Since it was first released about 2 months ago, the JJRC H22 has quickly become one of the most popular toy quadcopters in JJRC’s lineup thanks to its outstanding flight performance which appeals to both beginners and experts alike. Not only that, it looks great as well with a body that is durable and comes with a highly attractive price tag.
Toy quadcopters have evolved a lot in recent years and the H22 represents the finest in its class. So it came as no surprise that Gearbest sent us a sample to review. It is probably one of the best-selling toy quadcopters at the popular online store.
Those with a sharp eye for detail will notice that the H22 is actually a clone of the Eamachine H8 Mini with a different body. In fact, the H22 even comes with the exact same user manual as the H8. This is not an issue since the H8 itself is an excellent toy quadcopter to begin with.
The H22 has a sporty-looking canopy with racy graphics and well-designed prop guards that flex to absorb impact. Although a power switch is conspicuously missing — power is turned on by attaching the 3.7V 220mAh battery — the H22 is still a very decent quadcopter for its price. Thanks to its size, lightweight body and flexible prop guards the H22 can really take plenty of abuse and makes a great toy for children aged 8 to 12 years.
One thing that can be improved on the H22 are its foam landing studs which are glued to the bottom of its four motors. These studs can be detached quite easily with enough force although they do provide an excellent cushion for the quad to land on.
Specifications
- Dimensions: 13 x 13 x 35mm
- Diagonal motor distance: 93mm
- Motor size: 7 x 17mm coreless
- Weight: 30g (with battery)
- Flight time: 5 to 7 minutes
- Battery: 3.7V 220mAh
- Charging time: 30 minutes
- Control distance: approximately 30m
- Transmitter power: 2 x 1.5V AA batteries (not included)
Inverted Flight
Perhaps the most attractive key feature in the H22 that stands out the most is its ability to fly inverted. Inverted flight is all the rage these days since the first toy quadcopters that sport this feature were unveiled in the middle of this year. Among the first toy quadcopters to have this feature is the Eamachine H8 Mini which is very similar in size and features to the H22.
Inverted flight is what truly makes the H22 so much fun to fly. Besides this feature, the H22 is a very stable flier and responses very well to pilot input, especially in calm weather conditions.
However, turning inverted flight off can be a bit confusing for first-time users and the supplied user manual does a lousy job in explaining it.
By default, the transmitter is set up for inverted flight. To get the H22 inverted, press the right shoulder button on the transmitter while the H22 is in the air and then move the right control stick in any direction to invert it. For example, if you move the right stick forward, the H22 will lunge 180 degrees forward and stay inverted. Press the right shoulder button again, move the right stick forward and the H22 will flip back upright again.
Be warned, though, the H22’s inverted flight feature may render its LED lights useless when it comes to orientation. This happens when the H22 is inverted by flipping forward or backward which causes the blue LED lights, which are normally at the front, to end up at the back. As a result, pilots who rely heavily on the LED lights for orientation may end up momentarily confused.
Inverted flight may also invert the orientation of the LED lights which can lead to a disoriented pilot.
To turn off inverted flight mode, simply press the right control stick down as if you’re pressing a button. With inverted flight turned off, pressing the right shoulder button triggers the H22 to perform 360 flips when you move the right control stick.
Flight Performance
The H22 comes in 3 flight speeds — slow, medium and fast. In slow mode, the H22 is restrained and flies very predictably. This mode is ideal for beginners or when flying indoors. In fast mode, the H22 flies at its fastest with aggressive flying angles. Yaw rate is also incredibly fast in this mode and the H22 can be made to spin around in the air like a flying saucer which can be quite entertaining to watch.
The H22 also comes with “headless mode” and “one-key automatic return”. Headless mode is a feature which allows you to fly your drone without worrying where its front is facing. When headless mode is turned on, the drone will fly in any direction you order it relative to your transmitter’s position, irrespective of where its front or “head” is facing. So if your drone has its front facing right at you, it will move to the left if you push your right control stick to the left.
“One-key automatic return” is a mode that allows the drone to fly back to its launching site. Since the H22 is not a GPS-enabled drone, this feature is pretty much a hit-and-miss thing and appears to be more of a gimmick.
The H22’s 220mAh battery provides it with a flight time of about 5 to 6 minutes which is average for a toy quadcopter of this size. Flight time gets significantly shorter with aggressive flying.
Transmitter
The H22 comes with a mini transmitter that commonly comes with many other toy quadcopters from China. It resembles a mini game controller and is powered by 2 AA batteries.
Despite its size and basic features, the H22 transmitter feels good in the hands and serves its purpose well enough. It’s also tough enough to take abuse from children 8 to 12 years old.
Conclusion
JJRC is a brand that has had a spotty reputation in the past, producing toy quadcopters that were sometimes gimmicky and unreliable (think JJRC H8C) in order to stay ahead of its rivals. However, the company seems to have nailed it right this time around with the H22. There is so much to love about the H22 that you can easily forgive it for its flaws which are few.
The H22 is one toy quadcopter that appeals to both beginners and experts alike. Its inverted flight feature and stable flying characteristics make it a lot of fun to fly and simply a class above other toy quadcopters of similar size. Its lightweight body and well-designed prop guards make it very durable too. These features also mean the H22 can take a lot of abuse and is an ideal toy for children 8 to 12 years old or simply anyone who’s new to the hobby of flying quadcopters.
And best of all, it costs only $20.