I like drones and I like oddball inventions, so when I first heard about Zero Zero Robotics' Falcon Mini "bicopter" drone, I knew I had to try it out for myself. Well, I can now say that it is indeed a most interesting little aircraft … but when all is said and done, you should probably just go with the company's HOVERAir line of quadcopters.
As the second word in its name implies, the Falcon Mini is a miniature (and thus less costly) version of a larger drone, Zero Zero's Vcopter Falcon.
Both models forgo the four horizontal propellers utilized by quadcopters, replacing them with just two larger props. The idea is that doing so allows the drone to be nimbler, quieter, and more energy-efficient than its four-prop counterparts.
Quadcopters move forward, backward, left and right by varying how the torque is distributed between their four rigidly mounted propellers. If the torque is lower on the two left-hand-side props, for instance, the drone will dip to that side and thus move in that direction.
So, how does the Falcon Mini get away with using just two props?
The secret lies in servo motors at the end of each propeller arm, which instantaneously tilt the props fore and aft as needed. This arrangement allows the drone to quickly shoot forward and backward, and to pivot on the spot if the propellers are simultaneously tilted in opposite directions. Side-to-side movement is still managed by varying the torque between them.
As far as hard specs goes, the Mini boasts an impressive 34 minutes of battery life per 48-minute charge (roughly in line with what I got); a gimbal-stabilized camera that shoots 4K/30fps video and 12MP photos; a total weight of 249 g (8.8 oz); a top forward "Turbo Mode" speed of 58 km/h (36 mph); and 62 decibels of operating noise.
Thanks to an onboard GNSS module, it also has two autonomous cinematic flight modes: Orbit, in which it flies in a circle around its subject, and Zoom-Out, in which it flies up and away from its subject.
It's important to note that the Mini does not have subject tracking technology, however, so it won't automatically keep its subject centered in the frame as it performs these maneuvers.
Additionally, I found that even between the app, online videos, and instructional booklet, there still weren't nearly enough instructions provided on how to use Orbit mode – multiple emails to and from the company were required. If you've used Orbit on other drones, be aware that this version is not as automated.
It's also definitely worth noting that when the Mini is flying in Orbit mode or otherwise, moderate wind gusts (about 28 km/h or 17 mph, in one case) can cause it to unexpectedly spin 180 degrees. This is something that I don't remember ever happening with the mini quadcopters I've tried out.
The drone does have three different speed modes, plus it can be flown upside-down for performing aerobatic stunts … but once again, very little information is provided on accessing those modes, and none is provided on performing the stunts, so I haven't even tried reviewing those features.
This lack of info is part of a bigger picture that makes the Falcon Mini seem almost like an unwanted child that no one knows quite what to do with.
The drone was the subject of a successful Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign last year, but even after reaching production, it never did end up on the Zero Zero Robotics website. Instead, it's now being marketed separately via its own website (where it's still described as "Coming soon"), and it can only be purchased on Amazon.
The good news is, it's priced at just US$289.99, which includes a joystick remote. So, if you're simply looking for an inexpensive drone to get basic but sharp and stable aerial footage – and you like the idea of having something that's kinda weird – the Falcon Mini could be what you're looking for.
That said, for a still fairly low price of $499, you'd be a lot better off going with Zero Zero's HOVERAir X1 Pro mini quadcopter.
It's far more user-friendly, plus it offers more flight modes, collision avoidance, the ability to follow its moving user, and the ability to be flown app- and remote-free via its button controls only. Battery life is one tradeoff, sitting at just 16 minutes.
And hey, if you're willing to settle for 2.7K/30fps video, you can always opt for the HOVERAir X1 basic model for a mere $399.
Should you still be strangely intrigued by the Falcon Mini, though, you can check out some of the nice-looking 4K footage recorded by it in the video below. I did shoot some of my own video for this review, but I think the following panorama captured by Dublin City Runner is a lot more picturesque, so I decided to go with it instead.
Product website: Vcopter Falcon Mini
