EACHINE E511S – affordable camera drone in 3 variants
The Eachine E511S is a compact drone with camera and the unofficial successor of the Eachine E58. The foldable drone features GPS and FPV live image transmission and is available in a total of three different variants.
Basic, Intermediate and Dynamic
Visually, the Eachine E511S strongly resembles the DJI Mavic Air, which, however, plays in a completely different price range. The camera drone is available either as a Basic version with a 720p camera and 2.4 GHz WiFi, as an Intermediate version with a 1080p camera and 2.4 GHz WiFi, or as a Dynamic version with a 1080p camera and 5.8 GHz WiFi.
Communication between the remote control and the drone takes place on the 2.4 GHz frequency for all three variants and allows the drone to be controlled up to ranges of about 220 to 330 yards (200 to 300 meters).
The biggest difference between the three variants is the quality of the FPV live image transmission. Both the Basic and Intermediate variants use the 2.4 GHz frequency for image transmission, which results in a lower transmission quality. Only the Dynamic version uses the 5.8 GHz frequency band for the transmission of the video signal and thus enables a display of the live image of the drone up to distances of approx. 77 to 97 yards (70 to 80 meters).
Eachine E511S: Compact and lightweight
Thanks to the foldable arms and propellers, the all-black Eachine E511S is extremely compact and therefore convenient to transport. When folded, the drone measures just 18.5 x 10.8 x 6.4 cm. When folded out, it measures 35.4 x 36.6 x 7.3 cm.
The build quality of the Eachine E511S is decent, but it doesn’t look quite as high-end as you’d expect from much more expensive drones. Since the drone has attachable propeller guards, it is also suitable as a drone for kids. The plastic brackets for the rotors not only protect the drone in case of collisions, but also bystanders from injuries caused by the fast-spinning propellers.
Flight characteristics and battery performance
Equipped with a 7.4 V, 1200 mAh LiPo battery, the Eachine E511S achieves flight times of about 10 to 12 minutes. The manufacturer’s specification is about 16 minutes, but this value is only possible under perfect flight conditions and hardly achievable in practice. The drone is charged with a USB charging cable within about 120 to 150 minutes.
During the flight, you can switch between three different speed levels and a Headless Mode for simplified control is also available. In this mode, it doesn’t matter if the front or rear of the drone is pointing straight at you when you give control commands to the left, right, front or rear. For better visibility of the drone in the sky, there are also a total of four LEDs that are mounted in the housing.
Since the Eachine E511S has GPS, it independently holds its position even in light winds. The built-in GPS module also allows the drone to independently return to its starting position (Return-to-Home). Automatic landing on a landing pad for drones or simply on the ground is easily done by pressing a button on the controller. Should the drone’s battery level reach a critical value, the Eachine E511S will also start the return flight completely automatically. Even if the connection between the drone and the remote controller is lost, the drone will fly back to the launch position on its own – a handy safety feature that should prevent the drone from being lost.
Unfortunately, the Eachine E511S does not have modern brushless motors, but is equipped with brushed motors, which generally have a slightly shorter lifespan and slightly increased volume.
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Remote control and app
The remote control of the Eachine E511S has a retractable mount for smartphones, so you can easily attach your mobile device to the controller. Overall, the workmanship here also does not seem quite as high-quality as you are used to from drones from DJI, Yuneec, Parrot and Co. Nevertheless, you should never forget the much lower price in this comparison.
The free “LW-FPV” app is available for download in both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. Once installed, the app provides you with various information about the current flight altitude, speed and distance of the drone during the flight. You can also start and stop photo and video recordings in the app, as well as switch to the various flight and recording modes such as Follow Me or Orbit Me.
The camera of Eachine E511S
Depending on the version, the Eachine E511S is equipped with either a 720p or a 1080p camera. The FOV (Field of View) of the camera lens is 120°, making it extremely wide-angle. Vertically, the camera can be tilted up to 45° during flight, allowing for different perspectives when shooting.
If you’re looking for a drone with a 4K camera, also check out the Eachine E520S, which is available with both Full HD and 4K cameras.
Unfortunately, since the Eachine E511S doesn’t have a mechanical gimbal or electronic image stabilization, the quality of the video footage is mediocre at best – but the Eachine E511S doesn’t come close to the quality of a DJI Mavic Air or other drones with a Full HD camera and gimbal. For first experiences with a camera drone, the recordings are quite usable, but you will not get high-quality video material with the Eachine E511S.
The same applies to the quality of the photos, which are taken in a maximum of 5 megapixels. Due to the lack of compensation for the drone’s own movements, the photos are often blurry and the sharpness also leaves something to be desired.
Your pictures are stored either on a microSD card (not included) or in your smartphone’s memory. We recommend using a microSD card in any case, since the image jerks of the live transmission are also visible when storing on the smartphone.
Intelligent flight and recording modes
Since Eachine E511S is a GPS drone, you can choose from several intelligent flight or shooting modes. For example, the Eachine E511S is capable of the Follow Me function. In this mode, the drone follows the signal of the remote control and always keeps you as the pilot in view, even if you are moving.
In Orbit Me mode, the drone flies around you in a circular path while simultaneously recording a video of you. Waypoint mode lets you set a route in the app before you fly, which Eachine E511S then flies independently.
Scope of delivery
- Eachine E511S
- 7.4 V, 1200 mAh LiPo battery
- Remote control
- USB charging cable
- 2 spare propellers
- Screws and screwdriver
- 4 x propeller guards
- Instruction manual
Please note that 3 AA batteries are still needed for the remote control.
Conclusion
The Eachine E511S is an inexpensive drone for beginners that is great for first trips and experiences. Since the drone does not have a gimbal, the photo and video recordings are often very shaky and not really usable.
However, the Eachine E511S is perfectly suitable for pure flying. Thanks to GPS, even beginners can easily handle the drone, and the built-in safety features like automatic return and landing in case of signal loss or low battery are extremely useful.
If you want to create high-quality videos and brilliant photos, you should rather buy another drone, but we can highly recommend the Eachine E511S to everyone else.