The MJX Bugs 5w has been quite a surprise to me, as I didn't actually expect it to be better than the Bugs 2w that I tried a while ago.
Even in 2021 I consider it a great choice to pick for the price if you're looking for a cheap GPS Brushless Drone.
I bet you're curious to know what you'll learn about it in this article...
Let's see..
I'll get you through all the specs, how the camera records footage,my own video review and even instructions on how to use it with your phone.
At the end there's also a great comparison table with some of the best competitors in this price category.
The ability to move the camera, the smaller frame and very precise gps made it one of my favorites to fly. It's great for lower budgets builds where you prioritize GPS and framing the perfect shot.
The maximum height allowed to fly in the USA is 400feet which is just over 120m.
The Bugs 5w can go over 100m but no more than 150m, so you're right in that range.
Short answer: any phone that supports 5g 802.11 ac wifi.
All the iphones have this frequency and usually newer android phones, but there are meny exceptions.
If you want to check your phone compatibility, go on GSM arena, search for your brand and then look in the specs if it has 802.11 ac wifi (the AC part is important).
And no, it's not Air Conditioner.
You need at least one of these, as you might find yourself not having enough time in the air.
This is a great way to carry this quad around, with a few spare batteries also.
If you don't want to wait up to 2 hours at a time for one battery to charge, why not do a few more in paralel.
Although it doesn't look that portable because of the solid design (by that I mean not foldable).
It's actually smaller than the previous bugs models and can easily fit in a small backpack.
I know, the transmitter above is from JJPRO, however it’s exactly the same as the bugs one.
A pretty good controller, with a button for return to home, a wheel for changing the camera angle and even the ability to turn the GPS off for more thrills.
Speaking of transmitters, I have recently updated the article on the DJI Smart Controller and my opinion on it.
The drone comes with more flight modes than the really popular Bugs 2 for example, with the addition of follow me and circle around an object.
Waypoints
I almost never use this function, but the Bugs 5w has it, and it basically flies from waypoint to waypoint on the map as you set them from the app.
Point of interest
You can set things like the speed the drone circles around, the direction and range.
It's not as precise as the DJI circle around, but definitely usable for a nice effect in your videos.
Return to home
Since this drone comes with GPS it also has an included RTH function, which is obviously one of the most useful feats in the package.
In my experience the precision is between 1 and 2 meters, which is more than enough, since you’re going to take the controls from a certain point anyway.
Follow Me
The Follow me mode is great for playing around and impressing your friends, as it actually even rotates to catch your position in the shot even as you move around it.
The price for the Bugs 5w is usually quite well under $200 and that’s quite affordable considering it doesn’t really have much competition.
The flight range of the drone is in fact about 1 km, but I put the actual range at 300m as that’s about as far as the video signal goes.
And yes, the quadcopter is suited for beginners too. Why is that?
Mainly thanks to the GPS that allows you to easily learn the controls and if you mess up you just stop pressing any buttons and the drone will simply hover.
Click on the tabs bellow to answer a few of these questions.
ABSOLUTELY
I don't really think you can get better for under $150.
All the specs, the flight stability, modular camera that even comes with the ability to stabilize video (to some extent) make it a great choice.
Having GPS for return to home and flight stability is also a great feature for beginners to have.
This time, if you're not in much of a hurry I drecommend buying from banggood if you don't want spare accessories.
If you want spare batteries, case and so on, check out Geekbuying.com
If you want to have a look at the controls before you buy it or just simply forgot your manual somewhere you can simply download the manual by clicking here.
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.
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