Looking for thoughts on the X1 Hover drone

My 15-year-old son wants a drone for Christmas. He’s interested in making videos for his small YouTube channel and wants to create cinematic shots. I worry that a DJI drone might be too complicated for him and he could get frustrated with it.

I found the Hover X1 and watched some videos about it. It seems perfect for what he wants to do. People say the video quality isn’t great compared to today’s standards, but I think it’s good enough for his YouTube videos. I figured this could be a good start for him, and if he likes it, he can move on to more advanced drones later.

The fact that it can take off and land from your hand and do shots with just a button seems like a great fit. He also asked if it can be manually controlled. I saw there’s a manual option in the app, but I’m not sure how well it works. I just want to make sure he won’t be disappointed with how it works since it’s still a pricey gift. I appreciate any thoughts on this drone.

DJI drones are not that hard to fly, and I think a 15-year-old could handle it. The only tricky part might be camera settings, which can be challenging for any camera, not just drones.

I’m worried your son might get bored with the Hover X1 since it has limitations if he really wants to create content.

Delilah said:
DJI drones are not that hard to fly, and I think a 15-year-old could handle it. The only tricky part might be camera settings, which can be challenging for any camera, not just drones.

I’m worried your son might get bored with the Hover X1 since it has limitations if he really wants to create content.

Many things that seem easy for others don’t come easy to my son. He figures things out eventually but can get frustrated quickly. That’s why I noticed the Hover; it seems foolproof.

Flippa said:

Delilah said:
DJI drones are not that hard to fly, and I think a 15-year-old could handle it. The only tricky part might be camera settings, which can be challenging for any camera, not just drones.

I’m worried your son might get bored with the Hover X1 since it has limitations if he really wants to create content.

Many things that seem easy for others don’t come easy to my son. He figures things out eventually but can get frustrated quickly. That’s why I noticed the Hover; it seems foolproof.

I’m not a parent, but I suggest he research:

  • The drone he wants
  • Communities and resources for help when needed (to avoid giving up)
  • What he means by ‘cinematic’ videos. Just adding filters doesn’t make a video cinematic. If he’s doing this for fun, he can focus on the first two points instead.

Flippa said:

Delilah said:
DJI drones are not that hard to fly, and I think a 15-year-old could handle it. The only tricky part might be camera settings, which can be challenging for any camera, not just drones.

I’m worried your son might get bored with the Hover X1 since it has limitations if he really wants to create content.

Many things that seem easy for others don’t come easy to my son. He figures things out eventually but can get frustrated quickly. That’s why I noticed the Hover; it seems foolproof.

DJI makes flying easy. There are buttons for Take-off and Return Home. Some settings like max height and distance are easy to set up together. If flying for more than just fun, he’ll need a Part 107 license for monetization. Not sure about enforcement, but it’s a requirement if he wants to make money.

MooreJane said:

Flippa said:
Delilah said:
DJI drones are not that hard to fly, and I think a 15-year-old could handle it. The only tricky part might be camera settings, which can be challenging for any camera, not just drones.

I’m worried your son might get bored with the Hover X1 since it has limitations if he really wants to create content.

Many things that seem easy for others don’t come easy to my son. He figures things out eventually but can get frustrated quickly. That’s why I noticed the Hover; it seems foolproof.

DJI makes flying easy. There are buttons for Take-off and Return Home. Some settings like max height and distance are easy to set up together. If flying for more than just fun, he’ll need a Part 107 license for monetization. Not sure about enforcement, but it’s a requirement if he wants to make money.

He doesn’t earn money on his channel, and I don’t think he will for a long time.

I’m 16 and got a Mini 2 SE, soon to upgrade to a Mini 3. When I started, it wasn’t complicated at all. I recommend flying in open spaces first. Check out my first drone video here. I didn’t mean to post it, but it was my first video and editing experience. Also, if your son wants to make money on YouTube, he’ll need a Part 107 license that costs $175 and requires studying.

Shaft said:
I’m 16 and got a Mini 2 SE, soon to upgrade to a Mini 3. When I started, it wasn’t complicated at all. I recommend flying in open spaces first. Check out my first drone video here. I didn’t mean to post it, but it was my first video and editing experience. Also, if your son wants to make money on YouTube, he’ll need a Part 107 license that costs $175 and requires studying.

Nice video!

DJI drones are easy to fly, and a 15-year-old wouldn’t have much trouble. They’re more fun too.

The DJI Mini 2 SE is a good match in price and camera quality. It doesn’t come with propeller guards like the X1, but they’re only $19. It has nice pre-programmed shots, so it’s not all manual flying. The only feature it lacks is follow mode, which is on the pricier DJI models.

Check out this review comparing the Hover X1 to the Mini 2 SE. It’s a worthwhile read, but this line stood out:

This self-flying camera can only shoot and follow one selected person, so it can’t do sweeping aerial shots like most drones.

If your son wants to make ‘cinematic shots’, that could be a dealbreaker.

pierra said:
DJI drones are easy to fly, and a 15-year-old wouldn’t have much trouble. They’re more fun too.

The DJI Mini 2 SE is a good match in price and camera quality. It doesn’t come with propeller guards like the X1, but they’re only $19. It has nice pre-programmed shots, so it’s not all manual flying. The only feature it lacks is follow mode, which is on the pricier DJI models.

Check out this review comparing the Hover X1 to the Mini 2 SE. It’s a worthwhile read, but this line stood out:

This self-flying camera can only shoot and follow one selected person, so it can’t do sweeping aerial shots like most drones.

If your son wants to make ‘cinematic shots’, that could be a dealbreaker.

If there were a group of people, could the Hover still track one person for shots?

Flippa said:

pierra said:
DJI drones are easy to fly, and a 15-year-old wouldn’t have much trouble. They’re more fun too.

The DJI Mini 2 SE is a good match in price and camera quality. It doesn’t come with propeller guards like the X1, but they’re only $19. It has nice pre-programmed shots, so it’s not all manual flying. The only feature it lacks is follow mode, which is on the pricier DJI models.

Check out this review comparing the Hover X1 to the Mini 2 SE. It’s a worthwhile read, but this line stood out:

This self-flying camera can only shoot and follow one selected person, so it can’t do sweeping aerial shots like most drones.

If your son wants to make ‘cinematic shots’, that could be a dealbreaker.

If there were a group of people, could the Hover still track one person for shots?

Probably, but I’ve never used the Hover X1 myself.

Flippa said:

pierra said:
DJI drones are easy to fly, and a 15-year-old wouldn’t have much trouble. They’re more fun too.

The DJI Mini 2 SE is a good match in price and camera quality. It doesn’t come with propeller guards like the X1, but they’re only $19. It has nice pre-programmed shots, so it’s not all manual flying. The only feature it lacks is follow mode, which is on the pricier DJI models.

Check out this review comparing the Hover X1 to the Mini 2 SE. It’s a worthwhile read, but this line stood out:

This self-flying camera can only shoot and follow one selected person, so it can’t do sweeping aerial shots like most drones.

If your son wants to make ‘cinematic shots’, that could be a dealbreaker.

If there were a group of people, could the Hover still track one person for shots?

I have the Mini 2, and it can track slowly moving subjects. There’s also Litchi, which can do more tracking but is more complex.

You’re mistaken. DJI drones fly themselves. They’re easier than you think. You’d expect bigger, expensive ones to be harder, but DJI drones take off and land on their own. They hover in one spot until the battery runs out. They also have obstacle avoidance, making crashes rare. If your son plays video games, he can fly a drone.

Thanks for considering the Hover X1! It’s user-friendly, making it great for beginners.

The Hover has a manual mode in the app, offering flexibility for shots. While it may lack some advanced features of DJI drones, it still allows for impressive footage.

Check out more reviews for a better understanding of the Hover X1’s abilities. If you have more questions, feel free to ask!

Bea said:
Thanks for considering the Hover X1! It’s user-friendly, making it great for beginners.

The Hover has a manual mode in the app, offering flexibility for shots. While it may lack some advanced features of DJI drones, it still allows for impressive footage.

Check out more reviews for a better understanding of the Hover X1’s abilities. If you have more questions, feel free to ask!

Can the Hover do landscape panoramic shots?

dillisonmicheal said:

Bea said:
Thanks for considering the Hover X1! It’s user-friendly, making it great for beginners.

The Hover has a manual mode in the app, offering flexibility for shots. While it may lack some advanced features of DJI drones, it still allows for impressive footage.

Check out more reviews for a better understanding of the Hover X1’s abilities. If you have more questions, feel free to ask!

Can the Hover do landscape panoramic shots?

The Hover X1 has intelligent flight paths, including modes for panoramic landscape shots, allowing for dynamic photography.

Flippa said:
My 15-year-old son wants a drone for Christmas. He’s interested in making videos for his small YouTube channel and wants to create cinematic shots. I worry that a DJI drone might be too complicated for him and he could get frustrated with it.

I found the Hover X1 and watched some videos about it. It seems perfect for what he wants to do. People say the video quality isn’t great compared to today’s standards, but I think it’s good enough for his YouTube videos. I figured this could be a good start for him, and if he likes it, he can move on to more advanced drones later.

The fact that it can take off and land from your hand and do shots with just a button seems like a great fit. He also asked if it can be manually controlled. I saw there’s a manual option in the app, but I’m not sure how well it works. I just want to make sure he won’t be disappointed with how it works since it’s still a pricey gift. I appreciate any thoughts on this drone.

Wow, there doesn’t seem to be much love for the Hover X1.

Flippa said:

Flippa said:
My 15-year-old son wants a drone for Christmas. He’s interested in making videos for his small YouTube channel and wants to create cinematic shots. I worry that a DJI drone might be too complicated for him and he could get frustrated with it.

I found the Hover X1 and watched some videos about it. It seems perfect for what he wants to do. People say the video quality isn’t great compared to today’s standards, but I think it’s good enough for his YouTube videos. I figured this could be a good start for him, and if he likes it, he can move on to more advanced drones later.

The fact that it can take off and land from your hand and do shots with just a button seems like a great fit. He also asked if it can be manually controlled. I saw there’s a manual option in the app, but I’m not sure how well it works. I just want to make sure he won’t be disappointed with how it works since it’s still a pricey gift. I appreciate any thoughts on this drone.

Wow, there doesn’t seem to be much love for the Hover X1.

Most people here are drone enthusiasts who prefer other brands. Many own DJI products for good reason—they offer great value in the consumer market.

Flippa said:

Flippa said:
My 15-year-old son wants a drone for Christmas. He’s interested in making videos for his small YouTube channel and wants to create cinematic shots. I worry that a DJI drone might be too complicated for him and he could get frustrated with it.

I found the Hover X1 and watched some videos about it. It seems perfect for what he wants to do. People say the video quality isn’t great compared to today’s standards, but I think it’s good enough for his YouTube videos. I figured this could be a good start for him, and if he likes it, he can move on to more advanced drones later.

The fact that it can take off and land from your hand and do shots with just a button seems like a great fit. He also asked if it can be manually controlled. I saw there’s a manual option in the app, but I’m not sure how well it works. I just want to make sure he won’t be disappointed with how it works since it’s still a pricey gift. I appreciate any thoughts on this drone.

Wow, there doesn’t seem to be much love for the Hover X1.

For the same price, the DJI Mini 2 offers more creative options than the X1.

Flippa said:

Flippa said:
My 15-year-old son wants a drone for Christmas. He’s interested in making videos for his small YouTube channel and wants to create cinematic shots. I worry that a DJI drone might be too complicated for him and he could get frustrated with it.

I found the Hover X1 and watched some videos about it. It seems perfect for what he wants to do. People say the video quality isn’t great compared to today’s standards, but I think it’s good enough for his YouTube videos. I figured this could be a good start for him, and if he likes it, he can move on to more advanced drones later.

The fact that it can take off and land from your hand and do shots with just a button seems like a great fit. He also asked if it can be manually controlled. I saw there’s a manual option in the app, but I’m not sure how well it works. I just want to make sure he won’t be disappointed with how it works since it’s still a pricey gift. I appreciate any thoughts on this drone.

Wow, there doesn’t seem to be much love for the Hover X1.

The Hover X1 is not like other drones. It’s more of a selfie camera with limitations on range, flight time, and video quality. It’s okay for filming close-up stuff, but it lacks the freedom of a proper drone.

If you want quality, go for DJI. If video quality isn’t a concern, the X1 might work for you.