Hello, drone enthusiasts! Welcome to my Holy Stone HS440 review.
The Holy Stone HS440 is definitely one of the best beginner drones out there. The HS440’s features and flight pattern mirror those of more expensive drones.
Holy Stone is a Chinese drone manufacturer known for selling consumer drones at low prices to the general public. The Holy Stone HS440 was originally released in 2019 with a 1080p camera for capturing your moments and scenery.
The HS440 is known for being easy to fly and is also one of the best drones for new flyers. This drone comes equipped with a high-quality 2K camera that is capable of taking and recording decent pictures and videos in 1080 quality.
In this Holy Stone HS440 review, I will go over the features and benefits of this beginner drone to show you if the drone is the right choice for you before you go ahead and purchase it.
- Quick Overview of the Holy Stone HS440
- What’s Inside The Holy Stone HS440 Box
- Holy Stone HS440 Specifications
- Features and Benefits of the Holy Stone HS440
- Holy Stone HS440 Pros and Cons
- Holy Stone HS440 Set Up
- Best Alternatives to the Holy Stone HS440
- Holy Stone HS440 Safety Tips
- Final Thoughts on the Holy Stone HS440
Quick Overview of the Holy Stone HS440
The Holy Stone HS440, unlike other drones at its price, comes with a 2K camera capable of recording and taking pictures in 1080P. The HS440 has a 2-axis gimbal that goes a long way in giving the camera stability. Videos and pictures can be saved on the SD card or streamed and saved on your phone.
The Holy Stone HS440 is perfect for new flyers. This drone is portable and foldable. The flight learning curve is super easy to learn, and it comes with propeller guards to protect blades from damage during indoor flight.
What’s Inside The Holy Stone HS440 Box
- 1 x Drone and Transmitter;
- 2 x Drone Batteries;
- 1 x USB Charging Cable;
- 4 x Extra Propellers;
- 1 x Screwdriver;
- 1 x Instructions for Use
- 1 x Carrying bag
Holy Stone HS440 Specifications
- Weight: 166g/5.9oz
- Size: 289 x 195 x 59 mm (unfolded) 125 x 81 x 59 mm (Folded)
- Flight Distance: 330 feet / 100 m
- FPV Distance: 330 feet /100 m
- Flight Time: 20 min
- Charging Time: 180 min
- Lens Angle: FOV 112°
- Adjustable Range: -90°~0°
- Resolution in TF Card: HD1920 x 1080P
- Resolution on mobile phone: HD1280 x 720P
- Live View Quality: 20fps
- Supported TF Card: 32GB (Not included)
Features and Benefits of the Holy Stone HS440
Let’s go over the features of the Holy Stone HS440 and its benefits to users.
Design and Build
The Holy Stone HS440 has a compact design and a boxy appearance. It has a similar build to other Toy types of drones, like the HS430. This drone can be classified as a small drone, measuring 289 x 195 x 59 mm (unfolded).
The Holy Stone HS440 weighs about 166g/5.9oz. Even though it is small in size, it does not cut back in mobility or speed. The HS440 weighs less than 250 grams, so you do not have to register it with the FAA before flying.
In all honesty, the HS440 drone is flown in moderate wind conditions. However, in above-average wind conditions, it can be challenging to fly because of its size.
The HS440 has a detachable battery that fits underneath it. The battery should be placed correctly in its compartment and plugged into the drone. If the battery is placed and plugged in the wrong way, it will be damaged.
Battery Flight Time
The Holy Stone HS440 is powered by a 3.8V 1900mAh Li-Po battery that gives it a 20-minute flight time, which is different from the 21-minute flight time that’s advertised on the sales page.
After testing, the Holy Stone HS440 battery takes 2 hours to charge completely. The HS440 box comes with two batteries and two chargers. The battery charger can be connected to a USB circuit or any device with a USB outlet.
If all the batteries are charged. You can enjoy up to 30 minutes of flight time.
Remote Control
The Holy Stone HS440 remote is great to handle; it has a similar design to the Holy Stone drone’s remote controllers.
The remote control is not difficult to figure out; it’s pretty straightforward, like the on/off button, take-off, headless mode, speed dial, and flip/rotation button.
The first thing you notice is that the remote controller has a great grip. You will find the on/off button at the center of the remote controller. Two joysticks for drone control
The headless/trim button is on the lower left. Long press to activate the trim (to use the trim function, long press the button and direct with the joystick), and short press to activate the headless mode (you should not use this mode as a beginner).
The camera and video buttons are on the upper left side of the remote controller (short press for the camera, long press for video).
The speed dial is underneath the power button (there are only 2-speed modes). The take-off/land button is on the lower right of the remote controller (short press for take-off and long press to land).
I should warn you that if you long press the land button with your drone still flying, the propellers will stop working and your drone will crash.
On the upper right side of the remote is the 360-degree flip and rotation button (short press for 360-degree which flips and long press for rotation function).
At the back of the remote controller is the gimbal button (which will not work given that the gimbal on the HS440 can only be adjusted manually).
The remote comes with triple-A batteries that are enclosed underneath with a screw.
Camera
The Holy Stone HS440 is equipped with a 2K camera that can take pretty decent shots, and the video quality is 1080p. In all honesty, because there are phones with quality cameras nowadays, the drone footage may not be up to par.
The wide-angle lens has a 120-degree field of view that can capture maximum details in your shot. While the adjustable 900 camera lens can capture photos and videos from different perspectives,
Videos and pictures can be saved on the SD card or phone (in lower resolution).
Control Range
The Holy Stone HS440 has a maximum range of 100 meters. These types of drones do not have GPS and are pretty small, so do not fly them above your line of sight or their maximum range. Your drone may end up missing, and if the battery runs out, there will be no way to locate it.
The camera signal range is about 90 meters, and the remote signal is about 100 meters. The HS440 is capable of performing 8 axes of flight (forward pitch, backward pitch, left roll, right roll, and yaw left and right).
Speed and Power
The Holy Stone HS440 comes with a 2-speed mode, which can be adjusted by pressing the speed button on the remote controller.
Holy Stone doesn’t give a direct specification of the speed on the sales page, but many people who purchased the drone on Amazon have attested to how far it can go.
You should be careful about going into full-speed mode because it doesn’t have an obstacle avoidance mode. Plus, you’re more likely to collide with obstacles if you’re a beginner drone pilot. so, avoid places with trees
Durability
Like most other drones, the Holy Stone HS440 is made of plastic (reinforced plastic). The drone is light and very easy to carry.
The Holy Stone HS440 is fairly durable, despite being made of light and strong plastic; it can even stay together after falling one or two times. However, you should take precautions.
Holy Stone HS440 Pros and Cons
Here, I’ll go over what I like and don’t like about the Holy Stone HS440
Pros: What I Like About the Holy Stone HS440
- The HS440 has a long flight time
- It is pretty easy to fly
- Can handle moderate wind well for a mini drone
- Big enough for outdoor flight but small enough for indoor flight
- It super easy to calibrate
- It pretty durable
- It comes with fixed propeller guards
- Very reliable and fun to use for beginners
- Excellent drone present for kids.
- Its user interface is pretty basic, and novice fliers will quickly catch up.
- Instruction manuals are easy to follow (they did a great job transmitting from Chinese to English)
Cons: What I Don’t Like About The Holy Stone HS440
- It can be difficult to fly during windy periods
- The drone does not have GPS. The chances of your drone getting lost are high if you are flying above its range.
- It doesn’t have obstacle avoidance mode. This means you have to fly the drone in open areas without lamp posts, tall buildings, electricity lines, trees, and other obstacles.
Holy Stone HS440 Set Up
I’ll go over some basic setups for the Holy Stone HS440 if you’re a beginner drone pilot who doesn’t know how to set up the drone. However, you’ll have to exercise patience so you don’t screw things up.
1. Charging the Holy Stone HS440
The first step is to charge the Holy Stone HS440 drone battery with the USB cord. Unfortunately, only one USB cable is provided in the package, so you’ll either have to wait for one of them to get full before charging the other or simply buy another USB cable.
2. Assembling the Holy Stone HS440
Putting on the propellers: This shouldn’t be too difficult. Holy Stone provided a magnetic screwdriver to help in attaching the screws to prevent them from falling off. They also provided extra screws in case you misplaced some while attaching the propellers to the body of the drone.
Install the propeller guards if you want
Insert the charged battery in the battery slot of the drone
3. Pairing the Holy Stone HS440 With the Remote Controller
The drone pairs with the controller quite easily. Just switch on our drone and remote controller and move the joysticks upward. You will hear a beep to notify you that the pairing is complete.
4. Pairing the Holy Stone HS440 With Your Smartphone
The next step is to pair the Holy Stone HS440 drone with your smartphone.
1) Download the Holy Stone app on your phone – free
2) Turn on the controller.
3) Switch on the drone’s battery. The battery’s lights will show the charge level; four lights indicate a full charge. Before successful pairing and calibration, the drone’s lights will flash white and pink or red.
4) Go to the WiFi section of your phone’s settings and choose the Holy Stone WiFi signal.
5) Click the “Enter Device” button in the app’s first page’s center after launching the Holy Stone app.
5. Calibrating the Gyro of the Holy Stone HS440
Switch on your HS440 drone and ensure that the green lights on the drone are switched on. Push both joysticks up and down. You will hear a beep to notify you that the drone has been calibrated.
6. The function of the Holy Stone HS440 You Should Know
One Key Take-Off: The one-key (auto) landing function performs well. The drone is sure to land softly to avoid damage. It has the propensity to drift backward, which is why you have the trim feature. Ensure you modify the forward direction to avoid bumping into obstacles.
Altitude Hold: The Holy Stone HS440 comes with an internal miniature barometer that helps maintain its height and stability. It will drift slightly, as the altitude hold is not as good as that of more sophisticated drones.
Trimming: Because of its tendency to drift. You would have to trim the drone to avoid it drifting sideways.
360° Flip: This function works perfectly. The drone is capable of drifting backward, forward, to the left, and also to the right.
Best Alternatives to the Holy Stone HS440
In this section, I’ll share with you three alternatives to the Holy Stone HS440 to give you more options:
1. Holy Stone HS720E (Best Overall Holy Stone Drone)
In my opinion, the Holy Stone HS720E is the best holy stone drone. It’s easy to use, has advanced flight mode, & comes with dual batteries for a more fun time and a 4K EIS anti-shake camera with a Sony sensor
2. DJI Mavic Mini (Best DJI Alternatives)
The DJI Mavic Mini is my best DJI alternative to the Holy Stone HS440. What I like about the Mavic Mini is that it has a long flight time of 30 minutes. Not just that, it comes with a triple battery for triple the fun and a 2.7K HD camera attached to a 3-axis gimbal that provides camera stability and smooth footage.
3. Holy Stone HS430 (Best Budget Holy Stone Drone)
The Holy Stone HS430 is my best-budget Holy Stone drone. It’s pocket-sized, easy to use, and comes with all the basic features and functions of premium drones on the market without the expensive price tag.
Holy Stone HS440 Safety Tips
Below are some safety tips you should be aware of before flying your Holy Stone HS440 to ensure a fun and safe flight for you and everyone around you:
- For your safety and that of the drone, avoid flying near or over obstacles, high-voltage power lines, crowds, trees, water bodies, and airports.
- The minimum recommended flying age for the HS440 is 16 years.
- You’re advised to fly in open areas, where you can maintain a line of sight and preferably below heights of 120 meters.
- Be careful with rotating motors and propellers, and keep a distance to avoid ear damage by the drone’s nose.
- Avoid flying in extreme weather conditions such as rain, fog, snow, and strong wind.
- Avoid flying the drone when tired, under the influence of alcohol, under medication, or when in any physical discomfort.
- Keep the drone clean and well-maintained.
- Read the user manual thoroughly before flying the HS440.
- Follow the battery safety rules as outlined in the user manual.
- Fly the drone with a fully charged battery, and perform all the recommended pre-flight procedures before takeoff.
- Follow your local laws on drone flying, and avoid flying in No-Fly zones.
- Always check the drone, controller, and battery for damages and correct installation before a flight.
- The onboard compass can be affected by electromagnetic fields near base stations or power lines.
Final Thoughts on the Holy Stone HS440
Overall, the Holy Stone HS440 can be considered a sophisticated drone. My verdict is that the HS440 is the best drone in its category. The HS440 user interface is pretty easy to figure out.
Remember that this is a toy drone with amazing features that are also found in professional drones. Avoid flying in windy conditions and environments with lots of obstacles like trees.
As an added plus, it won’t cost you an arm and a leg (lol) to get this drone. The holy stone is worth its price and more. It is sure to make your loved ones happy when gifted to them.
You can also check out the best Holy Stone drones to see the reviews of various drones from the Holy Stone series to see the benefits they have in store for you.
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