More From Your First GPS Drone

Yes. HS175D Plus is designed as an entry-level outdoor GPS drone with GPS positioning, Return to Home, optical-flow support, a 247g airframe, up to 30 minutes of flight time per battery and multiple automatic flight modes.

It is a good fit for pilots who want to learn GPS flight and basic aerial recording before moving to a more advanced stabilized camera drone.

No. HS175D Plus does not include obstacle avoidance.

Fly in open areas and keep clear of trees, buildings, people, power lines and other obstacles. This is especially important during Return to Home and automatic flight modes.

No. HS175D Plus uses an entry-level fixed camera without a gimbal or EIS.

It is intended for basic aerial recording and learning different flight and shooting modes rather than stabilized cinematic footage.

Yes. When recording to a TF card, HS175D Plus supports 3840 × 2160P at 20fps and 2976 × 1680P at 30fps.

Recording to a cellphone is 1280 × 720P at 30fps. The camera can be tilted remotely from 0° down to -90°.

It supports Class 10 or above TF cards with a capacity of up to 256GB and FAT32 file system.

Insert the TF card before powering on the drone.

The HS FLY app includes GPS Follow, Point of Interest, Catapult, One-key Ascension, TapFly, Spiral Up, Panorama, Time-lapse, Slow Motion and gesture-based photo/video functions.

Use these modes only in open areas, keep the complete flight path clear and maintain visual line of sight.

The rated maximum flight time is up to 30 minutes per battery in a windless environment.

Actual flight time can vary with wind, speed, temperature, camera use, battery condition and flight style.

The rated maximum control distance is 3280 ft / 1000m in outdoor, unobstructed conditions. The rated maximum image transmission distance is 1640 ft / 500m.

Actual range depends on interference and the surrounding environment. Always maintain visual line of sight and follow local flight rules.

Camera Mode is 16.4 ft/s, Normal Mode is 23 ft/s and Sport Mode is 29.5 ft/s. Normal Mode is the default.

Begin with the slower speed while learning and move to faster modes only after you are comfortable with the controls.

Beginner Mode is the default app mode. It limits flight distance to 98 ft, flight altitude to 98 ft and Return to Home altitude to 65 ft.

Turn Beginner Mode off in the app settings only when you are ready to use custom flight parameters.

After power-on, the drone searches for GPS. When a strong GPS signal is acquired, the drone records its takeoff position at that moment as the Home Point.

Always wait for a strong GPS signal before takeoff when you plan to use GPS-assisted features or Return to Home.

HS175D Plus supports Smart RTH, Failsafe RTH and Low Voltage RTH.

RTH is available only in GPS Mode. During RTH the drone cannot avoid obstacles, so the return path must be kept clear.

Failsafe RTH can activate when the drone has strong GPS, a recorded Home Point, the transmitter connection is lost and the compass is not experiencing interference.

If the transmitter reconnects during the procedure, press the RTH button again to cancel RTH and regain control.

When the RTH distance is over 98 ft, the drone climbs to the preset RTH altitude before returning if it is currently below that altitude. When the app is not connected, the default RTH altitude is 164 ft.

At 16–98 ft from Home Point, the drone climbs to 65 ft before returning if needed. At 16 ft or less, it lands directly.

Fully charge the drone battery and transmitter, unfold the arms, install the battery securely, check the propellers, prepare the transmitter and place the drone on a flat open surface.

Power on the drone and transmitter, allow them to pair, connect the phone to the drone Wi-Fi, open HS FLY, complete the required calibration and wait for a strong GPS signal.

The manual recommends compass calibration before each flight.

Calibrate outdoors in an open area, approximately 3 ft above the ground, away from magnetic interference and large metal structures.

Gyroscope calibration is recommended before first use, when noticeable drifting occurs after takeoff, or after the drone has experienced a collision or drop.

Place the drone on a flat, stable surface and do not move or shake it during calibration.

Possible causes include weak GPS signal, low drone battery, compass calibration required, or incorrect joystick movement during the unlock process.

Move to an open area, recharge the battery if needed, complete compass calibration and follow the motor-unlock stick command shown in the manual.

Weak GPS signal, compass interference, propeller deformation/damage or challenging surroundings can affect flight stability.

Land safely, move to an open area, check GPS status and propellers, and recalibrate if necessary.

Video lag or limited range can be caused by signal interference, incorrect transmitter/phone orientation, overly rapid joystick movements, or too many background apps on the phone.

Fly in an open area away from buildings and power lines, keep the transmitter and phone oriented toward the drone, use smooth control inputs and close unused apps.