Potensic Atom SE Expansion Kit

My first flight videos are posted on youtube@ JonesintheWild

After having this drones for over a month I am still surprised at how capable this little Atom se really is! I had concerns that the camera would be real 4k but the frame rate would be slow and glitchy. Proven wrong on my first flight the picture is smooth and very clear "at 720p" through the live feed on my phone, But when I watched the video on my computer... WOW! the image was very sharp and crisp. the EIS does an amazing job at taking out shudder. When in video flight mode it does the best but it is very good in normal flight mode and sport but Potensic must have tuned the video mode to keep the drone as flat and stable as possible because you can tell by watching the movement of the drone in the different modes that video isn't just a slower speed setting its a setting for taking the best shots possible! The 120 degree angle lens is perfect for getting those wide sunset/sunrise shots.

The next thing that amazes me about this light weight 246G beginner drone is that it has power to spare. It is windy where I live almost every morning and after noon till sunset. I was worried this little plastic toy was going to be swept away with the wind. I believe the wind rating given on this model is in reference to the video mode. I can get clear picture and video in video mode with 28 to 30 knots of wind. heading into the wind is best but backing into the wind is very stable aswell. NOTE! Heading into 28 knot wind in video flight mode the drone still managed the cruise at a steady 13.2 m/s so it doubled its speed but stayed smooth and level. Well done to whom ever designed the speed control system and sync. I know there are race drones and this is not a race drone but the acceleration "Surge Fly" is pretty snappy! In all modes when you punch it in 2 seconds or less and it's up to speed wind or not. In normal flight mode you can cruise at 22mph continuously for about 20 minutes, Sport mode will cruise at 36 mph for 10-13 minutes and then creep down to 31-33mph by then you will have used almost 50% power. The control system will put you back into normal flight mode from sport if, power gets too low, you get farther from home point then the flight computer thinks is safe to get back, or if you descend below 26ft relative to your controllers altitude. In video mode flying 13.6mph continuously with windy conditions, while recording video max tested flight time was 26min 40sec!

***Very pleased with flight times!

The drone regularly has done flights out to over 1 mile over sea and recorded sunrises and sunsets in their entirety, and return with power to spare.

I have read other reviews that say the controls are to touchy. Honestly if you learn the drone controls in beginner mode and take the time to get some practice in before going straight to sport, haha! You will find that the Atom has a dual personality. The first half of the control sticks range is pretty sensitive but it aids it precise control and slow smooth movements while filming. That same sensitivity helps you get out of a bad spot with lighting quick maneuvers and reverse thrust braking. Flying the drone for slow cinematic shots is just as easy as flying it fast fpv style, whipping past trees and obstacles, rocketing away from epic points of interest to reveal grand vistas, it really is a very capable and versatile little gem!

The next issue that I have read was people saying the drone does not go to full transmission range. I have found through watching reviews and testing the drone myself that with a clear line of sight and my phone set to airplane mode, with no other electronics broadcasting in 2.4Gz" mic, gopro, other remote control vehicles", my Atom se flew to just about12300 ft distance from the controller over the ocean on a very windy day. That is 2.3 miles or 3.7 km I still had picture and control of the drone but flying against the 20mph+ wind for that long took my battery down to 50 percent power in sport mode. So I decided to err on the side of safety and bring it back to base. In normal mode with the wind helping push the drone back to me I landed with 20 percent power. Not bad at all. I do believe that 4km is the Atom SE's max set range and if it wasn't windy that day it would have made it without problems.

The only time that I have had any break up of transmission is when the drone is blocked from line of sight which is what Potensic states will happen. Further more it's a pilots responsibility to keep the drone lined up even if you can't fully see it you should understand where it is and keep anything from blocking your transmission. With that said with big trees or near by power lines you will see transmission ranges in the 1/2 to 1 mile. Cell towers near by will also decrease your range. After about 15 seconds if the drone doesn't receive a signal it will return to home.

The GPS return home feature works well. brings you back to your landing spot within 2ft, as long as you calibrate the drone before flight, away from metal!!! Recalibrate anytime you are about to fly to be safe, if you put it in a car, ride your bike, set it on a metal table or park bench.

The whole package makes it really easy to learn to fly. The setup and app are easy to do. I love to fly it everyday the weather allows.

The only negatives about the drone aren’t really negatives.
First off the lack of a 3axis gimbal. Not a deal breaker the drone is pretty stable and the picture is above all other drones in its class even the dji mini 2 is only 2.7k and hundreds of dollars more. I wouldn’t want to trade down.
Low light. This is not a great night video drone you can see well in lighted areas through the screen but the image is grainy in comparison to day time.

There have been a few times during early morning while flying low over water heading into the wind, where my lens would fog up from the inside. I learned to remedy the problem by letting the drone sit facing the wind while I set up the remote to let the glass acclimate to the temperature. In the air to fix it, I face the camera into the sun and let the lens warm up and burn off the moisture.

The only actual con that I have is the height limit setting but that is probably set to appease the FAA laws.
When I first got the drone the controller wouldn’t charge. They sent another whole drone package next day. Awesome service for probably the best bang for your buck drone out there!

★★★★★