BETAFPV Aquila16 FPV Drone Kit with Altitude Hold, Up to 8Mins Flight, 200m Flight Distance, 3 Flight&Speed Modes, Simulator Supported, DVR Recording, 1S RTF Kit

This is the perfect drone for beginners wanting to get into FPV flying. The picture quality is decent considering its analog, but I will say it's grown on me to like it. Gives videos that retro feeling. The design of this drone and the props being covered makes it able to take crashes like a champ. I've full speed smashed this thing into walls trying to hit gaps and not even a broken prop. Only downfall is the camera feed can go out after a crash as the manufacture states in the description but its easily fixed by unscrewing the plate on the bottom of the drone and pushing the camera plug back into the board. This drone has multiple speeds and modes so it's very easy to learn on while maintaining control and stability. The drone has 3 modes but I recommend staying on normal mode while inside until you get enough throttle discipline to change to sport. I turn the OPF off in normal mode so I can have more versatility using the right stick to turn and go faster but still maintaining the auto level function. Now as for the negatives the biggest thing I have a problem with is the goggles not having foam support on the nose to keep all light out. Since the goggles have light pollution, it makes it really hard to fly outside with it being an analog picture the light getting into the goggles causes a glare making it really hard to see where you're flying. I went to Walmart bought some foam for a storm door and put that on the nose piece and that helped a ton but it's not that comfortable. Betafpv must be aware of this as an issue since the goggles that come with the Aquilla 20 (newest model from this one) has a foam piece for the nose on it.

If you've never flown an FPV drone in Acro mode, this is one of the best tickets to the sport. Pros 1) long flight time (up to 8 minutes) is very useful for beginners as most of this time you'll be walking to pick it up 2) it's built like a tank. I've lost count of times I smashed mine into obstacles or ground. It still flies! Unbelievable. 3) Besides acro, there are two more forgiving modes. If you're an absolute beginner, you'll absolutely appreciate them 4) Decent goggles that go over glasses and can record your flight 5) Everything is pre-bound and is ready to fly out of the box. Can you put together a better kit from other components? Yes. At this price point? Mmm... Maybe. But the learning curve? You'll need to know a lot to pull together a similar kit by yourself. 6) Good customer support from BetaFPV Cons: 1) When you get the hang of Acro, you'll discover Aquila's limitations. But hey, it's not a racing drone! It's an entry level drone that delivers tons of fun and lets you learn FPV. If you begin to feel really limited by Aquicla16, then it has served its purpose and you're ready to move onto something more serious. 2) No buzzer. Would be nice for beginners. 3) Camera is good only in good sunlight. Dusk makes it unusable. 4) Can't configure it in BetaFlight. But if you know what BetaFlight is, you're not a beginner :-)

This is an updated review after receiving a new drone from BetaFPV. I'll say that customer service is great from them. I got this kit to learn to fly FPV, the first drone I got was the whole kit from Amazon and the drone itself was plagued with issues. It would yaw out super hard if you pushed it, like >360° yaw washouts. It was like hitting a banana peel on Mario Cart. It would also randomly disarm itself, and that's how I lost the first drone. I contacted BetaFPV and this is why I'm updating my review. They were very helpful and sent me a new quad with two new batteries. They told me that they would test the drone before sending it and it seems like they did what they said. The new drone operates way better and I'm assuming this is closer to how it's supposed to be. Just don't expect this thing to be an FPV racing style drone. It's what is called a cinewhoop and they are designed to fly smooth, and slower than a freestyle drone. A big part of why my old drone was messing up is because I was expecting too much out of it. I tried to push it to fly fast/smooth and this drone doesn't like it but I adjusted my flight style and have achieved fast smooth. You have to fly properly though, like using roll and yaw in the turns to prevent the drone yawing out of control. I posted a video on this review showing some of the flight issues on the new drone. After this one disarm it hasn't done it again. Flying inside is a dream with this drone and outside is a blast as long as the wind isn't too strong. Just remember that this drone is constantly trying to keep itself level and it will fight you if you push it too hard. This is a good starter kit, just remember it don't like going fast.

Do not waste $300 on this drone. After only 3 flights it simply will not take off anymore — no crash, no damage, it just stopped working for no apparent reason. When it did fly, it was nearly impossible to control. The slightest touch of the sticks sent it spinning out of control. For a product marketed to beginners, this is dangerous and frustrating. The build quality feels exactly like what it is — cheap plastic that does not inspire any confidence. I own drones purchased from Costco for $45 that are more durable, more stable, and easier to fly than this $300 kit. There is absolutely no justification for this price point given the quality you receive. If you are a beginner looking to get into FPV, look elsewhere. This drone will discourage you from the hobby entirely. I wish I had read more critical reviews before purchasing. Complete waste of money. if I could give this 0 stars I would. Terrible

The BetaFPV Aquila 16 FPV Kit is a fantastic choice for pilots who are ready to move beyond basic beginner FPV. It offers more power, better control, and a noticeably more capable flight experience while still being approachable and well packaged. Setup is straightforward, the quad feels stable but responsive, and it handles both indoor and outdoor flying well. The controller and goggles are a solid upgrade over entry-level kits, and the flight modes make it easy to grow your skills at your own pace. This is an ideal kit for learning FPV properly without jumping straight into a complex or fragile build. If you’ve outgrown a basic trainer and want something more capable but still user-friendly, the Aquila 16 is an excellent next step. Highly recommended.