Deerc DE25 Drone Review

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Holy Stone, selling under the DEERC label for this product, makes different remote-controlled toys aimed at the more experienced operators.

The DEERC DE25 drone is a step well up from an entry-level machine with GPS and enough flying automation to keep you entertained. For serious photographers, the 1080p HD Wi-Fi remotely adjustable 120-degree camera will not disappoint. We took a closer look at what’s in the box.

Six reasons that make the DEERC DE25 drone a popular choice:

• Easy to fly: With single function buttons.
• Simple to control: Using the smartphone app.
• Fun to operate: With follow me, circle me, tracking functions and first-person view.
• Practical design: Featuring auto-return and folding arms.
• Good range: Up to 600 m reach.
• Decent optics: With a remote controlled 1080p HD camera.

What Can You Do With the DEERC DE25 Drone?

The sky’s the limit with the DEERC DE25 Drone, so to speak, or more precisely, about 600 metres with the remote control. So within that range you can have some good fun, as we found out.

Easy to Fly

You can launch and land with a button press, which lets you get to the fun part with ease, no matter whether you are a beginner or veteran pilot.

Auto-hover in position if you want to take a clear shot or simply take your hands off the controls for a moment. The built-in GPS helps compensate for the wind effect.

Return to base when you press the corresponding button with GPS assisted flight control.

Simple to Control

Switch to headless mode so you don’t have to worry about which way the drone is facing. This is helpful, especially when the DEERC DE25 drone is far away.

Vary the speed setting from low to high to keep steady control or raise the excitement level.

Use gesture control to get the DEERC DE25 drone to take photos or videos of you.

Fun to Operate

Be the film director by commanding the drone to circle you or follow a trajectory you trace on a map to your phone.

Let the drone follow you as you walk or bike with the camera recording all the action.

Track a moving object or person that the drone has in its sights.

Fly with first-person view when you stream the video to your app, with the camera tilted to give you a forward view. And split view mode on the phone app makes it possible to pilot the DEERC DE25 drone with any suitable VR goggles.

Practical Design

Avoid loss of the drone from power failure. The DEERC DE25 Drone will return automatically when the battery level drops too low or when it loses the signal. Using the GPS, the drone knows how to get back. Just keep in mind that it does not have collision avoidance so it will return ‘line of sight’ even if something is in the way.

Keep the drone always on hand with a compact, folding design to fit in your bag or stowed away in your car.

On the Downside

We would have loved to find obstacle avoidance integrated, but that is unfortunately missing.

The DEERC DE25 Drone Up Close

Let’s take a closer look at some of the capabilities of the DEERC DE25 drone.

What’s Included in the Package?

Apart from the fully assembled DEERC DE25 drone, charger and remote control, the box also contains a USB charging cable, as well as spare rotor blades and propeller guards with a screwdriver to fit them.

Folded up, the drone is just 60 by 100 by 145 millimeters. With the propellers sitting loose when the motor is stopped, that makes for a very compact size.

How Do You Control the DEERC DE25 Drone?

Apart from powering up and steering the drone, the remote control only has buttons for start/landing and the auto-return as well as to toggle the headless mode.

For all the other advanced functions, the app on your phone has to be started and connected by Wi-Fi. You can then activate a number of functions:

• Follow me.
• Altitude hold.
• Circle me.
• Follow trajectory.
• Take a picture.
• Stream and record video.
• Adjust the camera angle.

So How Long Will It Fly For?

You may not always get the full advertised 18 minute flight time, but a quarter of an hour’s flight time is a reasonable expectation according to other owners.

So How Long Will It Fly For?

You may not always get the full advertised 18 minute flight time, but a quarter of an hour’s flight time is a reasonable expectation according to other owners.

How Does the Camera Work?

The 1920x1080p HD camera, with 120-degree wide-angle lens, has a remote-controlled 90-degree vertical tilt gimbal.

Images and 25FPS video are recorded on a micro SD card that is inserted directly into the DEERC DE25 Drone. If you don’t have a card to hand, then the app on your phone can save photo and video but allow for a potential quality loss with moving images, especially over increased distances.

How Are the Batteries Charged?

The included micro USB can be used with any USB outlet to charge the battery in the DEERC DE25 drone. Allow about 2.5 hours for a full charge cycle.

The long charge time may be justified for the battery size (1500 mAh) and the rated 18-minute flight time, but that does make the lack of an included reserve battery especially disappointing. Ordering additional batteries is not cheap, but check for current prices.

What Are the Technical Specs?

Key specifications we have not mentioned so far are:

• Brushless motors.
• 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi.
• 4 control channels.
• 3 speed settings.
• Weight is 242 g.

Pros and Cons

There is not much to complain about the Holystone DEERC DE25 if you keep the mid-range price in mind.

Pros
• Good feature set.
• Built-in GPS.
• Gesture control.
• On-board recording to a micro SD card.

Cons
• Average image quality.
• No extra battery included in the box.
• No obstacle avoidance.
• Users have trouble with false low battery warnings.

Product Reviews

Owners of the DEERC DE25 drone generally speak highly of it, enjoying the feature set and the performance for the value. Some had trouble with the battery charge indicators.

A small number had manufacturing issues that required a return for a refund, which serves as a reminder to buy from a trustworthy merchant. The company behind it, Holystone, has a good reputation for customer service.

FAQ

Can You Fly the DEERC DE25 Drone Without a Remote?

If the batteries on the remote die on you, you can still control it by Wi-Fi with your smartphone. However, be aware that the Wi-Fi range is limited to about 150 metres, direct line of sight.

Does It Need to Be Registered With the CAA?

No, weighing just 242 grams, it still falls under the minimum size requirement for CAA Registration.

Can You Change the Camera Angle in Flight?

Yes, the tilt of the camera can be moved 90 degrees from vertical to horizontal.

Where Can You Buy It?

You can get the DEERC DE25 drone on Amazon.

Our Verdict

In this DEERC DE25 drone review. we found a good performer that offers great value for a mid-range product. With a complete set of features, easy to use remote and good flight performance, we can only send you to more costly models to obtain better images and flight performance.