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It’s been about two weeks since I got the Holy Stone 440, a beginner drone that is still commonly purchased by people looking for their first drone on a budget. So if that’s your case and you’re looking for an updated and honest review, keep reading because I’ll share my impressions after using the Holy Stone 440 for two weeks.
Holy Stone 440 Drone Review
Easy to Use
I have to admit this is a pretty easy drone to use. You just need to pair the remote controller, which by the way requires 3 AAA batteries, then calibrate the drone by pushing both joysticks to the bottom-right corner, and you’re good to go. Calibrating the drone is very important every time you turn it on because it prevents it from drifting too much in one direction.
To turn it on, I actually had to read the manual because I couldn’t get it to work at first. That’s when I realized that pairing requires moving the left joystick up and down. Then, to start the motors, I had to move the left joystick to the bottom-right corner and the right joystick in the opposite direction, meaning to the bottom-left corner.
Automatic Takeoff and Landing
The remote has two takeoff and landing modes: manual and automatic. Manual mode basically means controlling altitude with the left joystick, which is pretty easy. But to make things even simpler, you can use the one-button takeoff and landing feature.
It’s the button shown in the image. Just press it once to make the drone take off or land. Just be careful not to hold it down, because that activates an emergency stop that completely shuts off the motors and makes the drone fall with no control. That took me a while to understand until I realized I shouldn’t hold the button.
I’m the kind of person who never reads manuals, but honestly, no matter what drone you’re using, it’s a good idea to read it because controls can vary a lot.
Decent Camera for the Price
The Holy Stone 440, like 99% of beginner drones, comes with a camera that isn’t bad at all. I mean, it’s not professional quality, but it’s definitely usable. You can save recordings either to an SD card or directly through live transmission while flying.
Ideally, you should use an SD card because it allows recording at 1080p at 30 fps, instead of 720p at 20 fps when recording directly from your phone via live transmission, where quality is reduced due to compression.
Here are two images taken directly from the app, just to give you an idea of the quality. Once again, for a beginner drone, it’s better than most generic options.
Two Batteries Included
This drone includes two rechargeable batteries that provide up to 20 minutes of flight time in total, around 10 minutes each. I have no complaints here, 20 minutes is more than enough for me, and I usually only use one battery and save the other for later.
Charging takes about 180 minutes according to the manual. It comes with two charging cables with a somewhat unusual connector for the battery, while the other end is USB-A, so you can plug it into a wall adapter or a computer.
What I Didn’t Like About the Holy Stone 440
No GPS
This drone does not include any kind of GPS tracking. I also have to admit it’s quite unstable even with light wind. It can drift in one direction and struggle against small gusts, even while I try to correct it with the controller.
The lack of GPS is a bit strange because its sibling, the Holy Stone 440D, does include GPS and, oddly enough, is currently cheaper than the 440, even though the 440 is the older model.
Not Recommended for High Flights
According to the user manual, this drone has a maximum range of up to 100 meters (330 feet), both for control and video transmission. However, I don’t recommend flying it higher than about 10 meters, because vertical range is where the signal becomes less stable and may drop momentarily. Horizontal movement, on the other hand, felt more manageable.
Without video transmission, it’s almost like flying blind, since this drone won’t stop once you release the controls, and it won’t return automatically because it lacks GPS.
I honestly don’t know how it survived, but this drone fell from about 10 meters onto solid asphalt. It’s a miracle, and yes, it happened because I triggered the emergency stop while trying to land it and avoid losing it.
It works well at low to medium altitude where you have clear line of sight, but based on my experience, I don’t fully trust controlling it using only the video feed.
Is the Holy Stone 440 Worth It?
Honestly, I wouldn’t recommend this drone for one simple reason: there’s already a better option, the Holy Stone 440D, which includes GPS and return-to-home, two essential features for beginners.
The only reason I would recommend it is if you can get it at a very low price, but overall, the Holy Stone 440D offers much more.
We are influencers and brand affiliates. This post contains affiliate links, most which go to Amazon and are Geo-Affiliate links to nearest Amazon store.
My name is Joel! I love to read, I go to university like most people my age.
In my free time I usually train boxing, I love music, I also know how to play the guitar and the harmonica.