Snaptain S5C – Cheap beginner drone with 2 batteries
The Snaptain S5C is an affordable entry-level drone with 720p camera and FPV live image transmission. The robust camera drone comes with 2 batteries and allows flight times of about 16 minutes.
Design and weight
The Snaptain S5C is made of black plastic and has two red and two blue LEDs. The weight of the drone including battery is about 150 grams.
The robust quadcopter measures 41 cm x 41 cm x 9.5 cm with propellers attached. Thanks to the four included propeller guards, the Snaptain S5C survives minor crashes and collisions unscathed. Bystanders are also protected from injury by the rotor guards, so we can also recommend the drone for kids from about 12 years old.
Due to the low weight of the Snaptain S5C, it is very susceptible to wind. It is therefore perfectly suited for indoor use. For outdoor flights, it should be as windless as possible.
Flight time and range
The flight time of the Snaptain S5C is about 7 to 8 minutes – per battery. Since the drone comes with two batteries from the factory, you get a total of up to 16 minutes of flight time before the two 3.7 V, 550 mAh LiPo batteries need to be recharged.
Charging the batteries works conveniently via USB charging cable. Depending on the power supply used, charging takes about 60 to 120 minutes.
For the remote control you still need 3 AAA batteries or rechargeable batteries, which are not included.
Once in the air, you have three different speeds to choose from, which can be selected via a slider on the controller. The selection of the speed level is confirmed with one, two or three beeps.
The range of the radio connection between the remote control and the drone is about 87 to 110 yards (80 to 100 meters). If the Snaptain S5C is controlled exclusively via the smartphone, the radius is reduced to about 55 yards (50 meters).
Even though the Snaptain S5C does not have a GPS module, it independently maintains its current altitude as soon as you release the control sticks thanks to the built-in 6-axis gyroscope for position control. If the drone drifts in one direction, you can fix this by calibrating the sensors (see user manual).
Before the first flight – launch preparations
Before your first flight, you should first download the so-called “Snaptain Era” app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store (or scan the QR code in the instructions) and install it on your smartphone.
Then you need to connect or pair (bind) the drone and the remote control. To do this, first turn on the drone and then the remote control. This is followed by the calibration of the internal gyroscope (see user manual), which is done in no time.
To take off and land the Snaptain S5C, simply press a button. Simply press the one-key takeoff/landing button and the drone will independently rise about 3 feet (1 meter) into the air.
Safe and easy operation
To prevent you from accidentally losing the drone, a warning beep sounds both when the battery level is too low and when the signal strength is low. The beeping signals that you should return to the takeoff position as soon as possible and land – the Snaptain S5C does not do this on its own, as you are used to from more expensive drones.
Another safety feature is the emergency button. When this button is pressed, the Snaptain S5C’s four motors stop instantly and the drone “falls from the sky”. We therefore recommend that you really only press this button in an extreme emergency.
You can also perform 360° flips with a simple push of a button, in which the drone completes a complete flip. Another feature of the Snaptain S5C is the ability to plan a simple flight route. In the corresponding mode, you can draw a route on the smartphone display, which the drone then flies independently.
Voice and gesture control
A special highlight of the Snaptain S5C is certainly the integrated voice control. You can use the following terms to control the drone:
- take off
- land
- forward
- backward
- to left side
- to right side
In addition to voice control, the Snaptain S5C also has simple gesture control for taking photos and videos. To do this, stand about 2 to 3 yards/meters away from the drone. To take a photo, form the Victory sign (“V gesture”) with the fingers of your hand. To start recording a video, extend your open hand toward the drone (“Palm gesture”).
Headless-Mode
Especially practical for beginners is the so-called Headless mode, in which you have a simplified control of the drone. If you activate the mode, it does not matter how the drone is currently oriented in the sky when you give control commands. For example, a control command to the left will always make the drone fly to the left, regardless of whether the front or the rear of the drone is currently facing you. Of course, it behaves the same way for all other directions.
However, we recommend that you only use the Headless mode for as short a time as possible and that you also familiarize yourself with the “correct” control of the drone, as not all multicopters have a Headless mode.
The camera of the Snaptain S5C
The 720p camera of the Snaptain S5C has a Field of View (FOV) of 60° and records videos in 1280 x 720 pixels. The videos are stored in AVI format on a microSD card of up to 64 GB (not included). The drone saves photos in JPEG format.
The quality of the video recordings is decent, but of course not up to the quality of more expensive camera drones, such as a DJI Mavic 2. Those who want to create professional movie recordings should therefore reach for another drone. However, the quality is quite sufficient for first aerial shots.
If necessary, the small drone camera can also be detached.
For the FPV live image transmission, you must use the controller together with your smartphone including app. This can be easily mounted on the remote control for this purpose. Please note that in many countries, drones may only be flown within visual range and another person must keep an eye on the drone during FPV flights. The range of FPV transmission is about 33 to 55 yards (30 to 50 meters). If you own VR goggles, you can usually use them with the Snaptain S5C without any problems.
Scope of delivery
- 1 x Drone
- 2 x battery
- 1 x 2.4 GHz remote control
- 1 x USB cable
- 2 x landing gear
- 8 x propellers
- 8 x propeller guards
- 1 x screwdriver
- 1 x instruction manual
Conclusion
The Snaptain S5C is an affordable entry-level drone with HD camera and FPV live image transmission. We especially like the fact that the drone comes with two batteries and thus has a flight time of about 16 minutes.
Thanks to the emergency stop button, the low battery warning and the propeller protectors, the drone is suitable for beginners as well as for children over the age of 12.
It survives minor crashes mostly unscathed and can be controlled within a radius of up to 110 yards (100 meters). The camera takes decent pictures for this price range, and voice and gesture control are nice extras that you won’t find on every drone for a long time.
All in all, the Snaptain S5C is an excellent beginner drone and perfectly suited for first flight maneuvers and aerial photography!