The Potensic D85 camera drone is mega cheap yet offers FPV racing and dual GPS

Drones no longer cost a fortune, with the latest batch of budget camera drones packing in high-end features at incredibly low prices. The newly released Potensic D85 is one of them, with its futuristic design helping it stand out in a sea of cheaper drones aimed at beginners and drone pilots on a budget. 

Potensic is a big player in the budget drones world, with a vast selection of well-priced and well-featured quadcopters. The D85 sits in the mid-range and boasts some tasty features including full dual GPS – accurate positioning is essential for the D85’s Return To Home function, first made popular by DJI, as well as giving you the ability to easily plot custom flight routes.

The Potensic D85 camera drone is ultra-easy to fly, with automatic flight modes such as Follow Me and Point Of Interest (accessible via the Potensic app for iOS and Android), and a 2,800mHz battery pack delivering up to 20 minutes of flight time. An upgradable camera option enables you to swap the on board 1080p camera for your own GoPro.

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The fully-featured Potensic app gives you the option to switch from general drone flight to full FPV racer mode. Being equipped with FPV potential is one thing, but with a top-flight speed of 50KM/H the Potensic D85 drone is fast enough for some full-blooded FPV action. 

Or with the included camera in use this drone acts an ideal photography buddy for your big outdoor adventures. The camera offers a wide 130º field of view lens, which is optimised for aerial photography and can be operated direct from the included controller or via the app. 

Here’s a better look at the D85’s spec… 

• Flight time: 20 minutes
• Sensors: Dual GPS
• Camera: 2K
• Flight modes: Return to home, Point of interest, Follow me
• Controller Frequency: 2.4gHZ
• Size: 25cm x 25cm x 38cm
• Weight: 600g

As with some other budget drones, there’s a little construction required before you get started flying the D85, with the legs and camera cage needing to be screwed in place. Once done, and the drone charged and the initial pairing and calibration procedure run through, the drone is ready to fly. 

Take off is a one-touch procedure, and in the air the drone hovers a meter off the floor. It’s a proficient flyer with a little drift, but nothing major. Using the drone at speed is where it really shows its quality of flight and how spot-on the automatic braking system is.

The FPV options make for exhilarating drone flight, and with the ability to swap out the camera for a GoPro, there's plenty of aerial photography flexibility here. Together this makes the Potensic D85 drone well-suited to those wanting to take their first steps in flying FPV or flying at speed, as well as those looking to get high-quality aerial footage from their existing action camera.