Holy Stone HS150 Bolt Bee Review
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Also referred to as the Bolt Bee, the Holy Stone HS150 stands out as an excellent gateway into the world of drone racing for enthusiasts eager to embark on this thrilling hobby. Offering affordability, lightweight design, and user-friendly controls, the Holy Stone HS150 Bolt Bee Mini caters specifically to beginners aiming to master the art of flying through visual guidance without the distractions of extensive features. This drone from Holy Stone boasts crash resistance, ease of handling, and an irresistibly appealing aesthetic, making it a top choice for novice pilots.
Why You Should Buy
The Holy Stone HS150 is a drone that is not only great for beginners, but it is also safe to fly. It includes propeller guards, a very simple control scheme and a welcoming honeybee design. The HS150 is also a great indoor drone as long as you put the speed on the lowest settings. Outside, it makes a great outdoor drone too since the HS150 carries high wind resistance and a decent flying distance. It is also a great introduction to drone racing since the HS150 is built for speed and stunts. And to top it all off, the drone is generally cheap to buy.
Design
While it does somewhat look like a Minecraft bee, the Holy Stone HS150 is a very solid quadcopter that is mostly crash-free. I say “mostly” because since the outer layer is not built with the strongest material, it tends to crack on hard surfaces like concrete or brick, But you should not need to worry if it falls on grass or wood.
If you haven’t gotten the idea yet, the HS150 is very small, hence why Holy Stone decided to turn this quadcopter into a mini bee - giving birth to its alias, “Bolt Bee”. And since it uses brushless motors, expect the drone to fly very fast, even with propeller guards on. Each propeller stands on a safety leg that is rubberized in order to absorb shock as it lands. It’s a feature that is always an SOP for every drone but the texture of the rubberized legs feels oddly satisfying.
And since it is called the Bolt Bee, of course, the color only comes in black and yellow. If you are planning to fly the drone at night, you can do so since the Bolt Bee carries two distinct LED lights to let you determine which way is front or back.
Battery
Okay, so while this drone is fun to use, it can only last up to 7 minutes - which is not particularly bad, given that its price is past below $40. Also, the whole set does not include extra batteries. Instead, you are left with just one pack - which takes 90 minutes to fully charge. In this case, I highly advise that you buy spare batteries if you wish to invest a lot of time with the Bolt Bee.
There is also one major issue with the HS150 and that is the battery placement. While the drone’s design may be pro, Holy Stone could have looked further into the battery slot more since the batteries tend to pop out whenever it decides to crash, leaving you wasting your time to find where the batteries flew off to.
Controls
I have nothing much else to say about the HS150’s controls except that they are great for beginners. While it may be no challenge for experts, this drone is a great benchmark to hone your droning skills. The controller included is a WiFi controller that includes the regular Mode 2 configuration - essential for racing. Flipping is also easy since there is a one-button prompt to do that on the controller.
It includes a slow speed for indoor usage, and high-speed in case you want to go outside and test the racing capabilities of the Bolt Bee. All in all, it is pure fun.
Flight Performance
Holy Stone has always been great in creating drones with easy flight experiences and the HS150 does the same. It may feel quite slow for drone intermediates and experts but for beginners, this is living the dream. The UAV moves adequately fast and responds well with the controller, except if it begins to reach near its maximum distance. Remember that this drone only has a short distance and no camera, so make sure you get used to flying with only your line of sight.
Conclusion
There is no doubt that you get your money’s worth when you decide to spend time with the Holy Stone HS150 Bolt Bee mini drone. It is a great introductory drone minus the high budget, making it an excellent choice for beginners and kids who want to experience the joy of flight.
FAQs
The Bolt Bee is ideally for racing even to a competitive level. Primarily, it is a beginner level racing drone.
Yes, you can add some modifiers to the drone. It can accept various batteries, rotors and propellers to your liking.
Bolt Bee's headless mode is among one of the easiest headless features to use for a drone since it is designed for beginners.
