A rather not so well known manufacturer in the drone world is Zerotech. The Chinese brand has become known for its self-drive drones. Some years ago Zerotech ventured into the development of larger drones.
New is the Zerotech Hesper, which is quite well suited for creating high-quality landscape shots.
We will introduce this model to you in more detail in this article and later on we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages as well as other co-factors that you should consider when buying it.
Technical details
You get the Zerotech Hesper for about 500 €. It is very well suited for beautiful landscape shots, offers a fairly high range and also long flight time.
What we noticed is that the design is very similar to the DJI Mavic. This is now the case with many models we know. But the size is a bit smaller.
Also included is an app that you can download from the Appstore. You can either access the app via the QR Code or you can search for the English language app in the store for « FlightGo ».
If you have installed them and quickly created an account, you will be able to play live images. That means you can see in real time what the camera is currently perceiving around you.
Design, size and more
In itself we find the design and the appearance quite successful. The dimensions are 14.5 cm x 7.5 cm x 4.9 cm when folded, which is very small. Therefore the drone even fits into a big trouser pocket.
As already mentioned, it looks very similar to the DJI Mavic, but is smaller and it is by no means an exact replica. The functions are very different from the Mavic and cannot be compared to it.
In terms of colour we are dealing with a rather dark format. Anthracite is in the foreground here and looks really high quality. You can switch on the drone above the flight battery, there is the « ON-Button ».
The battery can be changed easily by pushing it in at the back, or by plugging it in or taking it off again. A total of 4 LEDs show you the current state of the remaining charge in the flight battery.
Battery, range, flight time
And there we are already at the next topic: What about the flight time?
This is actually quite good, you have 15 minutes per battery charge. After that the battery is empty. But 2 battery packs are included in the delivery, so you can simply land and change the flight battery.
Attention: The second battery is only available if you choose the big package in the shop and order the remote control. With this one you will get a range up to 800 meters.
Remote control
If you select the package with the remote control and the second flight battery, you will get a remote control which is quite similar to the one from DJI.
Here your smartphone serves as a display, which you can easily use by pulling the remote control apart.
The design of the Funke looks high-quality, just like the DJI remote control.
Also here you can remove the sticks (magnets) and press the two elements of the remote control together, so that it can be stowed away very comfortably for example in your trouser pocket or a small bag, which is really extremely comfortable.
Camera, resolution and recording quality
The built-in camera is the SONY IMX 214, with an automatic shutter speed, 4208 x 3120, i.e. 13 megapixels and a video recording function with 30 frames per second at 1080P.
Unfortunately there is no possibility to record videos in 4K quality – we think that’s a pity for this price.
However, the image and video recordings are stored in JPEG, DNG, MP4/MOV format on an internal EMMC image plate with a total size of about 16 GB.
What’s really cool about the Hesper are the different functions, such as one-key start, landing, return and the possibility to stabilize pictures electronically.
How steady is the drone flying?
The manufacturer of the Hesper uses a visual and acoustic positioning system (visual + ultrasound) for stabilization. Otherwise the drone works with GPS and GLONASS.
So you can also leave the remote control alone and the copter will still stay in the air fully automatically. Beginners should have no problem with it.
Additionally the drone has a target tracking system, you just have to frame a target and the Hesper will track it.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages:
- Great for beginners – flies safe and stable
- Extensive sensor technology
- Many cool functions and features
- Intelligent battery system with 1950 mAh for up to 15 minutes flight time
- 800 meter range
- The drone can be folded and therefore can be taken everywhere with you
Disadvantages:
- No real multi-axis gimbal system
- There is no possibility to create 4K video recordings
Conclusion
In our opinion the Zerotech Hesper is well suited for beginners who don’t have a lot of experience with drones, but professionals will find that this model has no gimbal system and the possibility of 4K video recording.
You only have a uniaxial cardan ring suspension, which is unfortunately not sufficient for an extensive balancing of flight movements, therefore the movements of the drone will be visible in the video recording.
But the manufacturer has come up with something to prevent all vibrations and so on from having a negative effect on the picture. Here, an electronic image stabilisation system is applied.
All in all we can recommend the Hesper to everyone, but before you buy it you should check if the mentioned disadvantages are not exclusion criteria for you. If this is not the case, then nothing stands in your way, provided that the necessary budget is available. The price is quite okay, but could be a bit cheaper for a Chinese product. But the quality of the drone is convincingly high!
