Review-it’s winter here in India, but that doesn’t stop me from testing a drone that can land and take off from the debate? Wait, what?! It’s time to take a look at the Swellpro Spry + 4K drone.
What’s this?
The SwellPro Spry+ is a bright orange waterproof drone that can record in 4K resolution and can suck in water and take off from the water.
What’s in the box?
Everything you need to fly comes in a zipped pocket with a handle and attachment points for a shoulder strap (not included).
Under the splitter are the remote control, 2 antennas, a charger, a battery-powered cable, a battery, a micro USB cable, 2 sets of propellers, keys, 2 spare switch covers, 2 spare GPS membrane covers and an instruction manual.
Design and functions
The Spry – + does not look typical compared to other drones. This one has a bright orange body that has a soft, slightly rubbery skin.
On the top there is a large moisture-resistant battery compartment, which is secured by a push-button lock.
The included battery fits well into the battery compartment. So convenient that the battery has a strip handle that allows you to remove it when it needs to be powered.
In the lower center of the battery compartment there is a micro SD card slot. A memory card is not included with the Spry – +, you can also buy one yourself.
Also in the battery compartment there is a micro-USB connector and two other connectors. The two large ports are for the battery, but the USB port is not mentioned in the included instruction manual, so I’m not entirely sure of its function.
The power button is integrated into the battery cover and on the back of the Swellpro Spry – + drone you can see the GPS module, which is a round button that protrudes from the outermost upper tail of the drone.
If you turn the drone over, you can see the short antenna on the back. You can also see a small button with a Wi-Fi icon under it. It’s dying… help… Try WiFi. Tap the sampler if you want to use the mobile app with the drone instead of the included controller.
Then, of course, there is the camera, which is protected under a plastic cover. If you look closely, you will notice that there are scratches on the plastic cover. More on this unfortunate problem afterwards.
The controller allows you to control the Spry + drone without your phone, as it has its own built-in color screen. It also has 2 thumbsticks and buttons on the shoulders of the controller, which are used to move the camera angle up or down, as well as buttons to switch modes, start the follow-me function and start/stop video or image recording functions.
The controller has a built-in battery, which you charge using a micro USB cable.
There are two apps that you can use with this drone. The SwellCam2 app is used to customize various camera and drone settings.
I find it annoying to have to use a special app to change the camera settings when the dedicated remote control is also paired with the drone and has a screen. The screen of the remote control is not a touch screen, but you can use the matrix, buttons and joysticks to navigate through a menu with options for adjusting the settings.
The SwellPro Spry+ is the first drone I’ve seen or flown to be waterproof. Not having to worry about flying over water is a great feature. Flying the Spry+ is pretty easy, but I found the flight time of 15 to 17 minutes short, as other drones in this price range have longer flight times. And as I already mentioned the price, this drone is nearby and does not provide an obstacle avoidance function, which I consider mandatory for a drone in this price range. If you need a drone that can die, shoot or take off from the water, take a look at the Spry+, but if this is not an important feature for you, I want to make sure that you understand the mistakes of death and do your research before quickly jumping to this particular drone.
