When it comes to building drones, JJRC is a company that prides itself with some of the best drones on the market. The JJRC H98 model is one of these and so far, the reviews regarding this model have all been positive. The design is sleek, the drone is powerful and fast and can be easily controlled from a distance and the price is much lower than expected, only $30. Let’s take things one at a time though.

Design

The JJRC H98 Camera Quadcopter has a very pretty design overall. It comes in two colors, blue and green. The only difference between the two is that in the blue version, the front arms are painted in this color and not green. The props are green in both versions.

The frame of the JJRC H98 looks fragile on a first glance, but when you touch it, you realize it’s much sturdier than it looks. It is quite powerful and can hold the drone without any issues. In case of issues with the gear, all you have to do is use a screwdriver to remove the cap and get access to them, which is a big plus for those that prefer to fix the drone themselves instead of sending it to a professional.

Flight performance

According to the reviewers, one of the main attributes of this particular model is how fast it flies. When the yaw is on low rates, the drone flies pretty fast, but when the yaw is on high rates, the drone flies like the wind. Depending on how much yaw you want and how fast you want the drone to fly, you can easily use the steering wheel to determine the speed you want it to have.

The drone can be controlled from over 50 meters away, but reviewers state that it can be easily controlled from a much highe distance.

The flight performance at night too is okay. This is mostly because of the leds which are not that visible at night. Reviewers state that it is advisable to change the orange leds the drone comes with with new red ones that are more visible at night.

When it comes to controlling the drone outside, in winds, the reviewers state that it does much better than expected. There are two types of drones when it comes to the way they tackle the wind problem: the ones that surf over the wind or the breeze and the ones that cut into the breeze. The JJRC H98 model is the type that tends to surf on the breeze, which makes it easier to control. This model does very well in winds, despite a small problem with the engines which makes them not fly at the same speed all the time. This does not affect the drone’s whole flight, but it is an issue that can damage the flight.

Battery

The battery of the JJRC H98 weighs about 10.30 grams. This model does not accept longer batteries, but the battery space in the drone is more than enough for a battery about 3 mm thicker. The problem with the battery when it comes to the JJRC H98 model is the fact that the hatch opens too easily. The hatch cannot be closed with a screw, instead this model has a `slide to close` type of hatch which is not very trusty for when you fly your drone for too much time, as there is a possibility of it opening mid-flight.

LCD Display Information / Controller App and Camera

This is the part where the JJRC H98 model fails to deliver. While everything else about the drone is great or at least okay, this part fails because it looks fake. The LCD display looks like an image stapled over. The transmitter looks real on a first glance, but as soon you grab it, you realize it’s all fake. This is disappointing, considering how well the entire drone looked up until now.

Another big problem with this model is the camera and video system. The camera is an 0.3 MP one but that is not the big issue. The biggest issue here is the throttle and the buttons which are not explained as to what they actually do. You have to test by yourself and see what each button does, whether it activates the video recording option or whether it simply takes a snapshot.

PROS

– Controllability in high winds

– Range of 50 metes and more

– Beautiful design

CONS

– Camera, LCD and transmitter issues;

– Motors don’t run at the same speed;

Conclusion

Overall, this model is great for flight, as it can be controlled in powerful winds and from a range. However, the departments where it lacks is the one regarding the video recording / camera one. The motors don’t all run at the same speed which, for the beginners, can be a big issue. However, when you look at the price, which is a little over $30, you realize why it lacks in some departments.