SYMA X5SC Explorers 2 Drone Review

Check the latest price of the Syma X5SC-2 here

Every now and again you get your hands on something that excites you. Now before you start with the rude jokes we are sticking very much to the theme of drones here and we are talking about the upgraded Syma X5SC-1 drone. You could be forgiven for thinking that this would be a pretty flimsy piece of drone tech, and although it is obviously never going to compete with the Sparks and Mavics of this world, there is a place in every household for a budget drone such as this.

So with newly found optimism we set about our review of the Syma X5SC-2.

First Impressions

Our first thoughts on taking the Syma out of the box was that it actually looked like a pretty cool drone. The camera is discretely packed away and built in to the slim design of the X5SC-1 and the drone reverts to the white and red original colurs which we prefer. Looks only get you so far of course, but this is definitely an improvement on the old X5SC-1

The propellers feel a little flimsy compared to other models in this price range but other than that there was nothing to be concerned about at all at this stage.

In the box you will find the quadcopter itself, the sturdy and quite retro remote control, 4GB SD card and card reader, lithium battery, USB charger, 2 blades and 4 propeller protectors.

Check latest price of the SYMA X5SC-1 here

Flying the Syma X5SC-2

The Syma X5SC-2 is a joy to fly and although it is pretty lightweight it will perform well in conditions that are not too windy – that being said it can cope with some minor disturbance wind wise.

The solid remote control is easy to use, feels good in the hand is very responsive – we didn’t spot on noticeable lag when controlling the drone at all – even at distances of around 50 metres.

The 6 axis system keeps the drone steady and allows you launch it from the palm of your hand should you so wish. We managed to get around 10 minutes of flying time out of our X5SC-2 which was pretty incredible really, although we did see this reduce dramatically when recording footage and taking pictures. There is no official top speed for the Syma but we would guess that it was easily reaching speeds of around 25MPH which felt pretty good for the small UAV.

The Syma X5SC-2 is not the easiest drone to control and will give even more experience pilots a good test when it comes to pulling off stunts and more complicated manoeuvres but it is well protected from bumps and crashes thanks to the propeller guards that sit below the propellors themselves.

We did take a plummet to the ground from around 30 feet in the air and it had no noticeable damage and so off we went again.

Expect to be able to do all the usual flips and 360 moves with the X5SC-2 although you will have to do these manually – again it is a great drone to hone your flying skills on.

The Syma is also suitable for indoor and outdoor flying.

Check latest price of the SYMA X5SC-1 here

Camera Quality

The Syma carries a 2MP camera that also manages HD video. The 4GB memory card can store around 3 minutes or so of footage (although you can obviously expand this) and provides pretty decent images in good light. In fact, we would go as far to say that this is one of the best cameras we have seen on a drone for under £40. This is probably the best drone in it’s price rage full stop.

Now of course, you have no display to see what you are shooting but again as a learning drone this is good fun and should be viewed in that light.

Our summary is back at the top of the review.

Check latest price of the SYMA X5SC-1 here