PJC D18: Budget drone launches with remote control with display and obstacle avoidance

With the D18, the manufacturer PJC is likely targeting users who have no prior experience with drones and simply want to try out this type of gadget. Therefore, there are more or less significant compromises in terms of features, but the price is very low at around €32 including one battery. Shipping to Europe costs about €3, and delivery is expected between mid-November and early December. In the event of technical issues, warranty claims will likely be difficult to enforce.

The drone weighs about 5.5 oz and offers a flight time of up to 10 minutes. It records video in 480p, which may be sufficient for basic manual navigation but is hardly suitable for creating professional footage for YouTube. The FPV range is extremely limited as well and is listed at just 65 to 130 feet, meaning that even apart from the short battery life, covering a larger area with this budget drone won’t be much fun. That said, the remote control is included in the box and has a much higher range of about 330 feet and sports a display, but the cheap PJC D18 drone also supports a corresponding smartphone app.

The drone also supports obstacle avoidance that utilizes aforementioned cameras. That means the system won’t work properly in low-light conditions. The camera can recognize gestures, which may be useful for taking selfies. Last but not least, there are test videos available online for drones in this price range, which can give bargain hunters a first impression before they place an order for the wallet-friendly PJC D18 drone.