Designed to tempt you away from DJI’s Mavic line, The innovative Yuneec Mantis Q offers features such as folding arms, 4K camera, voice/gesture recognition.
While Yuneec says that the Mantis Q can stay in the air for over a half hour, our tests put it somewhere in the order of 20-25 minutes or so — and that wasn’t even with us pushing the drone to its limits. This is only marginally better than the Spark and most other drones at this price point, and we’d imagine it would do no better than most in “Sport mode” given its performance in typical flight.
The controller charges in about two hours using the included USB-C cord, and we were able to charge the battery in the included battery charger in about 50 minutes from full discharge. That’s not overly impressive, but not too bad either. It is nice that the battery can charge up to four batteries simultaneously – and extra Yuneec Mantis Q batteries are priced at a reasonable although it’s worth it to purchase them as part of the X-Pack option when you purchase the drone initially.
If DJI is the winner of drone brands, then Yuneec is second place. It’s well regarded and makes a good product – but it definitely isn’t the market leader. The Yuneec Mantis Q aims to change that by offering some better features at a much cheaper price.
Weighing just 480g, this drone is the definition of lightweight. Not only that, but it's foldable ability reduces its overall size to about 6.2 x 3.7 x 2.2 inches. The remote control is a little smaller than the drone and includes a neat, folding smartphone holder.
With a 33 minute maximum flight time, the Mantis Q has a far longer battery life than the Mavic Air. Although this will drop drastically if, for example, you’re flying in windy conditions, since the drone will be fighting to maintain its hovering position.
While made of noticeably cheaper-looking plastic than the DJI Spark and DJI Mavic Air, the Mantis Q still feels solid and sturdy; you could certainly store it in a bag with other items and not have to worry. But if you damage any of the rotor blades the base pack does contain a spare set.
Due to the lack of a three-axis gimbal, the Yuneec Mantis Q is unable to stabilize itself level with the horizon impacting the quality of the video and merely changing its direction, however slightly, causes the camera to bank and dip.
While it does have downward-facing sensors to ensure solid landings, you’d be wise to fly this bird in an area free of obstructions. It can’t sense its surroundings, so it’s up to you to avoid them manually.
The lack of stabilization in 4K mode makes motion footage honestly a little painful to watch. Also, your first few seconds of video while the drone is in motion are unusable too, since the drone tilts to start flight in your desired direction, causing the camera to point in either direction.
While it could have been a selling point, the camera is where the Yuneec Mantis Q struggles to keep up with DJI. The 4k quality is disappointing, and the accessories are rather redundant.
Ready to start your drone adventure? Simply click the link to the right to find out where to buy, and if you find it cheaper elsewhere let us know! Your fellow drone enthusiasts will thank you.
The DJI Mavic Air is a significantly better drone than the Mantis Q when it comes to safety features and image quality, and it’s even slightly smaller and lighter – but the real question is: is it worth more than the Mantis Q?
While we found the Mantis Q’s lack of a 3-axis gimbal disappointing, We realise that getting all the features and performance we want in a drone just isn’t going to be possible.
For many, the Q’s battery life – about ten minutes longer than the Mavic Air’s – and its cheap price tag could make it a better buy than the Air. But it does feel like a compromise, particularly when you’re trying to fly it in anything stronger than a light breeze.
If you don’t mind limiting your drone photography to a few aerial snaps and some snazzy low-altitude selfies, it can do a decent job for you. But if you want stable footage from high, the Mantis isn’t equipped for the task.
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