Xiaomi Fimi A3 review (still good in 2021?)

Battery Life

20 min

Range

1 km

Camera

1080p

Motors

brushless

The new “Fimi” series from Xiaomi is a direct response to the latest DJI drones, including the Spark and the Mavic.

The A3 is the cheaper of the two, and comes with some stunning features that I'm really excited for like using any 5.8 ghz goggles to see the feed and an included controller with a screen, so that you don't need to use your phone.

What to look for in a camera drone at this price

Image stability

Probably the most important feature when it comes to recording in general, especially in the drone industry.

THe Xiaomi Fimi not only has a 2 axis gimbal but also comes with electronic image stabilization.

This makes the videos look hypersmooth and have a very good flow feeling to them.

You should look for the following in a drone if you want good image stability:

A 2 or preferably 3 axis gimbal is the best possible way to stabilize a camera. It's usually found in more expensive builds.
Electronic image stabilization. Drones like Parrot Bebop 2 or even the cheaper Tello have it.
Get yourself a GO Pro drone and use a very stable Action cam with electronic or optical image stabilization!

Battery Life

It's pretty obvious that you need enough battery life in a drone that's supposed to stay in the air for enough time to capture what you're interested in.

The 16 minutes of flight that the Fimi A3 has are quite enough for getting most shots.

What's more, there are already spare batteries for sale, and that will make quite a difference.

Drone GPS and stabile flight

This Xiaomi drone comes with GLONASS and GPS, which means it will have the maximum number of satelites connected.

It doesn't come with optical flow sensors underneath, but it doesn't need them anyway.

It's great that it doesn't suffer from the toilet bowl effect and flies on the same spot very well.

Besides that, drones with GPS also come with useful functions like return to home and follow me, that can be super useful for saving time and money.

Drones with GPS
- great for stability at higher altitudes and distances
- Safer with RTH options and if battery is too low
Drones with Optical flow cameras
- much cheaper
- holds position pretty well under 20m height
- can work indoors too

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Xiaomi Fimi A3 Price and specs

The price for this drone is quite well under the price for the DJI Spark, yet it specs some umbelivable features.

the 1080p camera resolution is more than enough for most people who also can't edit 4k on their computers anyway.

Having the posibility to use FPV goggles with this drone is like a dream come true.

The flight range can exceed 1km and the drone returns back home if it loses signal.

Here's a dainly price history for the Mavic Air, so you know if now is the right time to buy it.

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If you want to wait, please enter your email down bellow and you'll be automatically notified when the price drops to your desired level.

Xiaomi Fimi A3 video Review

Camera and goggle option

The camera is 1080p on this drone and records that way on the MicroSD card that's on it. However, at the same time it trasmits 5.8ghz analog signal to the remote/ goggles.

Why is this so special?

You can watch with as many friends as you want at the same time through cheap fpv goggles and have an incredible experience that feels like you're flying compared to just watching your phone.

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.