Best Value

Force1 U835 Kestrel Review: The Sky Knight For Beginners Under $150

Update - 2019.12.14This drone is no longer available on the market. We apologize for any inconvenience it may have caused.

If you ever wanted to fly a drone that is both incredibly durable and responsive to the controls. Meet the Force U835 Kestrel. It is commonly known as the Sky Knight drone mainly for its ABS plastic material that gives natural durability. Before I started talking about U835 Kestrel drone, I want to briefly explain about who is Force1. It is a U-S based company that is well known for its popular drones such as the F72 Rogue and U49W Blue Heron.

All of the drones that they make are quality designed for beginners and recreational remote pilots. In our U835 Kestrel review, I am going to talk about design, performance, features and other tidbits that come with the drone. The goal of our U835 Kestrel review is to help shoppers like you make an informed decision. Through researching and sifting the product reviews, we have assembled the best information available to you. Read more to find out whether the U835 Kestrel drone is the perfect match for you.

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Design & Build Quality

On the first impression, U835 Kestrel drone looks like a completely professional quadcopter crafted for beginners and recreational remote pilots. It’s white coating around its hull body framework. with a black coating on the durable ABS plastic underneath and a gigantic camera located in the front. It does certainly look like a  cyclops which adds a more cool factor. Inside the box, it comes with an aircraft, remote controller, two batteries for the drone, a battery for the remote controller, a USB charger, an 8GB micro SD card, a set of propeller guards, a screwdriver, a spanner and user manual.

Force1 U835 Kestrel Review Accessories and Parts

 

The propeller guards can be installed on the drone to provide an additional layer of protection. This is especially important for beginners who haven’t flown a drone before. The guards act as a shock absorber and reduce the impact to help keep the drone afloat. Additionally, the landing pads provide safe landing zones for the drone. Like the guards, it reduces the impact and keeps a distance between the camera and ground.

Even though so, the U835 Kestrel is a mid-sized quadcopter packed with stylish design and unique appearance that has earned its nickname “The Sky Knight”. On each motor arms, it has built-in LED lights that are visible. It is a must-have feature for spotting the drone during daytime and nighttime. Thanks to its design layout, it weights slightly more than your average “out of the mill” toy-grade drones. Which makes it overall a good choice for both indoor and outdoor activity.

Related Article: Top 7 Best Foldable Drones For Beginners: The Ultimate Starters’ Guide

General Overview:

The U835 Kestrel drone is a mid-sized quadcopter packed with features and simple controls that is easy enough for beginners to learn how to fly. Performance-wise, the battery on average gives a flight time of 7 minutes per charge. But, here is the catch. The package comes with a bonus battery which gives you a total flight time of 14 minutes. I think it is a nice steal at its price value. However, for some remote pilots, it might not be enough. If you want to expand your flight sessions, I recommend purchasing this battery pack which will give you another 42 flight minutes. In total, you will have almost an hour of flight time which is a good add-on product.

U835 Kestrel Drone Review
Recharging the battery approximately takes around 40 minutes. For the transmitter, a battery will last around 30 minutes which is good enough for four flight sessions. Since the transmitter uses less power compared to the drone, it runs longer. As I mentioned previously that the U835 Kestrel is built for durability and performance. Thanks to its weight, it can resist light to moderate wind with relative ease. The three most important features that U835 Kestrel brings to the table are altitude hold function, 6-axis gyroscope, and headless mode.

Altitude hold function ensures that the drone can maintain a certain height. This frees up the need to maintain height and lets beginners focus more on the movement. Another feature is a headless mode that switches the control orientation from the remote controller to the drone. Furthermore, the U835 Kestrel drone encompasses upgraded 6-axis gyroscope that improves its stability and controls for better performance. Finally, it comes with an 8GB micro SD card already built-in so that you can start taking pictures and videos right away.

Related Article: How to Buy A Drone: The Ultimate Guide for Beginners

Pros:

  • It comes with a bonus battery, giving you a total of 14 minutes of flying.
  • Crafted with durable ABS plastic which provides amazing durability.
  • A remote controller is both intuitive and stylish that makes the drone unique apart from its competitors.
  • Controls are easy and simple enough for beginners to learn how to fly right out of the box.
  • Built-in HUD Screen that transmits the video from the drone to remote controller in real-time, no need for a smartphone or tablet.
  • Micro SD card already included getting you started with aerial photography right away.
  • Speed mode for a smooth and gradual learning curve that helps beginners master their piloting skills.

Cons:

  • Short battery life, we recommend getting a 6-pack battery here for under $20.
  • Limited remote control distance.
  • Features are rather limited, but that’s normal.

Related Article: Top 10 Best Free Drone Apps to Download for Remote Pilots

Conclusion of U835 Kestrel Review

Before we wrap up the U835 Kestrel review. There are a few remarks that I want to share with you what I think of this quadcopter. Overall, the U835 Kestrel drone is a good quality quadcopter crafted just for beginners and recreational remote pilots. It is a drone packed with good propulsion force that makes it easy enough to fly both indoor and outdoor. Additionally, the U835 Kestrel drone is incredibly durable which is a must-have design feature for beginners who wants to start strong.

Like other drones, this quadcopter comes with a complete accessories set that can repair/replace broken pieces. In addition to that, it comes with a bonus battery that doubles your total flight time. Plus, its gigantic 720P HD camera in the front adds a nice finishing touch that gives out a good impression. The U835 Kestrel drone is a perfect choice for beginners who wants to learn how to fly a drone by training both piloting and aerial photography skills. This is a highly recommended drone for beginners, you can check its price here.

Design
8
Performance
8
Features
7
Flight Time
6
Camera Quality
8
Value
8
PROS
  • Comes with a bonus battery, giving you a total 14 minutes of flying.
  • Crafted with durable ABS plastic which provides amazing durability.
  • Remote controller are both intuitive and stylish that makes the drone unique apart its competitors. 
  • Controls are easy and simple enough for beginners to learn how to fly right out of the box.
  • Built-in HUD Screen that transmits the video from the drone to remote controller in real-time, no need for a smartphone or tablet.
  • Micro SD card already included to get you started with aerial photography right away.
  • Speed mode for a smooth and gradual learning curve that helps beginners master their piloting skill.
CONS
  • Short battery life, we recommend getting 6-pack battery here for under $20.
  • Limited remote control distance.
  • Features are rather limited, but that's normal.
Add your review

Hello, welcome to UAV Adviser! My name is Keith Ericksen. I am a commercial licensed drone operator. Flying and talking about the drones is my passion. Whether it is toy-grade to professional-grade quadcopters. On my leisure, I enjoy socializing with friends, play video games, hiking, traveling and reading. If you have a project that needs our drone services, please contact us via Hire-A-Pilot page.

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