Ryze DJI Tello – What can the compact fun drone do?
The Ryze DJI Tello is a mini quadcopter with integrated camera and many extras. The Tello drone is available in two different versions – either the standard version or the Tello Boost Combo (with three batteries). The quadcopter is produced by the Chinese drone startup Ryze Technology.
Manufacturing and design
Visually, the Ryze Tello drone is strongly reminiscent of the DJI Spark. The white-gray design is typical for multicopters from DJI. However, with its dimensions of 98 x 92.5 x 41 mm, the Tello drone is even more compact than the DJI Spark (143 x 143 x 55 mm).
The feel and material processing appear high-quality and the plastic used is very robust. The drone is delivered completely pre-assembled (ready-to-fly), you only have to connect the battery to the drone, which is easy thanks to the simple click system.
Technical data of the Ryze DJI Tello
With a weight of just 87 grams, the Tello drone is a real lightweight. Thanks to its compact dimensions (98 x 92.5 x 41 mm), the mini drone is easy to transport and extremely handy.
The included 1,100 mAh, 3.8V LiPo provides flight times of about 13 minutes. That’s about four to five minutes more than, for example, the Parrot Mambo. The LiPo is charged with a microUSB cable, either via USB power plug or via USB connection to PC or Mac. One charging process takes about 90 minutes.
The range of the mini drone is stated by the manufacturer to be about 110 yards 100 meters – but realistic distances are about 33 yards (30 meters) in distance and about 33 feet (10 meters) in height. Both the control and the transmission of the live image work via Wi-Fi. To connect the copter to your smartphone, simply select the WiFI “TELLO-XXXXXX”.
Tip: Use a power bank and a WiFi repeater to significantly improve the range of the wireless connection as well as the image quality.
Control & flight characteristics
The Ryze DJI Tello has a Visual Positioning System (VPS), which reliably monitors the orientation of the drone in space using infrared, barometer and ground camera and ensures the necessary flight stability. The excellent stabilization system for this price range lets you maneuver and control the Tello drone precisely even without GPS.
When choosing an ascent location, you should pay attention to surfaces with as much contrast as possible. These help the ground camera to keep the copter as stable as possible in the air. Flying over water surfaces is therefore not recommended because the reflective surface can confuse the ground camera.
The mini drone is controlled via smartphone, with the help of the “Tello” app, which is available free of charge. The app is clearly designed and intuitive to use.
A real remote control is not included with the purchase of the product. However, those who do not want to do without the advantages of a physical controller can easily connect compatible devices.
The drone can be flown in two different speed modes: Slow and Fast (up to 18 mph or 28.8 km/h). There are also a few other smart flight modes available: Bounce Mode, 8D Flips, Throw & Go, EZ Shots (Circle, 360 and Up & Away).
In Bounce Mode, the drone moves up and down over a distance of about one yard. If the copter hits an obstacle, it automatically adjusts the flight altitude. Thanks to the Throw & Go function, the Tello can simply be thrown into the air from the open hand for takeoff and then automatically stabilizes in the air.
In 8D Flip mode, the drone automatically performs side-to-side rolls after a swipe gesture on the smartphone.
Tip: Ryze DJI Tello alternative app: The open-source app “aTello Pilot“, which is available for free on Github, offers an extended range of functions compared to the standard app. Attention: Installing third-party software is always at your own risk!
Program your own flight maneuvers
If the available flight maneuvers are not enough for you, the Tello also offers you the possibility to develop your own flight sequences. This is made possible by the Scratch programming language, which makes programming the drone child’s play.
Scratch was developed at MIT, is available free of charge and, together with the Tello SDK, offers you a visual programming environment for the creative development of your own flight maneuvers.
Ryze DJI Tello: Photos & Videos
The Ryze DJI Tello has an integrated 5 MP camera that records videos in 720p at 30 fps in MP4 format and streams them to your smartphone.
Even though the multicopter doesn’t have a true gimbal, the digital image stabilization works flawlessly and delivers top-notch results for this price range.
It should be noted that the Ryze Tello does not have an SD card, but streams videos via Wi-Fi directly to your smartphone, where they can be saved afterwards.
The copter can also be operated with a compatible VR headset.
Recording modes
The so-called EZ-Shots allow you to create short videos with pre-programmed flight maneuvers. For example, you can have the DJI Tello drone fly a circle around you while recording a video. Also, only the drone can turn on the spot around its own axis and film you meanwhile.
The Up & Away feature allows you to have the copter automatically fly away from you and slightly upward while recording a video of you.
Scope of delivery
- 1 x Drone Ryze Tello
- 4 x propellers
- 2 x propeller guards
- 1 x battery
- incl. manual
Tip: In the Tello Boost version, the mini drone comes with a total of three batteries.
Conclusion
The compact Ryze DJI Tello mini drone is one of the best drone models currently available on the market in the sub-$150 price range. Thanks to the visual positioning system with Intel chip and the generally good workmanship, the drone is quiet in the air and can be controlled precisely. The 5 MP camera delivers sharp photos and the HD videos are also more than respectable for this price range, despite the lack of a gimbal.
The controls are designed for smartphones and will especially please beginners, while the various automatic recording modes make it easy to take snapshots and short videos.
The option to program your own flight maneuvers is also particularly interesting. All in all, the Ryze DJI Tello is an extremely well-designed fun drone for young and old, and is also ideally suited for beginners.
Those who value professional video recordings should rather go for an even higher-quality camera drone. We wish everyone else a lot of fun flying it!