Review: JXD 510G X-Predators

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When it comes to the under $50 training and above $500 prosumer quadcopters, I have a solid grasp of what make and models I’ll be heading toward for new purchases; between those price points, there exists an interesting gray-zone of companies offering a never-ending list of quads that may or may not be worth the money.

For that reason, I’m always excited when one of these new models comes my way for a test run – it’s these times that I get to really dive into the UAS and see what type of bang for your buck you really get out of it. So, when the JXD 510G with FPV monitor came my way, I immediately set some time aside to open it up and try it out.

The JXD 510G ‘X-Predators’ comes in two different models where one has a FPV monitor and the other makes use of WiFI for FPV capabilities. For the purposes of this review, we’ll be looking at the FPV monitor version.

Upon first opening the box, it is easy to immediately see that this drone is going to be worth every cent. Coming in at $85.99 through GearBest, this price range is low enough that I would traditionally be weary of the listed features, but I was glad to be wrong… it’s a solid unit.

For it’s price, the JXD 510G’s look and feel is to be admired.

First of all, a quadcopter of this size with altitude hold, HD camera, home return, and a detachable FPV monitor usually runs you a bit more than the entry point for this unit. With that in mind, I prepared myself for the worst as I began to put things together. The quadcopter itself requires very little assemble. After attaching the propeller guards and inserting the battery, it was ready to go. After that, I attached the FPV monitor to the transmitter and my building for this review was finished. It’s important to note that the FPV charges separately through a small AC port on the side, so don’t be immediately alarmed if you’ve missed this step and your monitor is not turning on.

Once everything was charged and prepped, it was time for its first flight test.

 

Transmitter

One immediate thing that I love about the JXD 510G is the configuration of the transmitter. Anyone who has flown a quadcopter or two from various companies knows that the instruction manuals are not always the easiest to decipher. While the instruction manual for this sUAS wasn’t a vast improvement from others in this regard, I saw a HUGE improvement when it comes to transmitter button clarity as they’ve neatly labeled everything on the transmitter.

This may seem like a small thing, but it’s huge in my book. When you find yourself in a bind mid-flight and need to issue the correct order or risk a crash, it’s nice to have the added reference. While some may argue (fairly) that this detracts from the aesthetic of the device, I favor safety in this regard.

 

The detachable FPV monitor was a real surprise and treat.

Flight

As it was a windy day in Florida when I tested this quadcopter, I decided to start off inside. As this is a relatively light unit, the propulsion system goes a long way – this makes it quite powerful and quick when ascending or descending.

The altitude hold feature is not uncommon on drones in this price range, but I found this to be one of the weaker parts of an otherwise really strong aircraft. Inside, the quadcopter doesn’t have many problems with its altitude hold as it effortlessly allows the pilot to maintain a certain altitude within a few feet. Unfortunately, it was a different case once the drone was placed within windy conditions. The windy conditions proved too much for the altitude control and actually mad the drone more difficult to control at times.

Fortunately, I found that the unpredictable flight nature disappeared when tested in less windy conditions. On a less breezing day, the JXD 510G was able to fly for about 9 minutes between charges and it’s quick and strong propulsion allowed for relative ease when performing aerobatics.

The transmitter also features a stop/start button that will turn the motors on or off; if the quadcopter is in the air, it will slowly begin to spin down the motors and descend to the ground into a landing. As a safety note for you and your drone, it is important to realize that the start/stop button does not immediately kill the engine on this drone, so it is not an appropriate response to a crash.

Pressing this button upon crashing will see the propellers continue to spin into/against the object that caused the crash. To perform an immediate stop, you can kill the engines by simultaneously moving the throttle to the lower left position and the elevator to the lower right position.

Besides the small issues incurred during high winds, the JXD 510G provided an extremely enjoyable experience. In terms of flight capabilities, it is a great mid-sized quadcopter for beginners looking to advance into a more capable FPV quadcopter or for more experienced pilots who want a more substantial practice drone.

 

Camera

The JXD 510G also features a 720P HD 2-megapixel camera and a micro SD card slot that can be used to record photos or video. In terms of image quality, it is as strong as can be expected for a sub-$100 quadcopter. If you’re looking to shoot aerial videography, then this isn’t the one for you, but if you’re looking for a solid quadcopter capable of displaying images without latency to a FPV monitor, then this is a great consideration for your needs.

 

Summary 

For under $100, the JXD 510G offers a high degree of value as the quality, look and design all exceed its sales price. Without spending hundreds of dollars, I genuinely believe it is one of the best-looking quadcopters available on the market – it just looks great. It’s a sturdy design allows it to take a crash and while it may cause some heart palpitations until you master killing the engine correctly, you can rest assured that the quality of build won’t see it destroyed in the meantime.

This a quadcopter that I will continue to use on a weekly basis for FPV training purposes. With strong propulsion and return-to-home capabilities, it’s a quadcopter I feel comfortable sending up in the air to practice FPV flying both indoors and outdoors. The combined price, look and features ensure the JXD 510G will be a popular model for some time to come.

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