Hexo+

Crowd-funded drone takes flight.

- Chris Barnes

£699 FROM Squadrone System, hexoplus.com FEATURES 10–15 minutes flight time, 5,000mAh 3S Li-Po battery, 40mph max speed, 1.15kg (without gimbal, battery or camera)

This is no ordinary drone – it’s autonomous, meaning it’ll follow your every move, hands-free.

On paper, the Hexo+ is the most powerful drone of its kind, but how does it measure up in terms of quality, performance and price?

Despite its ample size, it’s light enough to be transported to filming locations, even with the gimbal attached and a battery installed. Assembly is a cinch, but once complete the gimbal’s power cable is left exposed. Built-in safety features should ensure that every landing is soft, but we’d expect a slicker, more integrated design given the cost.

Additional batteries cost £90 each; that’s cheaper than other brands, but still steep considering the average 15 minutes of flight time per battery (dependent on conditions and which camera movements are selected).