga-sounding music there. Like it. I bought this drone for my son for his birthday. It's been too windy to fly it so far, but hopefully we'll get to the park this week to try it out.
Thanks for the comprehensive review. My son and I learned a lot. Not sure how the screen on the control panel works, but at least we have an idea of what to expect before our first flight...
I appreciate the videos man. I have the bootleg version of this quad by Swann. It's pretty good. It is basically an X8G. In the month I got it one motor burned out. But I got it for cheap and Modding it gets it working fine like any other quad. WiFi none but buying a cam with WiFi capability is always an option for anyone who wants a drone with FPV. I watch your reviews and quadcopter 101 and a few others who are more tech savvy then others who try too hard to be technical and in the process show failure in understanding quads in little time.
a tip for you. Use a mic foam and bundle of feathers for mics it will work against the wind and clear the muffles(Wind muffs) 100% guarantee you will have great audio even in the harshest winds.
+Martin Mccurley It's good. just order an extra set of motors from the parts link in video description for around 14 bucks. Since they are brushed they will fail eventually.
I enjoyed watching your review and flight test. It was also really interesting to see you flying in a heavy breeze although I was certain you were going to crash a number of times.
Thanks for this great video, very informative. It was just what was looking for as I just ordered this unit and can't wait to give it a try. We plan on taking it RV'ing with us this year to capture some videos.
Awesome and informative video, Dustin! Quick question ... is the nighttime indoor footage grainier than it appears on TH-cam. I have the Syma X8G, and my indoor low-light videos are sharp, but they exhibit graininess. Yours looks really smooth, so I'm sure part of it is TH-cam's processing. On to of that, did you do any processing/smoothing of the footage? Thanks for your time!! :)
It's certainly good practice to watch several reviews of a product before making up ones mind on whether to buy a product? I had decided not to get the G model in the near future, because one reviewer said it was not worth it as the cam was junk so to just buy the C version ( he never showed any cam video). But from what I have seen in your review that cam does a very good job at that price point of around $155. Glad I found your review, thanks for sharing your experience with it.
Nice vid mate! i got my x8g today en its flying very stable indeed! only problem i got is that i need to use the trims a lot before its stable and there is no need of correcting its direction all the time. even after calibration but i will fix it i know for sure! thnks!
To get rid of the any jello don't forget to balance the props. You may notice a difference right away. Also if the battery falls out of the quad copter it will die immediately and crash to the ground, different from just turning off the transmitter. Happy Flying. I have subscribed to your channel. Thank you.
+Ken K. I never really balanced the props on mine and only had the jello when the winds were high. I will give it a try and see if I notice any difference, you never know, right?
Another good Vid Dustin... I got the X8G (because of price and cam res.) and been satified so far... Was only $157 with two extra batteries from Newegg... Still a newbe so still using headless most of the time...lol... Can't justify getting a P3 Pro let alone P4 because I love my Drag Bike Racing $$$ too much, but thinking about the P3 Std. now that they're down to $400...
Awesome stuff bro...just got one of these beauties today on Craigslist for cheap...its my first quadcopter and I'm really stoked to try it out...don't know how to fly it but I'll learn...only thing that sucks is that it came with a European charger which means I'll have to order an American one so I'm going to have to wait about a week to try this baby out...but great information on this quadcopter...thanks...
Very nice review Dustin, thanks! My out of the box test revealed about the same with one exception. I tested In House first. Traumatized two cats, and sent the wife running after me with a fireplace poker. Think I'll stick to park flying. Again, nice video though!
I agree with Steve, good review Dustin. I got one for Christmas and have some limited flights on it since. Your review helped me understand some of the controller functions that can be a little difficult to pick up from the owners manual. Thanks for your time and efforts!
Great video Dustin,thorough as usual,you was flying it like a sports flyer,lol.Camera did great in low light.Not a bad quad I got the x8c with a blown motor,lol.Waiting on repair parts ready to shoot the fake alps out here in Delaware when it snows.Thanx for sharing,God bless.
+Dustin Dunnill What's ironic for me is I ordered spare motors when I bought my X8c and haven't needed to replace one yet! Also Dustin, I was starting to think that you had something against the X8 since you had not reviewed the previous versions (X8c, X8sw, etc.) I wish they would just do a BNF version, that would be awesome. Great video as usual, thanks.
Cut the little nub off of the cam mount that will help reduce the jello and you can tilt the cam how you want it and balance the props.I also use a Mobius cam on mine to it get better flight time's with out using the power from the battery to power the cam. your video is the main reason it bought the X8G $127 shipped usa warehouse. Thanks Dustin great review.....
One of mine had the motor shaft grind a groove through it's brass bushing and fail after a few flights with Amkov5000s. Could have been from crashing though..lol
For $127 it's a good deal. I Haven't crashed it. but i have gotten it so high it lost signal once. i put my Big 5 gps logger on it and it lost signal at 550ft. in a big open field it fell and i saved it.
I have been flying Rc planes for over 30 years some helicopters in the last 5 years and quads for just a year. i watched you you tube vid 20 x and like it very much that's why i bought the X8G. it fly's good in the wind and the vid is good also.
Nice review Dustin. Seem like every time you have a flight review the wind is kicking up pretty good although that shows the ability of the craft and the pilot. LOL Great flying. Question, when you did the turn off of TX test were the motors still running, did it try to land but the wind was to strong. Thanks for the video.
Thanks. Yes, I probably should not have done the TX off test in that wind but it did show the motors were still trying to spin even when upside down and stuck. In the house TX off test you can see how it would do in no wind.
Hey all! Hope your enjoying the review. Gearbest whom provided this drone for review notified me they are having a "Big Summer Promotion Sale" which is ending this week. Please check it out and don't miss the deals here: goo.gl/U5nL8x
Have you tried unscrewing the original camera frame and replacing it with a mobius with a gopro mount adapter.I believe the mobius setup is lighter and produces better video,but the stock camera was pretty good for what it is.Maybe some foam and prop balancing can eliminate jello completely.
I've got one and SJ 4000 camera plus some mods looking to install fpv transmitter on it to connect my Quanum v1 FPV goggles :) . Good entrance to big quads level before spending big money on Phantom etc
Nice video. 1.What is the Quad copter video resolution? 2. You show that Quad copter is moving on its own. Can this follow the transmitter on its own? 3. Do you think syma X8G, Syma X6 super ship or MJX X101 is the best ? As prices go high to low? What is your view? Thank you
for the money a bargain. taking stock camera off and those awful landingear not only transforms flight but akes a Mobius on top easily with great results. lovely video once again.
The reviewer has made a mistake about the Return To Home feature he thought was available on this quad. Probably was due to wind blowing directly towards him when he released the right stick. The right shoulder button does give an additional beep when long pressed but this does not initiate any RTH function. No other Syma X5 or X8 variant with headless (save GPS drones) has a RTH function either.
Hi I bought this quad because of this video. It was very helpful when I got it to use your video to assemble it. One problem I'm having is "return to home". Could you explain
Thanks for the review, Dustin. Don't you have any calm wind days there in Maui??? Seems like the wind is always blowing 20mph ;-) X8G seemed to handle the wind okay, but the camera and mount system weren't optimal for that much wind. I can't see the X8G carrying a powered gimbal & a GoPro type camera. The included camera took pretty good video, but it could use an "auto white balance" feature, as your night time indoor video was pretty yellow. I know my RunCam has a setting in the Configuration to set up if you are using incandescent lighting. I doubt there is a config program for the included cam. At 42 grams, the RunCam is only slightly heavier than the standard camera, and would offer better video. That said, a std. X8C with RunCam/Mobius mounted would seem to be a better video platform than this, but slightly more expensive. If a person didn't want to mess around with "mix and match", this X8G could be a viable option. I've seen some other reviews that were not complimentary of the range, so I'm glad yours appeared at least to reach about 100m. Oh, don't think I'd want to fly something that big in my house, which is especially small (650 sq. ft.)! I see your cat didn't come out during the flying of this one indoors .. he was smart! BTW, I always wondered if cats were allowed on the Hawaiian islands. Some countries have ridiculous 6 month quarantine procedures if you bring a cat to their island (like in the UK I think). Oh well, thanks for the review .. I waited until I got home from work to watch it so that I could watch it in one go, and on a better screen than my tablet that I take to work. Cheers!
Hey Bill. The tropical winds here are pretty gnarly on the north of the island. I still have to finish my review of the Mobius so I'll be mounting it up on the X8 and seeing how it does. We definitely have some laws on bringing animals in from out of state bit not sure of the specifics. At first the cat was freaks of my copters but now he barely pays attention :)
+Dustin Dunnill Hi, im thinking about getting a x8g soon but am a little concerned with the weight of it and the motors. That's a lot of stress on the brushed motors to carry that much weight. How long have you had this and have you needed to change or fix any of the motors? Also how does this fly in the cold during winter time?Also can you recommend any other quadcopter that offers this video quality and is around the same price range? Thanks.
+Nathan Eck I had one motor fry after the 3rd flight with the heavier amkov cam mounted up and it fell from 200ft.. surprisingly only cracked the landing gear slightly. I think this is still probably the best bang for your buck but order a spare set of motors just in case from link in vid description. They are cheap.
Great video and now convinced to buy one of my own as seems the most affordable alternative to a Phantom and GoPro. One question I have is does the controller display the battery level of the drone?
I like your video I have a syma x5sw and I also have a phantom 3 my dad has a mavic pro the stickers on the drone are the phantom 3 stickers Good video😎💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩🙂🤓
It seems to me the real change-up here is the camera, from 2mp to a claimed 8mp. Big jump (possibly) since the 2mp camera was so bad that it was useless. I didn't see a comparison of the "new" 8mp camera, even though you show us two cameras that could fit in the plastic camera mount.
Awesome video Justin on Syma x8g...thank you!!! I do have one big question about "Return To Home" function, there is no mention of this function in my x8g manual and it does not work on my x8g quad. Are you absolutely sure yours has a "Return To Home" function? Thanks again for a super awesome video....I really enjoyed watching this video...Thanks again!!!
A very well done review. Thanks. So, the two buttons on the bottom of the X8G's camera mount work with an inverted Amkov 5000S? Also, can you post the in-flight videos using the stock camera and the Amkov? I've seen in RC Groups that X8 prop balancing is very helpful in reducing video vibrations, as one would expect, but even so, anti-resonance tuning of mounts to eliminate vibrations is something that toy grade quad manufacturers seem unwilling to do even when they know the mass of the camera to be mounted because they supply it themselves.
Thanks Winston. Yes, one button lines up perfectly as shown in vid. Unfortunately my Amkov Micro USB port broke during this review so it would not record (I'll have to take it apart to see about fixing) otherwise I would have included video from that also. Yes prop balancing will help. For my initial reviews I like to try and keep the results as close to stock out of the box as possible for a better guage. I'll be making a few more videos of this one soon with some mods done.
Howdy Dustin Dunnill... Great video ! Thanks for sharing with us... I just got this drone today, the X8G with the 8mp cam. I also have the SYMA X8W... I'm new to all of this, and I'm still learning how to fly. In time I should be a better pilot " I Hope " I'd like to ask if would do just a short video showing in detail just how to use the lever / button that makes the drone return to home ? I see it in this video as you do it, but it's not real clear... Myself and others would love to see how it's done... Again, Great video, and thanks so much for sharing. By the way, I subbed yer channel, Thumbs Up, and shared it on google plus...
+Goodolboy One it seems that some of these don't have the t LM RTH feature. I did this review a while ago and completely forget how it went down. I have a failed motor I need to replace and then I'll give it a try. I remember it was very windy when I did this review. I'm hoping the wind wasn't the RTH coincidence but now that I think about it... it may have blown back perfectly imitating RTH when the button beeped. I'll try again.
Dustin Dunnill Ahhh...... Ok, No problem buddy, Yes it was windy when you done the video, you can tell because the wind was hitting the mike in yer Action Cam... By the way, Where did you get that clamp that hold yer cam to the bill of yer cam or visor ?? Would like to have one of those.. Anyway, Stranger things have happen, and the wind just may have had a hand in on the RTH... I'm gonna be horsing around with mine and I'll put it in headless mode, and press and hold that trigger button on top of the transmitter until i hear beeps and see what happens. If nothing happens, No biggie for sure... Right now my main problem with my X8G is, The cam is not working... :( I'm not sure what the problem is..... Seller will make it right whatever the problem.... Damn I got long winded there LOL Anyway, great video, and I hope to learn to fly as good as you do.... :)
Hey, Dustin, I've been watching a lot of reviews about the XG8 and this is the best, very detailed! Is there any way you can make a tutorial about the features and functions of the remote control? I don't want to mess it up and I want to know exactly how to have control of the quadcopter.
The camera is controlled by a 2 position switch on the transmitter. Up will take a pic and down starts video. I've lost a few videos from being corrupted for some reason. I'm trying to sort out why it happens.
I did not know the X8G had a RTH? I thought one just used the headless mode to bring it back by choosing a "preferred heading" and holding both sticks to lower left and then the craft will move in the direction of the controller pointed at the "preferred heading" as long as the pitch and roll stick are pulled away from where the craft is located. Is this wrong?
The ad I saw and then bought showed an 8MP camera. When my box arrived it showed 5MP. Took 5 photos at 1080p while holding the X8G in my hand. When I downloaded them, they were 2.2 & 2.3MP. So what is the deal? Where is the 8MP???
Hey. You said in the beginning of the video that you would make a FPV test. What budget FPV kits would you recommend for this quadcopter. I'm think of buying this model, and would like to have a FPV on it.
+Gherdea Alin Hi Gherdea, I haven't spent time on putting FPV on it yet since I had a motor fail recently and need to order another. I would say something in the 200Mw power range would be good if you can find a cheap kit that has a small separate FPV camera.
+Dustin Dunnill How reliable are the motors on this? Have you ever had to change them? If you did is it a complicated process? Also how does this fly during the cold winter? Thanks
+Nathan Eck $17 for four upgraded motors is a steal @ amazon-i also got a 5 pack of 2000mamp batterys and a balanced charger for like $33 un be liveable, $1.26 for four props @gearbest
Hi thanks for the review. You went over the controls but never mentioned the return to home feature except for when you were doing the flight test. Earlier specs for this quad mentions a return to home but now its not listed on Syma's website or no mention of it in the manual. Could you verify or comment on that?
+Brad Mann I showed the RTH in flight test of video. Long press right top trigger button until long beep. I forget if you need to be in headless first or not. Try both.
Dustin Dunnill Thank you for your reply Dustin. Haven't flown it much in the process of adding deans connectors to the unit and batteries to be able to use a better quality charger. But I will try that when the weather warms up and we start flying. I have a phantom 3 advanced that consumes some of my time as well. Great job on your reviews as well, seem to be pretty thorough.
Hi Justin and Thank You, they said it was shipped, they haven't given me a tracking number it has been 6 weeks' they seem to be very hard to communicate with. O I have to tell you I enjoy your video's Thanks for getting back with me
Hey Tom. You just need to login and keep sending messages about your order. They've always corrected screw ups for me but sometimes takes a while to fix.
Hi Justin I'll do that, I purchased a Detect X 380 from them got a good deal I think $249+shipping $20 hope I get it soon' we'll see.O well it's cold here in St . Louis Mo. Thank You I'll be watching all your videos
no offence good video and all but the rule in my world of what hobby grade is is if you can buy all the parts for the rc then its hobby grade even if mod parts are not being made as there are different levels of hobby grade rc's
Your probably right Kevy. Everybody has their own definition. I guess I have a standard shaped in my own mind over the years and RC with brushless electronics I now kind of consider "hobby grade". To each his own :)
+Kevys Rc & Music Having pre-ordered and owned a X8C... this will always be toy grade to me... Proprietary and toy grade in design makes it a toy... it is what it is, Syma selling parts is where they make their money... doesn't even make entry level hobby grade to my mind, though it can be a full time hobby keeping one of these in the air.. go figure.
Yes, with a different Cam that does WiFi out but not advisable since it is close to the control frequency. Better is to get a lightweight 5.8ghz FPV setup/cam.
thanx for your simple demonstration of headless bro, the instructions on the manual are piss poor as is the explanations of almost everything else in it, no complaints on their stuff, its cheap and fun but they really need to stop using google translator when printing out the manuals right?
Hi Justin I'll do that, I did purchase a Detect X 380 from GearBest will let you know how that goes' they charge me $20.for shipping it was a good deal $249.+$20 hope I get it soon
+Dustin Dunnill I did not know the X8G had a RTH? I thought one just used the headless mode to bring it back by choosing a "preferred heading" and holding both sticks to lower left and then the craft will move in the direction of the controller pointed at the "preferred heading" as long as the pitch and roll stick are pulled away from where the craft is located. Is This wrong?
I am trying to install an FPV system along with an anti-jello mount on the Syma X8G. The total extra weight will be around 200 grams. Is this way out of the ballpark, or would it be feasible?
Because people who are new to the hobby like to learn from people who know more and care enough to spend hours making a review video. Sheesh...hate much?
+Ted Soto I was trying to suggest what to do because the video did not show him how to fly it. I was just sharing that it did not make a difference that he did not show how to fly it. Both yes AND no this is a beginner quad. For quads yes but you should know how to fly a store bought little hei WAY before this, that would teach you the remote.
Im wondering if you did any of the MODS you mentioned in the video?? You said you may mod it for wifi FPV and longer range? I am interested in this quad IF it could be Moded with wifi FPV and longer range. Thanks for the review
+Christ In You Hi Chris, I had planned to do some mods but decided not to because it seems that when you add more weight the brushed motors will fail sooner and I did not want to crash all the fpv gear etc. I had a motor failure a few flights after the weight of the Amkov Cam use.
hi there,i just bought this off ebay,but they didnt send a manual...any idea where i can get one...or the software to load on phone?...Thanks very much
I found this exact drone on the side of the road with string tied to it so I adopted it and bought the necessary parts and now I've had it for 3 weeks. It flies really well and it's happy with it's new owner
If it haven't been for you, I wouldn't have put together those props, thanks a bunch, I just a got my X8G today and I was really eager to fly it to see how it was, it flew just pretty good. Good review and explanation.
Thanks Jorge, glad it helped.
Decent flying in all that wind.Ive got a collection of the X8 series. Just subbed.
Really not sure I could have put this thing together without this video. Thank you!
+hokey dokey 👍
I love the in depth review, most people touch a few bases and move on, you cover all aspects that a buyer wants to know. Doing other research i learned this quad is really easy to change motors, no sodering. Maybe in a future review you can add how easy it is to find parts or replace them. I loved this vid so much i liked and subbed i have since orderd a x8g
Thanks Brett. I will take your recommendation into account if I can in future videos.
That's interesting cause I just bought a run away that of course would need a transmitter. I payed less than a replacement battery which was in the bird. $38 and shipping from an Ebayer who mis Identified it as an X8C but it was a candy apple red X8 Pro in new condition except for two scuff marks on front two arms from its final ( and probably only) landing. Finder took the camera. No biggie. I t runs great. Enjoy your new orphan as I'm sure I will. Dandahermit
i think this is the most informative video i have seen on any drone thanks a lot cheers buddy
Slightly Commodore Amiga-sounding music there. Like it. I bought this drone for my son for his birthday. It's been too windy to fly it so far, but hopefully we'll get to the park this week to try it out.
+TheWitchfinderGenral Glad you liked it. Some have issue with 8bit music..lol. Hope you get out and have some fun with it :)
Thanks for the comprehensive review. My son and I learned a lot. Not sure how the screen on the control panel works, but at least we have an idea of what to expect before our first flight...
I appreciate the videos man. I have the bootleg version of this quad by Swann. It's pretty good. It is basically an X8G. In the month I got it one motor burned out. But I got it for cheap and Modding it gets it working fine like any other quad. WiFi none but buying a cam with WiFi capability is always an option for anyone who wants a drone with FPV. I watch your reviews and quadcopter 101 and a few others who are more tech savvy then others who try too hard to be technical and in the process show failure in understanding quads in little time.
a tip for you. Use a mic foam and bundle of feathers for mics it will work against the wind and clear the muffles(Wind muffs) 100% guarantee you will have great audio even in the harshest winds.
Great video. I just placed an order for one of these and I learned a lot from this video. Thank you 😊
Thank You for the video,I have researched a lot of quads and this one looks like a good deal as far as size and price.
+Martin Mccurley It's good. just order an extra set of motors from the parts link in video description for around 14 bucks. Since they are brushed they will fail eventually.
Thanks for the tip.
I love it when it hit 17:00 and ya suddenly decided to go DISCO on us!
I enjoyed watching your review and flight test. It was also really interesting to see you flying in a heavy breeze although I was certain you were going to crash a number of times.
+BellinghamsterTrail :) Thanks, glad you enjoyed.
Good test , especially liked the Amiga music during the flight footage
Right on Hank Adam
I mean thanks...lol
+Dustin Dunnill - it Brought back Memories , thanks Dustin
Thanks for this great video, very informative. It was just what was looking for as I just ordered this unit and can't wait to give it a try. We plan on taking it RV'ing with us this year to capture some videos.
+Greg Masters Glad to help Greg. Good luck and have fun :)
+Dustin Dunnill
Do you know if this unit has the home function on the right trigger?
Thanks
Awesome and informative video, Dustin!
Quick question ... is the nighttime indoor footage grainier than it appears on TH-cam. I have the Syma X8G, and my indoor low-light videos are sharp, but they exhibit graininess.
Yours looks really smooth, so I'm sure part of it is TH-cam's processing. On to of that, did you do any processing/smoothing of the footage?
Thanks for your time!! :)
It's certainly good practice to watch several reviews of a product before making up ones mind on whether to buy a product? I had decided not to get the G model in the near future, because one reviewer said it was not worth it as the cam was junk so to just buy the C version ( he never showed any cam video). But from what I have seen in your review that cam does a very good job at that price point of around $155. Glad I found your review, thanks for sharing your experience with it.
+wild300zx Thanks. Glad it helped you out. The cam is quite decent i think. And would be much smoother with less windy conditions.
Sweet Man!.. Nice video and the picture quality looks good. And the price is right on the machine.
Thanks
Nice vid mate! i got my x8g today en its flying very stable indeed!
only problem i got is that i need to use the trims a lot before its stable and there is no need of correcting its direction all the time.
even after calibration but i will fix it i know for sure!
thnks!
Cool! It is a fun quad. Fly safe
My right ear loved this video, my left ear felt it was missing out
To get rid of the any jello don't forget to balance the props. You may notice a difference right away. Also if the battery falls out of the quad copter it will die immediately and crash to the ground, different from just turning off the transmitter. Happy Flying. I have subscribed to your channel. Thank you.
+Ken K. Thanks for the info Ken.
+Dustin Dunnill How do you show what it's recording? and what device are you using?
+Ken K. I never really balanced the props on mine and only had the jello when the winds were high. I will give it a try and see if I notice any difference, you never know, right?
Wow can wait to play with mine. Just got it from Amazon
no
You would have to swap out the camera with a GoPro and stay near the copter because the GoPro wifi doesn't have very good range.
wow the amazon description doesnt say it has return home function well guess thats a win for me
Another good Vid Dustin...
I got the X8G (because of price and cam res.) and been satified so far...
Was only $157 with two extra batteries from Newegg... Still a newbe so still using headless most of the time...lol... Can't justify getting a P3 Pro let alone P4 because I love my Drag Bike Racing $$$ too much, but thinking about the P3 Std. now that they're down to $400...
Awesome stuff bro...just got one of these beauties today on Craigslist for cheap...its my first quadcopter and I'm really stoked to try it out...don't know how to fly it but I'll learn...only thing that sucks is that it came with a European charger which means I'll have to order an American one so I'm going to have to wait about a week to try this baby out...but great information on this quadcopter...thanks...
+Mad Max Glad you enjoyed. Have fun :)
Very nice review Dustin, thanks! My out of the box test revealed about the same with one exception. I tested In House first. Traumatized two cats, and sent the wife running after me with a fireplace poker. Think I'll stick to park flying. Again, nice video though!
I agree with Steve, good review Dustin. I got one for Christmas and have some limited flights on it since. Your review helped me understand some of the controller functions that can be a little difficult to pick up from the owners manual.
Thanks for your time and efforts!
Good video...Just ordered one
I LOVE YOUR REVIEW thanks a lot man I bought it :) gonna get it soon
Great video Dustin,thorough as usual,you was flying it like a sports flyer,lol.Camera did great in low light.Not a bad quad I got the x8c with a blown motor,lol.Waiting on repair parts ready to shoot the fake alps out here in Delaware when it snows.Thanx for sharing,God bless.
Right on thanks bro. Hope your motor comes in and you get yours up in the sky soon!
+Dustin Dunnill What's ironic for me is I ordered spare motors when I bought my X8c and haven't needed to replace one yet! Also Dustin, I was starting to think that you had something against the X8 since you had not reviewed the previous versions (X8c, X8sw, etc.) I wish they would just do a BNF version, that would be awesome. Great video as usual, thanks.
+DJ SOUL FORCE Thanks man. Sorry so long to reply.
Cut the little nub off of the cam mount that will help reduce the jello and you can tilt the cam how you want it and balance the props.I also use a Mobius cam on mine to it get better flight time's with out using the power from the battery to power the cam. your video is the main reason it bought the X8G $127 shipped usa warehouse. Thanks Dustin great review.....
Thanks Harlan. Good tips. How's your motors holding up?
there holding up good for now i have i guess around 50 flights on it. did you have to replace you motors yet?
One of mine had the motor shaft grind a groove through it's brass bushing and fail after a few flights with Amkov5000s. Could have been from crashing though..lol
For $127 it's a good deal. I Haven't crashed it. but i have gotten it so high it lost signal once. i put my Big 5 gps logger on it and it lost signal at 550ft. in a big open field it fell and i saved it.
I have been flying Rc planes for over 30 years some helicopters in the last 5 years and quads for just a year. i watched you you tube vid 20 x and like it very much that's why i bought the X8G. it fly's good in the wind and the vid is good also.
Nice review Dustin. Seem like every time you have a flight review the wind is kicking up pretty good although that shows the ability of the craft and the pilot. LOL Great flying. Question, when you did the turn off of TX test were the motors still running, did it try to land but the wind was to strong. Thanks for the video.
Thanks. Yes, I probably should not have done the TX off test in that wind but it did show the motors were still trying to spin even when upside down and stuck. In the house TX off test you can see how it would do in no wind.
I become The quadrokopter Typ Christmas :) Is very Nice!Thank you For The Video!You Build The quadrokopter!
Great review! Thank you!
Great review!
Hey all! Hope your enjoying the review. Gearbest whom provided this drone for review notified me they are having a "Big Summer Promotion Sale" which is ending this week. Please check it out and don't miss the deals here: goo.gl/U5nL8x
Fuck gearbest, They are awful.
+Sausage Face Exactly, they gave me a broken quadcopter and aren't responding when i need help, WHEN I HAVE A FUCKING WARRANT FOR IT.
Dustin Dunnill nice videos
Hey +Dustin Dunnill could you please answer, are the camera controls on the controller still functioning after switching to your other camera?
Have you tried unscrewing the original camera frame and replacing it with a mobius with a gopro mount adapter.I believe the mobius setup is lighter and produces better video,but the stock camera was pretty good for what it is.Maybe some foam and prop balancing can eliminate jello completely.
I have a Mobius I'm reviewing and will be doing this on the X8 this weekend.
I've got one and SJ 4000 camera plus some mods looking to install fpv transmitter on it to connect my Quanum v1 FPV goggles :) . Good entrance to big quads level before spending big money on Phantom etc
+KrzychOlsztyn Did the same!!!
To all you complaining about symas quality and designs. It's a god damned toy! Its not even a hobby grade quad, its just a toy.
+RoboCawp yea got two $100 each- x8g and x8w fpv .batterys 5 pack for $34 where are u going?
Nice video.
1.What is the Quad copter video resolution?
2. You show that Quad copter is moving on its own. Can this follow the transmitter on its own?
3. Do you think syma X8G, Syma X6 super ship or MJX X101 is the best ? As prices go high to low? What is your view?
Thank you
Thanks
1. 1080/720 shown in vid
2. Wind also shown/ explained in video
3. Honestly have only tested X8G so I can't comment about the others.
for the money a bargain. taking stock camera off and those awful landingear not only transforms flight but akes a Mobius on top easily with great results. lovely video once again.
The reviewer has made a mistake about the Return To Home feature he thought was available on this quad. Probably was due to wind blowing directly towards him when he released the right stick. The right shoulder button does give an additional beep when long pressed but this does not initiate any RTH function. No other Syma X5 or X8 variant with headless (save GPS drones) has a RTH function either.
very nice video.. what a awesome review :)
thanks! Glad you enjoyed.
The onboard video looked quite acceptable. Too bad they didn't tweak their mount a bit more to deal with the jello.
+TheGusK Agreed. It's nice and clear. Just needs some vibe mods.
yep good video.ive got this qaud and it flys well...
+richy todd Right on Richy
can u please how to buy this product.i am leaving in india karnataka mysore
+suhas tech link under video in description
good review.
Thanks 👷
Hi I bought this quad because of this video. It was very helpful when I got it to use your video to assemble it. One problem I'm having is "return to home". Could you explain
Hold right trigger until long been is heard. Touching right stick will deactivated RTH
+Dustin Dunnill Right trigger ? What is the right trigger ? Please explain this... Thanks
Thanks for the review, Dustin. Don't you have any calm wind days there in Maui??? Seems like the wind is always blowing 20mph ;-) X8G seemed to handle the wind okay, but the camera and mount system weren't optimal for that much wind. I can't see the X8G carrying a powered gimbal & a GoPro type camera. The included camera took pretty good video, but it could use an "auto white balance" feature, as your night time indoor video was pretty yellow. I know my RunCam has a setting in the Configuration to set up if you are using incandescent lighting. I doubt there is a config program for the included cam. At 42 grams, the RunCam is only slightly heavier than the standard camera, and would offer better video. That said, a std. X8C with RunCam/Mobius mounted would seem to be a better video platform than this, but slightly more expensive. If a person didn't want to mess around with "mix and match", this X8G could be a viable option. I've seen some other reviews that were not complimentary of the range, so I'm glad yours appeared at least to reach about 100m. Oh, don't think I'd want to fly something that big in my house, which is especially small (650 sq. ft.)! I see your cat didn't come out during the flying of this one indoors .. he was smart! BTW, I always wondered if cats were allowed on the Hawaiian islands. Some countries have ridiculous 6 month quarantine procedures if you bring a cat to their island (like in the UK I think). Oh well, thanks for the review .. I waited until I got home from work to watch it so that I could watch it in one go, and on a better screen than my tablet that I take to work. Cheers!
Hey Bill. The tropical winds here are pretty gnarly on the north of the island.
I still have to finish my review of the Mobius so I'll be mounting it up on the X8 and seeing how it does. We definitely have some laws on bringing animals in from out of state bit not sure of the specifics. At first the cat was freaks of my copters but now he barely pays attention :)
+Dustin Dunnill Holy cow! I used to live on the east end of Molokai 26 years ago. Miss it a lot.
+Robert Arne Dresslar Cool! Come on back an visit sometime :)
+Dustin Dunnill Hi, im thinking about getting a x8g soon but am a little concerned with the weight of it and the motors. That's a lot of stress on the brushed motors to carry that much weight. How long have you had this and have you needed to change or fix any of the motors? Also how does this fly in the cold during winter time?Also can you recommend any other quadcopter that offers this video quality and is around the same price range? Thanks.
+Nathan Eck I had one motor fry after the 3rd flight with the heavier amkov cam mounted up and it fell from 200ft.. surprisingly only cracked the landing gear slightly. I think this is still probably the best bang for your buck but order a spare set of motors just in case from link in vid description. They are cheap.
Great review..thanks
Thanks. You bet.
nice video👍
+Kevin Cruz Thanks Kevin
Great video and now convinced to buy one of my own as seems the most affordable alternative to a Phantom and GoPro. One question I have is does the controller display the battery level of the drone?
I like your video I have a syma x5sw and I also have a phantom 3 my dad has a mavic pro the stickers on the drone are the phantom 3 stickers Good video😎💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩🙂🤓
Get video. Very informative and precise.
A couples of questions though. How does look at night and how's the hover at low and high altitudes?
Not supposed to fly it at night per FAA.
It seems to me the real change-up here is the camera, from 2mp to a claimed 8mp. Big jump (possibly) since the 2mp camera was so bad that it was useless.
I didn't see a comparison of the "new" 8mp camera, even though you show us two cameras that could fit in the plastic camera mount.
The other Cam was just to show try that gopro style cams will also fit.
Awesome video Justin on Syma x8g...thank you!!! I do have one big question about "Return To Home" function, there is no mention of this function in my x8g manual and it does not work on my x8g quad. Are you absolutely sure yours has a "Return To Home" function? Thanks again for a super awesome video....I really enjoyed watching this video...Thanks again!!!
+James Pence (Remote Tech) Yes, Long press right top trigger... long beep and it's in RTH
very nice video
Thanks George :)
You're welcome I shared your video to a friend that has been trying to get into aerial photog but the cheap way
Cool! Thanks George. Good luck to your friend.
A very well done review. Thanks.
So, the two buttons on the bottom of the X8G's camera mount work with an inverted Amkov 5000S?
Also, can you post the in-flight videos using the stock camera and the Amkov? I've seen in RC Groups that X8 prop balancing is very helpful in reducing video vibrations, as one would expect, but even so, anti-resonance tuning of mounts to eliminate vibrations is something that toy grade quad manufacturers seem unwilling to do even when they know the mass of the camera to be mounted because they supply it themselves.
Thanks Winston. Yes, one button lines up perfectly as shown in vid. Unfortunately my Amkov Micro USB port broke during this review so it would not record (I'll have to take it apart to see about fixing) otherwise I would have included video from that also. Yes prop balancing will help. For my initial reviews I like to try and keep the results as close to stock out of the box as possible for a better guage. I'll be making a few more videos of this one soon with some mods done.
Howdy Dustin Dunnill... Great video ! Thanks for sharing with us... I just got this drone today, the X8G with the 8mp cam. I also have the SYMA X8W... I'm new to all of this, and I'm still learning how to fly. In time I should be a better pilot " I Hope "
I'd like to ask if would do just a short video showing in detail just how to use the lever / button that makes the drone return to home ? I see it in this video as you do it, but it's not real clear... Myself and others would love to see how it's done... Again, Great video, and thanks so much for sharing. By the way, I subbed yer channel, Thumbs Up, and shared it on google plus...
+Goodolboy One it seems that some of these don't have the t LM RTH feature. I did this review a while ago and completely forget how it went down. I have a failed motor I need to replace and then I'll give it a try. I remember it was very windy when I did this review. I'm hoping the wind wasn't the RTH coincidence but now that I think about it... it may have blown back perfectly imitating RTH when the button beeped. I'll try again.
Dustin Dunnill
Ahhh...... Ok, No problem buddy, Yes it was windy when you done the video, you can tell because the wind was hitting the mike in yer Action Cam... By the way, Where did you get that clamp that hold yer cam to the bill of yer cam or visor ?? Would like to have one of those.. Anyway, Stranger things have happen, and the wind just may have had a hand in on the RTH... I'm gonna be horsing around with mine and I'll put it in headless mode, and press and hold that trigger button on top of the transmitter until i hear beeps and see what happens. If nothing happens, No biggie for sure... Right now my main problem with my X8G is, The cam is not working... :( I'm not sure what the problem is..... Seller will make it right whatever the problem.... Damn I got long winded there LOL Anyway, great video, and I hope to learn to fly as good as you do.... :)
this will be my first drone ever i have experince with helis but not drones so give me some tips and how do you see the footage from the camrea
Hey, Dustin, I've been watching a lot of reviews about the XG8 and this is the best, very detailed! Is there any way you can make a tutorial about the features and functions of the remote control? I don't want to mess it up and I want to know exactly how to have control of the quadcopter.
+Rebeca Martinez thanks Rebeca. I thought I went over the controls in this video already?
Hey Dustin Dunnill, I love your videos!! Can you please tell me the flight time of this Syma x8g drone? Thanks!
Can you explain in a little more detail on how to use the camera feature and the return to home feature?
The camera is controlled by a 2 position switch on the transmitter. Up will take a pic and down starts video. I've lost a few videos from being corrupted for some reason. I'm trying to sort out why it happens.
The camera button must be pressed off to stop the recording and to save to the SD card
If it's turned off w/o that, it corrupts
I did not know the X8G had a RTH? I thought one just used the headless mode to bring it back by choosing a "preferred heading" and holding both sticks to lower left and then the craft will move in the direction of the controller pointed at the "preferred heading" as long as the pitch and roll stick are pulled away from where the craft is located. Is this wrong?
Does the x8g have a brushless motors or not??
How do you get your Video/photos out of the cam to the Computer ??????????
Thanks for the Demo Video !
can you see the video in real time or can you connect your phone?
The ad I saw and then bought showed an 8MP camera. When my box arrived it showed 5MP. Took 5 photos at 1080p while holding the X8G in my hand. When I downloaded them, they were 2.2 & 2.3MP. So what is the deal? Where is the 8MP???
+Carl Olson I never really pay attention to the writing on the box with china drones. I always just test it to see how it really works.
Link para las parte aquí EURECA THANKS AND FOR THE VIDEO.
Hey. You said in the beginning of the video that you would make a FPV test. What budget FPV kits would you recommend for this quadcopter. I'm think of buying this model, and would like to have a FPV on it.
+Gherdea Alin Hi Gherdea, I haven't spent time on putting FPV on it yet since I had a motor fail recently and need to order another. I would say something in the 200Mw power range would be good if you can find a cheap kit that has a small separate FPV camera.
+Dustin Dunnill How reliable are the motors on this? Have you ever had to change them? If you did is it a complicated process? Also how does this fly during the cold winter? Thanks
i`m pretty sure it has built -in fvpv
+a11yourbase Arebelongtous i mean fpv
+Nathan Eck $17 for four upgraded motors is a steal @ amazon-i also got a 5 pack of 2000mamp batterys and a balanced charger for like $33 un be liveable, $1.26 for four props @gearbest
yess good
Hi thanks for the review. You went over the controls but never mentioned the return to home feature except for when you were doing the flight test. Earlier specs for this quad mentions a return to home but now its not listed on Syma's website or no mention of it in the manual. Could you verify or comment on that?
+Brad Mann I showed the RTH in flight test of video. Long press right top trigger button until long beep. I forget if you need to be in headless first or not. Try both.
Dustin Dunnill Thank you for your reply Dustin. Haven't flown it much in the process of adding deans connectors to the unit and batteries to be able to use a better quality charger. But I will try that when the weather warms up and we start flying. I have a phantom 3 advanced that consumes some of my time as well. Great job on your reviews as well, seem to be pretty thorough.
Hi Justin and Thank You, they said it was shipped, they haven't given me a tracking number it has been 6 weeks' they seem to be very hard to communicate with.
O I have to tell you I enjoy your video's
Thanks for getting back with me
Hey Tom. You just need to login and keep sending messages about your order. They've always corrected screw ups for me but sometimes takes a while to fix.
Hi Justin I'll do that, I purchased a Detect X 380 from them got a good deal I think $249+shipping $20 hope I get it soon' we'll see.O well it's cold here in St . Louis Mo. Thank You I'll be watching all your videos
no offence good video and all but the rule in my world of what hobby grade is is if you can buy all the parts for the rc then its hobby grade even if mod parts are not being made as there are different levels of hobby grade rc's
Your probably right Kevy. Everybody has their own definition. I guess I have a standard shaped in my own mind over the years and RC with brushless electronics I now kind of consider "hobby grade". To each his own :)
+Dustin Dunnill :) take care man
+Kevys Rc & Music Having pre-ordered and owned a X8C... this will always be toy grade to me... Proprietary and toy grade in design makes it a toy... it is what it is, Syma selling parts is where they make their money... doesn't even make entry level hobby grade to my mind, though it can be a full time hobby keeping one of these in the air.. go figure.
+Ken Oath every one has an opnion on the difference between toy and hobby grade on any level , i have heard this quad is hard on motors
can u add ur phone on the controler? so u can see the drone live in action? (WiFi camera)
Yes, with a different Cam that does WiFi out but not advisable since it is close to the control frequency. Better is to get a lightweight 5.8ghz FPV setup/cam.
Nice
On my X8G not work the home button.
Do I need to keep only the 360 button pressed until it beeps long and then release ?
how long did it take to be delivered I need one in the next 3 weeks do you think it will be delivered by then
thanx for your simple demonstration of headless bro, the instructions on the manual are piss poor as is the explanations of almost everything else in it, no complaints on their stuff, its cheap and fun but they really need to stop using google translator when printing out the manuals right?
Lol..right on.
Where is the antenna on the G model, i.e. would vertical range be 300 feet, same as horizontal?
Hi Justin I'll do that, I did purchase a Detect X 380 from GearBest will let you know how that goes' they charge me $20.for shipping it was a good deal $249.+$20 hope I get it soon
Good deal! I just bought another also:)
How do you change to high rates? Do you just press the headless button?
+ChromeRider yes, short press = rate. Long press = headless
Dustin Dunnill thank you
+Dustin Dunnill I did not know the X8G had a RTH? I thought one just used the headless mode to bring it back by choosing a "preferred heading" and holding both sticks to lower left and then the craft will move in the direction of the controller pointed at the "preferred heading" as long as the pitch and roll stick are pulled away from where the craft is located. Is This wrong?
I'm having a hard time transferring the files from the SD card to my computer.....any tips? Do I have to go thru an app?
what is headless mode exectly pls help!
I am trying to install an FPV system along with an anti-jello mount on the Syma X8G. The total extra weight will be around 200 grams. Is this way out of the ballpark, or would it be feasible?
Do-able but motors will fail much sooner. Get a replacement set just in case.
+Apple FanBoy the motors are really cheap and are plug in motors
Is it possible to attach a real go pro to the USB cable?
The X8G has return to home?
Just got me an X8G. Plugged in a new Batt fully charged. The lights keep flashing and the props wont turn on. HELP!
can you monitor your footage? Does it do live streamming to a cell phone? Thanks
this does not have one key return or return home
This video does show how to operate the quadcopter. Thius guy puts it together and flies it.So what good is it.
It is very easy for anybody to fly it! Just play with the control like i did and you will get the hang of it!
Because people who are new to the hobby like to learn from people who know more and care enough to spend hours making a review video. Sheesh...hate much?
+Ted Soto I was trying to suggest what to do because the video did not show him how to fly it. I was just sharing that it did not make a difference that he did not show how to fly it. Both yes AND no this is a beginner quad. For quads yes but you should know how to fly a store bought little hei WAY before this, that would teach you the remote.
BRO WHAT IS THE WORKING / FLY TIME ? 5 MINS?
Im wondering if you did any of the MODS you mentioned in the video?? You said you may mod it for wifi FPV and longer range? I am interested in this quad IF it could be Moded with wifi FPV and longer range. Thanks for the review
+Christ In You Hi Chris, I had planned to do some mods but decided not to because it seems that when you add more weight the brushed motors will fail sooner and I did not want to crash all the fpv gear etc. I had a motor failure a few flights after the weight of the Amkov Cam use.
+Dustin Dunnill Thanks for the reply. I decided to buy the XK X380 and do some MODS that you did to yours. Thanks a million for the how to videos!
Does this drone have live cam
Pro Gamerz No. I tought it had but when I was setting it up I found out that it didn't.
a imagem da câmara que vem com o produto é o mesmo que vídeo?
Hey plz review global drone gw180 alike syma x8g
Hi, What type of camera you do later?
nice
anyway to see the video or pics your taking thru smart phone.
hi there,i just bought this off ebay,but they didnt send a manual...any idea where i can get one...or the software to load on phone?...Thanks very much
Has there been an hardware upgrade comparing this to the X8C? Like better motors or sth similar?
Thanks! :)
Good question. Honestly I'm not sure. This is the first of the Syma X8 series I've tried.
Ahh okay, I thought that I already saw a review of the X8C on your channel, sorry!
No prob. :)