Holy Stone HS120D Drone Insights

Sep 20, 2024

Holy Stone HS120D Drone Overview

Introduction

  • Presented by Tom from Cleveland, Ohio at the “Don’t Screw it Up” workshop.
  • Provides comprehensive information about the Holy Stone HS120D drone.
  • The video is a compilation of 20 short videos covering all features and functionalities.

Personal Experience

  • Tom’s first drone and learning experience.
  • Initial challenges faced with crashing the drone.
  • Emphasis on sharing knowledge for beginner drone flyers.

Safety Precautions

  • Drones can be dangerous due to sharp propellers.
  • Recommended safety gear: safety glasses, hat, long sleeves.
  • Always follow the manufacturer’s safety guidelines.
  • Flying is risky and should be done at your own risk.

Drone Features and Components

  • Purchased on Amazon for $150.
  • Comes with a drone, controller, batteries, charger, spare parts, and a backpack.
  • User manual criticized for poor quality.

Important Purchases and Setup

  • Requires a micro SD card; recommended 32 GB due to compatibility issues.
  • Additional USB charging plugs may be needed.

Drone Assembly

  • Fully assembled out of the box.
  • Key components: propellers, motors, lights, landing gear, camera, and battery compartment.

Controller (Transmitter)

  • Controller features: two antennas, phone holder, joysticks, and various buttons.
  • Functions of buttons: headless mode, return to home, power, auto takeoff/landing.
  • Hidden controls for photo, video, and speed adjustments.
  • Indicator lights for return to home, speed, camera readiness, and headless mode.

App and Connectivity

  • App: HS GPS V1.
  • Functions: control screen, map, settings, media gallery.
  • Displays various status indicators like GPS signal and battery power.

Key Terminologies

  • FPV (First Person View): Camera view and control orientation.
  • Headless Mode: Control relative to the original takeoff position, not camera orientation.
  • Altitude Mode: Turns off GPS and relies on manual control.

Flight Envelope

  • Defined by speed, distance, and altitude settings in the app.
  • Helps prevent crashes by restricting flight to a set perimeter.

Beginner and Super Beginner Modes

  • Beginner Mode: Defaults to 30m distance and altitude.
  • Super Beginner Mode: Suggested for new users - 20m distance, 10m altitude, slow speed.

Operating the Drone

  • Three C's for Safe Flying: Connect, Calibrate, Controlled Hover.
  • Importance of proper calibration and controlled hover before flying.

Flight Features

  • Auto Takeoff and Landing: Easy operation but lacks obstacle avoidance.
  • Return to Home: Works in GPS and headless modes but not in altitude mode. Needs a clear path to avoid obstacles.
    • Operates differently based on distance threshold (~30m).
  • Speed Settings: Slow, medium, and fast - test and adjust based on comfort.

Advanced Features

  • Photos and Videos: Stored in two places - phone (low resolution) and SD card (high resolution).
  • Gesture Control: Not reliable; requires high contrast background to work.
  • Follow Me Mode: Tracks the phone location, not the controller.
  • Tap Fly: Allows setting multiple GPS waypoints for the drone to follow.

Conclusion

  • Understanding all features and settings is crucial for safe and effective flying.
  • Practicing with recommended flight plans and landing techniques enhances skill.
  • Emphasizes safety and gradual learning to master drone operation.