University of Advancing Technology's Official Technology Blog

Drones are always a hot item on holiday tech wish lists, so we checked in with Jacy Smith, our Business Development Specialist for Perimeter83, to review a few of UAT's drones.  

“My first few days at UAT I was tasked with setting up the new drones,” she said. “Now you'll find me out at our events teaching people how to fly them.” An entrepreneur and techie, Jacy was named a “Top 50 Tech Visionary” in June of 2019 by InterCon. She is actively involved with events such as CodeDay and a past recipient of srnd.org’s Paragon Award for volunteers. Here’s Jacy’s assessment of just three of the popular drones UAT has in its on-campus drone library, accessible for student, faculty, and staff use.    

Parrot Mambo 

This Parrot Mambo was the easiest of the three to setup and get going out of the box. The instructions on functions and usage were very clear. Both the remote and drone are chargeable, which is a nice feature. The app, Free Flight Mini, is very user friendly and easy to pair with the device. It also includes FPV goggles that accommodate a smart phone for real-time racing scenes. The battery life does not last long for thedrone but is also quick to recharge. Overall, this is a great drone for beginners and entry-level pilots.   

Force1 F200W Shadow  

The Force1 F200W Shadow was a little more difficult to use and is better for more intermediate drone pilots. There is no power button, so the only way to power this drone off and on is by removing or inserting the battery. It drifts a lot more than some of the others, so be sure to keep an eye on it while it’s hovering or not in motion. 

Potensic D88 

The Potensic D88 was my favorite drone that I tested out. It was easy to set up and charge, and the calibration process was not overly complicated. It has easy-to-understand takeoff functions and an emergency stop feature that’s also easy to remember. The app, Potensic-M2, is very robust and feature heavy with a cool map interface. The controller takes regular batteries, but the battery pack with the drone lasts a decent amount of flight time. This drone would be great for beginners who want more features and functions, but is still really great for brand new beginners, too. 

Want more recommendations to ensure your gift is top notch this year? For those looking to earn gifting #techrespect, UAT put together an exclusive 2020 Tech Gift Guide just for you! It features a list of the top 10 tech products NOT everyone is talking about...yet. You can download the guide here! 

Have any additional opinions or recommendations? Comment and let us know. Happy shopping!