JJRC X17 complete review

Updated in 2021

30min

800m

GPS

Every new year means new rules and targets, the same applies to gadgets. What better way to begin your journey into the world of drones with the JJRC X17. As a drone that costs under $200, it is worth a try given its ability to shoot in 2.7k video and 6K images. Unlike most other drones in its price range, it has GPS and optical flow sensors for stabilization.

What makes the JJRC X17 stand out is the orange and green versions which means it will always stand out among the more conservative grey, black and white color.

Alternatively, the colors come in handy in identifying the drone when in flight.

Let us examine whether the drone is worth the price and the hype by checking out the specs and features.

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JJRC X17 Specs and Features

Here we shall examine the drone's new specs and features in every detail and see whether it warrants our favor or disfavor...

Why the JJRC drone?

JJRC is a well-established brand name when it comes to toy drones and low-cost drones. Generally speaking, the JJRC is an easy drone to navigate given its GPS capability that ensures flight stabilization.

Battery Life

JJRC X17 packs a 3S, 2850 mAh 11.1V lithium polymer battery that guarantees its users 30 mins in flight time. in theory (result is much lower when put the test - about 25 mins). For a low-cost drone, this flight time rivals the higher-end professional drones, which is a major plus.

Range (Flight Distance)

The drone has a range of 800m in good weather conditions and does 500 m when on FPV mode.

GPS Stability

The drone has both GPS and an optical flow sensor on its lower section that enhances flight stabilization. This comes in handy when flying in areas with weak GPS.

Does it come back after losing signal?

Yes. Should you lose connection to your drone, the automatic return-to-home feature kicks in. The same applies in the event the drone loses battery charge.

How much does it weigh?

JJRC X17 weighs around 500g meaning you must get it registered if you happen to reside in the US/Canada or UK.

JJRC X17 Camera, Footage and Photos

In this section we're taking a look at the camera, how the photos look, what my experience with it is and why you should care.

How good are the footage and photos

Let's be candid, you only get what you pay for. In no way can the image or video quality of US$139.99/159.99 compare to that of the Mini 2 or Air 2.

Camera Features

The HD camera on the drone is stabilized by a 2-axis motorized gimbal with a wide-angle view. The gimbal can be automatically adjusted for better viewing angles, image, and video stabilization.

In what resolution does the JJRCX17 record in?

Video footage shoots at 2.7k in 25fps. You will notice occasional distortions and shakiness from cameras of this quality. The live video feed is of good quality but the transmission will face lags and breaks given it is over wifi.

What smartphones work with it?

You can navigate your drone using the HFun Pro app, available on both iPhone and Android.

Design and Flight Modes

Here I describe as accurately as I can how the outer drone feels in terms of material construction and durability.

I'm almost at the end, so please stick around!

Design

I still don't understand why the top of the drone is written PLOIT, it's hard to think otherwise except for a possible misspelling of the word PILOT. Alternatively, it could mean something different in that language- who knows.

The foldable quality is a major plus in drones today as people are shopping for compatibility in as much as features are concerned. The drone has brushless motors that deafen the sound when in flight.

At the bottom of the rotors' arms are LED lights that help in compass calibration and visibility in dim light. You can also purchase the drone with one or two extra batteries which extend the flight time to a few more hours.

What are the flight modes on the JJRCX17?

Here are some of the flight modes on the JJRCX17

Follow me – The drone locks on your smartphone and follows behind
Orbit Mode – Lock the drone on a certain point of interest and it will automatically orbit around.
Waypoint – Draw a flight path on the app and the drone automatically flies to that area.
Return-to-Home Mode – Drone automatically returns to home when connectivity is lost or battery is low.

Note that features such as automatic return-to-home rely on GPS meaning they cease to work in the event of poor or lost connectivity or turned off GPS.

How does the Hubsan Zino compare to the JJRC X17?

Price: The Hubsan Zino is a GPS folding drone similar to the JJRC X7. Given it falls under the $300 drone category, it packs additional feature and capabilities that the JJRC X17 lacks as it falls under the $200 category.

Battery: The Hubsan Zino GPS drone pack a 3S 1500 mAh battery that delivers 16 mins in fly time. The JJRC has a more powerful battery that can deliver 30 mins in flight time theoretically.

Camera: The camera on the Huban Zino is 4K with a 3-axis gimbal, outperforming the JJRC X17 which has a 2.7K camera on a 2-axis gimbal.

Range: The range is better on the Zino as it relies on the wifi repeaters on its antenna to amplify the phone's 5G wifi signal. The JJRC X17's antennas are primarily for aesthetic appeal.

Weight: JJRC X17 weighs 500g while the Hubsan Zino weighs about 720g.

Opinion

Overall, the Hubsan Zino GPS drone outperforms the JJRC X17 as the price difference means additional features. Nevertheless, for a drone of its price range, the JJRC X17 is unrivaled in its flight experience, and shoots fairly good photos compared to some of the drones above its class.

Check out my review on the Hubsan Zino GPS drone below.

Price, Manual and Instructions

Here we shall decide as to whether the drone is a worthy investment. Despite our assessment, you are the final decision maker and our opinions can be biased especially after having reviewed several other drones before.

Who should buy it?

The drone has an unrivaled selling price given the features. Not many drones within this price category have anything to do with 6K. Furthermore, it is a GPS drone not to mention the different flight modes.

Would I recommend this drone?

Personally, I have experience flying with drones so I tend to fixate more on the downsides than the upsides. For a starter, I highly recommend earning your stripes in the world of drones with this cheap gadget that doesn't break the bank when it crashes and functions fairly well compared to other drones.

Where to buy it from?

You can buy the JJRCX17 on Banggood, Geekbuying, and Amazon.

Paul Posea

Hi, I'm a long-time drone reviewer and I hope my articles and comparisons on this site as well as Dronesgator's youtube channel are of as much help as possible.