IRIS Multicopter Review

IRIS is an advanced quadcopter with full GPS-guided flying capabilities. It is designed to be a simple “out of the box” drone that brings powerful high quality robotics to the market at an affordable price.

The total price of the IRIS multicopter is $750 at the 3drobotics store.

IRIS multicopter controller drone gopro

Source: 3drobotics.com

Specifications

  • Maximum payload: 400g/0.8lb
  • Flight time: 10-15 minutes
  • Weight with battery: 1282g
  • Autopilot hardware: Next gen. 32bit Pixhawk with Cortex M4 processor
  • GPS
  • FlySky FS-TH9x RC Transmitter
  • 3-cell 11.1V 3.5Ah Li-Po Battery
  • Integrated GoPro camera mount with vibration dampener
  • 3DR Telemetry Radio

In The Box

The IRIS Multicopter box includes the following:

  • Ready-To-Fly IRIS
  • Transmitter
  • 3DR Telemetry Radio
  • Micro USB cable
  • Android OTG cable
  • 3500mAh 3S battery
  • Li-Po charger
  • Charger bag
  • Extra red legs
  • Manual and flight checklist

IRIS Multicopter

The IRIS multicopter has a beautiful and simple design. Build quality is really good and the arms feel really solid. The arms and legs are produced from Zytel Nylon which provides wear, abrasion and impact resistance. The plastic cover is made of strong plastic and you can tell than the drone can take quite a few bumps.

The first thing you’ll have to do is attach the propellers to the motors. There are stickers on arms to help you with which way they go. Everything needed to put the drone together is in the box.

The wiring inside the drone is neat and it’s also easy to remove the cover for future upgrades.

What I really like about this quadcopter is that it has an integrated GoPro mount at the front the body and you can also install a gimbal mount under the drone. Also the wingspan is really wide so you wont capture the arms in your video.

Flying

IRIS multicopter is not the hardest thing to fly as everything is pre-configured.

The drone has basically 2 options: you can fly it completely manually with the transmitter or set a destination with an android tablet. For the last, all you have to do is attach the 3DR Telemetry radio to your tablet and enjoy the amazing features. You can also attach it to a computer or an android phone. The mobile app for the drone allows you to simply draw the path. The pre-programmed GPS path points allow the drone to be used for professional activities such as mapping. This is something new when it comes to drones in the mass market. It can basically be set on autopilot.

IRIS tablet controller

IRIS also has a powerful cross-platform software that allows analysis and flight planning. It runs on Windows, OS X and Linux. It’s also really simple and allows simple point and click configuring.

Another plus when it comes to flying is that the start up is very quick compared to other quadcopters.

The transmitter has all the most popular flying modes. Including the manual mode, called Stabilize, which allows you to experience the full power of the IRIS multicopter. It also has the Return To Launch mode just in case you should lose control. The Return To Launch mode lands the drone super smooth.

The flight time is quite poor to be honest. It is claimed to be 10-15 minutes but really you’ll probably be experiencing 12 minutes and with a gimball around 8 minutes. Of course you can always buy a bigger battery, which the drone allows you to. With a 5000/5450mAh you can expect around 17 minutes of flight time and 14 with a gimball.

Credit: http://www.kooltoyz.co.uk

Credit: http://www.kooltoyz.co.uk

Camera

IRIS doesn’t have a built-in camera so if you wish to shoot videos then you have to use an external one. IRIS is built for GoPro so that’s the most hassle free way. The drone has an integrated mount at the front and also the possibility to attach a gimbal under the drone. This drone is quite powerful so it has no problem flying with a camera attached.

PS. If you plan on using a gimbal then you might also want to buy the drone with bigger legs. They come as an optional extra.

PS! When using a GoPro with IRIS+, please ensure that the WiFi is turned off; this can cause interference between IRIS and the controller.

To enable FPV flying experience you need to buy the 3DR FPV LiveView GoPro. This setup enables live video link with a programmable on-screen-display.

IRIS multicopter Review

Source: 3drobotics.com

Battery

IRIS multicopter comes with a 3500mAh Li-Po battery. Thankfully though the drone does allow using a bigger battery such as 5000mAh 3S Li-Po.

Conclusion

The IRIS multicopter is an excellent out the box drone! The GPS and flying capabilities are definitely ahead of it’s current competitions. The only thing that’s a bit lacking for the price is the flying time but other than that it’s an amazing drone.

PS. This isn’t exactly a beginners drone so it’s recommended to have some previous flight experience.