Sky Viper Drones Review: Nano, Stunt, and Video Models

[Drone News]

Other drone manufactures that specialize in beginner / training quadcopter models, watch out. I’m looking at you, Hubsan and UDI.

Sky Viper drone models have soared into the market, and my gut tells me that this relatively young drone brand will see more exposure as the UAV industry continues to blossom. They’ve already got some great distributors lined up, and each of the three models I tested for this article flew very well given this introductory (and affordable) price point.

The parent company, Skyrocket Toys, has offices in Los Angeles, Hong Kong and mainland China and designs / manufactures / markets a wide variety of award-winning consumer products. Some of their other brands include Minion Made, AppScope Microscope, and Prank Star.

In this article, I’ll be taking a closer look at three different Sky Viper models, which can be purchased at Walmart, Target, ToysRUs, or online at Amazon.com.

How’s that for a show reel!

Don’t have time to read the rest of this post and want my quick thoughts?

Add Sky Viper to your list. They’re definitely a contender in this category of small UAS models for beginner UAV pilots. If you’re looking for a model to help you through beginner drone training, consider Sky Viper.

Do I need to register my Sky Viper Drone with the FAA (United States)?
All Sky Viper drones weigh less than 250g and therefore are not required to be registered with the FAA. For more information, click here.

Sky Viper M200 Nano Drone

Wingspan: 280×280 mm
Flying Time: 4-5 minutes
Battery Type: Rechargeable 650 mAh 3.7V LiPo
Charging Time: 30 minutes
Controller: 2.4GHz
Camera: No Camera

 

→ Buy on Amazon

 

Looking for a good quadcopter to fly indoors? This little Nano is no larger than the palm of your hand and packs a lot of punch for a such a small drone.

For one, it’s surprisingly stable, particularly during a rotational yaw. If you’ve never flown before, it’ll feel a bit jumpy at first. Learning to control your altitude with models in this price range can be a bit tricky, but once you can master the throttle, you’ll be surprised how much fun this Nano is to fly.

The Sky Viper controller’s 2.4 GHz transmitter reaches up to 200 feet, so if if you’re feeling particularly adventurous, you’ve got a bit of flying range to play around with.

And, even though it’s Sky Viper’s cheapest drone model, the Nano offers three different sensitivity controls and a fun, one-click barrel roll when you press the Stunt button.

Sky Viper S670 Stunt Drone

Wingspan: 11 inches blade to blade
Flying Time: 4-5 minutes
Battery Type: Rechargeable 650 mAh 3.7V LiPo
Charging Time: 30 minutes
Controller: 2.4GHz
Camera: No Camera

 

→ Buy on Amazon

 

While this Stunt Drone operates similar to the Nano, it’s a little larger and includes propeller guards, which’ll save you a few headaches during those inevitable training crashes.

It also flies up to 16 mph, a little faster than the Nano.

Other than that, the settings are exactly the same. You have three different flight sensitivity modes, and with one click you can do either a front-flip, back-flip, or a barrel roll to either side.

Sky Viper V950 HD Video Drone

Wingspan: 12.75 inches blade to blade
Flying Time: 4-5 minutes
Battery Type: Rechargeable 650 mAh 3.7V LiPo
Charging Time: 30 minutes
Controller: 2.4GHz
Camera: 1-Touch Panoramic Video Capture (720p HD) + 4GB MicroSD memory card & MicroSD USB adapter

 

→ Buy on Amazon

 

The HD Video Drone is a big step up from either the Nano or Stunt models.

At this price point, this is the only model I know that can do a one-touch panorama. When the button is pressed, the aircraft enters a controlled-spin flight pattern and automatically captures a 360 degree view from up to 200 feet away.

A 4G MicroSD memory card + USD adapter is also included, which’ll hold up to about 20 minutes of video footage shot at 720p.

Unlike other video models at this price point, the Sky Viper HD Video Drone allows you to adjust the camera up to 130 degrees. This’ll help you optimize for birds-eye view photos, action videos, and more.

The final word?

I’m grateful that Sky Viper reached out to me to review each of these three models. Admittedly, I hadn’t heard of them up until that point, but I suspect that’ll change given both the quality of each model and the marketing power put behind each one. How about that video reel at the beginning of this post?

My one concern, but it looks like it’s already in the process of being solved, is the lack of easily available replacement parts like propellers, batteries, and crash packs. Sky Viper asks you to contact them directly at support@skyrockettoys.com, but I hypothesize that they’ll start making these easier to buy down the road.

The bottom line–add Sky Viper to your list of beginner drone models, right alongside UDI and Hubsan.

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