I’m a huge fan of helicopters.
If there’s a helicopter flying where I can see it, I usually stop and watch it.
As a kid, one of my favorite Christmas presents was called the Vertibird, which was a toy helicopter with a real set of blades that turned. The chopper was attached with a long cable to a base with a motor. The Vertibird flew in a circle with a very advanced set of controls that allowed for precise hovering.
I used to run it for hours — until it exhausted the batteries — and I so hoped for a real remote-controlled helicopter, but this was the mid-1970s, so I had to wait.
I’ve since owned and reviewed several drones, and they are among my favorite gadgets to test.
This week I’m reviewing the Ruko F11 GIM2 Drone, which Ruko calls a drone for adults.
Follow the rules
Before we begin, let me spend a minute telling you there are government rules for drone pilots.
The F11 GIM2 weighs 20.6 ounces, which means it is heavy enough that the drone pilot needs to pass the FAA’s test for recreational drone pilots, called The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST).
You’ll also need to register the drone and affix your FAA drone pilot’s number to the outside of the drone.
You’ll also need to follow some rules, like flying no higher than 400 feet, keeping the drone within your sight or having a spotter who can see the drone and who is in contact with the pilot.
There are also rules about flying over crowds.
If you are interested in buying a drone, you need to read all the rules at faa.gov/uas/recreational_flyers.
There are separate rules for drone pilots who are flying commercially, even if they are not being paid.
Specs
The F11 GIM2 is a fold-out drone, which makes it quite easy to carry.
Folded, it measures 6.9 by 4.1 by 3.15 inches. Unfolded, it measures 17.71 by 15.94 by 3.15 inches.
It comes with two 2,500 milliamp-hour batteries that can each provide up to 28 minutes of flying time. The batteries take about 4.5 hours to recharge via USB-C.
It has a flying range of up to 9,800 feet.
The drone has a maximum flight altitude of 393 feet and can operate in temperatures from 32 degrees to 104 degrees.
The controller connects wirelessly to a smartphone, so the pilot can see what the drone’s camera sees while flying. The controller can hold a phone up to 3.53 inches wide.
The drone’s camera rides on a two-axis gimbal, which keeps the camera level and steady.
The camera can capture 4K video at 30 frames-per-second. Videos are stored on a microSD card (up to 128 gigabytes).
Features
Besides the gimbal, the drone has electronic image stabilization for the clearest video footage and stills.
The controller uses 5 gigahertz Wi-Fi to communicate with the drone for smooth live video transmission back to the phone.
The drone has brushless motors that are quiet and powerful. The motors provide level six wind resistance, which means it can fly in winds up to 31 miles per hour.
The F11 GIM2 has GPS, which is essential for easy flying. Once the drone locks onto the GPS satellite signals, you can use one button to take off, and the drone motors purr to life and it rises to about 6 feet and hovers, waiting for your command.
Because the drone knows exactly where it began its flight, you can press one button on the phone’s screen or on the controller to bring the drone back to land in the same spot.
I can’t tell you how nice it is to know that if the drone runs low on battery or flies out of range or loses connection with the controller, it will automatically return to where it took off.
The GPS also enables a flight mode called Follow Me that lets you tap on a subject on the phone’s screen and the drone will follow automatically.
There is another flight mode called Point of Interest that lets the pilot lock the drone onto a stationary object and the drone will fly a slow circle around it, keeping it perfectly framed.
The Ruko F11 GIM2 retails for $579, but look for some pretty good holiday discounts at ruko.com or Amazon.com through the end of the year.
The drone ships with the controller, two batteries, a set of spare propellers and screws, and two charging cables. You’ll need to provide your own USB power supply.
All of this comes in a very nice carrying shell case that protects everything for easy travel.
Easy to fly
The F11 GIM2 is an easy drone to fly.
The instructions were clear and easy to follow, and the drone paired with the controller and phone easily.
Once you get things paired, you’ll be asked to calibrate the compass, which requires picking up the drone and turning it 360 degrees horizontally and vertically. There are pictures on the phone to show you what to do.
Once the compass is ready and the GPS signals are locked, you can take off.
The two sticks on the controller are for moving the drone up and down, left and right and rotating it.
You’ll get the hang of it quickly.
The video image transmitted to the phone is clear. You can begin recordings from buttons on the phone screen or the controller. The controller also has dials to control the zoom and angle of the lens.
The app will let you know how much time you have left before you need to bring the drone home.
The F11 GIM2 was quite easy to fly, and it produced very nice videos and still images.
I wish it had is obstacle avoidance, which keeps the drone from running into things as it flies or tries to land. This is why the drone is tagged for adults who can be a bit more careful and not run into trees or other things.
The F11 GIM2 is a great drone for the price.
Jim Rossman is a tech columnist for Tribune News Service. He can be reached at jrossmantechadviser@gmail.com.
