le idea – IDEA 21 | Excellent entry-level drone
The le idea IDEA 21 is a 4K camera drone with FPV live image transmission in a foldable design. The 240 gram lightweight quadcopter has GPS, stays in the air for up to 15 minutes and can be controlled at distances of up to 330 yards (300 meters). The le idea IDEA 21 is a great drone for beginners and already offers some automatic flight modes like Follow Me and Waypoint navigation.
Design and equipment
The le idea IDEA 21 is the successor to the IDEA 20 and, unlike the previous version, has improved shielding against other WiFi signals. The propellers have also been revised and are now a bit more powerful and quieter than on the IDEA 20. Those who can do without a 4K camera should also take a look at the le idea IDEA 10, which is equipped with a Full HD camera.
When folded, the le idea IDEA 21 measures 17 x 10 x 5 cm. When folded out, the drone with camera measures 19.5 x 18 x 6 cm. The included transport case ensures that you can take the drone anywhere without damage.
Four small fold-out landing feet underneath the four rotors ensure that the drone stands securely, even on uneven surfaces. Four LEDs on the outriggers and two LEDs on the front of the copter make it easier to find the drone in the sky.
A 6-axis gyroscope inside the drone ensures the necessary flight stability. Thanks to GPS and GLONASS, the IDEA 21 drone also always knows where it is and therefore easily maintains its position in the sky. The Altitude Hold function additionally ensures that the drone remains in place when you release the control sticks of the remote control.
Automatic return and landing at the launch position or on a landing pad is provided by the Return-to-Home mode. A simple push of a button is all it takes for the le idea IDEA 21 to automatically return to its home position. This also happens fully automatically if the battery power reaches a critical value or if the signal to the remote control is interrupted.
Due to the improved interference protection of the IDEA 21, the drone is hardly disturbed by other signal sources, which leads to better signal stability.
Flight time and range of the IDEA 21 drone
The maximum flight time of the le idea IDEA 21 is approx. 15 to 17 minutes. The maximum speed is about 22.4 mph (36 km/h). The necessary power is provided by a 1200 mAh, 7.4 V LiPo (lithium polymer) battery, which incidentally has an LED charge level indicator.
Charging the battery using the included USB charging cable takes about one to two hours – depending on the connected power adapter or power source.
We recommend that you purchase one or more additional batteries in any case to extend the possible flight duration.
Before you take off, you should first calibrate the GPS as well as the gyroscope (see video). You will find instructions on how to do this in the user manual.
The range of the le idea IDEA 21 is about 330 yards (300 meters). The transmission of the FPV live image works up to distances of approx. 110 yards (100 meters).
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Remote control and app
The IDEA 21 can be controlled either exclusively by remote control, by remote control and smartphone or only by smartphone. Please note, however, that when controlling the drone exclusively via app, the range decreases.
The controller is clearly designed and has various buttons to take photos and videos as well as to access functions like Return-to-Home.
At the bottom of the remote control is a smartphone holder that folds out downwards. Three 1.5V AAA batteries are still needed to operate the remote.
To view the drone’s live FPV image, you need to download the “X-GPS” app, which is available for free download.
Camera and flight modes
The 4K camera of the le idea IDEA 21 records videos in up to 3840 x 2160 pixels and has a field of view of 120°. This makes the camera very wide-angled. The camera’s aperture is fixed and has an opening of f/2.0.
A particularly practical feature is that the camera can be tilted vertically by up to 80° during flight. A 1-axis gimbal is responsible for this. Unfortunately, the gimbal is not enough to completely stabilize the video recordings, as we are used to from drones like a DJI Mavic Air 2, for example. Nevertheless, the image quality is quite good for this price segment and the videos look very decent.
The FPV image transmission is done via the 5.8 GHz frequency band and is therefore of better quality than the signal transmission via 2.4 GHz frequency, which is used by most inexpensive drones. The range of image transmission is about 110 yards (100 meters).
The drone takes photos in 12 megapixels (4096 x 3072 px). Photos and videos are stored either on the user’s smartphone or on an SD card of up to 32 gigabytes.
By the way, those who own VR goggles can also use them with the IDEA 21 drone.
In terms of automatic flight modes, you can choose between the Follow-Me and Waypoint Navigation functions. In “Follow-Me” mode, the drone follows the signal of the remote control and thus you as the pilot, while simultaneously recording a video of you.
Waypoint Navigation allows you to plan a route on a map in the app. The drone then flies the route independently.
Scope of delivery
- 1 x Idea 21 drone
- 1 x remote control
- 1 x Carrying bag
- 1 x USB charging cable
- 4 x additional propellers
- 1 x screwdriver
- 1 x user manual
- 1 x quick start guide
Conclusion
The le idea IDEA 21 is an excellent entry-level drone with GPS, 4K camera and FPV live image transmission. For under 200 dollars, you get a foldable drone under 250 grams with a flight time of up to 15 minutes.
The quality of the drone footage is very decent, even though only a 1-axis gimbal is installed. The IDEA 21 can be controlled up to distances of about 330 yards (300 meters). The range of the FPV image transmission is about 110 yards (100 meters).
Thanks to Altitude-Hold, GPS and Return-to-Home, even when the battery is low and the signal is lost, the drone is ideally suited for beginners. The sturdy carrying case also protects the copter during transport. We think the le idea IDEA 21 is an extremely well-designed drone for beginners who are looking for an affordable camera drone with GPS.