DJI Ryze Tello: a small drone to have fun without fuss

Presentation

A real gateway to the world of recreational drones, the Ryze Tello could almost be described as an entry-level DJI mini-drone. It is also no coincidence that it is precisely offered in the latter's online store, bridging the gap left under the € 499 Spark. We understand better why DJI agreed to supply its flight controller to the young shoot Ryze, which he welcomes under his wing. At 109 €, the Tello is in any case an interesting proposition for novices who want to try the drone experience and have a versatile device. Whether it's simply discovering the surroundings seen from the sky and making some videos or photos, just having fun with the prerecorded aerial figures or, a little more seriously, discovering the little world of programming thanks to a development kit, the Tello seems capable of meeting many expectations.

The Ryze Tello for this test was loaned to us by StudioSport, which we thank in passing.

Sold from 109 € (drone with a battery, 8 propellers and 4 propeller protections), the Tello is also available in several packs. We thus find the Tello Boost Combo, adding two batteries and a charger, as well as a micro-USB cable. Additional batteries are charged 25 €, the set of 4 propellers 4 € and the 4 propeller guards 6 €. Some resellers also associate the drone with controllers (Tello + Gamesir T1D or Tello + Gamevice iOS).

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Getting started

If its design can vaguely think of a mixture between the Spark and the Mavic Air, the proportions of the Tello (177 x 177 x 40 mm) especially evoke the Mambo of Parrot. The Ryze mini-drone, however, adopts more consensual forms and, above all, turns out to be better finished than its French competitor. Plastics seem indeed much more robust and more careful assemblies, giving the impression of having in hand a drone of higher range and not a toy. Feeling reinforced by the care given to the aesthetics, the absence of apparent wire and the presence of a small front camera well integrated in the body of the device.

The comparison stops there, however, the Tello is indeed a mini-drone with a fun vocation. It weighs 89 grams with its battery and its propeller guards installed, you can really take it anywhere and fly it indoors without problem. Because once careened, the Tello tolerates small rubs against walls, for example, keeping a certain stability. So to speak, we only lost propellers during slightly too violent contact with plants and the fairing never jumped. The same cannot be said of that of the Mambo, for example, which is less well fixed.

Before getting there, however, it is advisable to have a smartphone, the Tello cannot function without. Head to the Google or Apple Store to download the homonymous application, then in the Wi-Fi options of the smartphone to connect to the device that does not ask for a password (you can however assign one). We will of course have previously pressed the small button on the right edge of the drone to turn it on.

The proposed interface is fairly clear, with a row of buttons at the top, in the middle of which there are indicators of battery level and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth reception, as well as the horizontal speed and the flight height.

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Flight

Equipped with small 8520 brushed motors on which 75 mm propellers are mounted, the Tello takes off with a simple swipe of the finger on the smartphone screen, from a flat surface or directly from our hand if we activated the 'corresponding take-off option. It then stabilizes automatically at a little more than a meter above its take-off position and endeavors not to move from it while awaiting an order.

He uses his lower sensors for this, but sometimes he loses his position and moves a little, horizontally as well as vertically. Nothing really annoying, but it is better to keep the controls at hand and not to take your eyes off it for too long. It is also possible to take it off in the conventional way by orienting the virtual sticks towards each other, which proves to be just as simple. Conversely, for landing, we are free to lower the throttle so that the aircraft lands on the ground or activate the automatic option, the engines then shut down as soon as the drone is landed.

The device is controlled by default via the touch controls of the Tello app. Two virtual sticks are offered and arranged in mode 2 by default (gas on the left), but they can be reversed in the options. Despite the intrinsic imprecision of the touch controls, it is clear that the control of the Tello remains quite pleasant. We can undoubtedly say thank you to the DJI flight controller and the various integrated assistance systems which allow a flight which is admittedly quite slow, but smooth and fairly safe. Perfect for beginners.

For more precision and comfort, it is better to opt for a Bluetooth controller like the Gamesir T1d that we were able to test with the Tello. Specifically designed for this drone, it is similar to a DualShock 4 controller. Its finishes are fairly correct with a coating to the rubber touch quite pleasant in hands and its mass is reasonable, at 208 g (built-in battery) on the scale. The smartphone is installed in a clamp mechanism (max. Width 8 cm) with two angles of inclination ensuring good support. On the other hand, we found its triggers a little too firm and its analog sticks are notched on 8 directions, making their handling less fluid than with those of a game console controller, for example. However, the gain in comfort and precision remains real compared to touch controls.

With such a controller, switching to "fast" mode proposed in the parameters allows you to feel a semblance of driving sensations. Only a semblance, since it is not the vocation of the Tello, which readily lends itself to a small obstacle course, but not to a real race. Is not racer who wants. We can nevertheless enjoy an immersion flight mode thanks to a VR view compatible with virtual reality masks for smartphones, which is always nice. Beware of motion sickness, however, the significant latency and the lack of depth (a single camera) can quickly overturn the stomach of the most sensitive.

The application integrates several automated flight modes, allowing for example to film with a 360 ° rotation or by flying around a fixed point. However, the lack of recognition of objects or people limits the value of these options. Do not expect modes as advanced as those of DJI drones, to name a few. Automatic aerial figures can also be triggered, but their access would have deserved to be more direct, with for example icons to be positioned directly on the control interface to use them in flight.

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Image quality

The image captured by the camera is retransmitted via Wi-Fi on the screen of the smartphone with a rather satisfactory quality for a mini-drone. In slow mode, the image is digitally stabilized on two axes, ensuring satisfactory video capture at short range and indoors, but at the cost of reducing the size of the image (stabilization by cropping). It is more delicate outdoors when there is a little wind, the drone then shaking a lot more. Registering and even controlling the device also gets more complicated as the distance to it increases - or as the partitions multiply, indoors. More and more cuts occur then, sometimes even from ten meters. In addition to affecting piloting, they directly impact the recording of sequences, since they are done on the smartphone and not in the drone itself! In other words, it is the video that is observed on the smartphone that is recorded, with its transmission faults, and not that captured by the camera of the drone at its source. We would have preferred to be able to record on a microSD installed in the drone, even if it means post-production stabilization.

To improve things, we can equip ourselves with a Wi-Fi repeater which amplifies the signal and therefore increases the range. For this we used the Xiaomi Repeater 2 which can be connected to an external battery via USB. The result is better, but everything is not perfect and it is better to point the antenna towards the drone to keep a good quality of connection.

With its 5 MP sensor, the Tello captures images with a resolution of 2,592 x 1,936 px. The quality is correct, but just comparable to that of an entry-level smartphone in terms of sharpness. The edges of the image are much less sharp and there are bright burnt areas. Overall, this remains much better than what most mini-drones are capable of producing, but 1000 leagues from the result allowed by drones designed for shooting.

Same observation on the video side. These are captured in 720p at 30 fps and recorded in H.264. Pixelation occurs quickly when traveling, and if children will always enjoy being able to play videographers, this is still insufficient to produce beautiful videos and capture their memories of holidays. At least, not if you are looking to capture beautiful panoramas, for example. A recording on the drone itself could undoubtedly have limited the damage.

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Autonomy

The Tello is powered by a proprietary LiHV 1S 3.8 V 1100 mAh battery. Its installation and removal are very simple and it stays in place in its housing despite the inevitable collisions that the drone ends up suffering. Charging is done directly from the device's micro-USB port, with a smartphone charger (2 A) or via the USB port on a computer. You have to be patient, the operation requiring almost an hour and a half! Once fully charged, then count ten minutes of autonomy in slow flight, a little more hovering, which is quite good for a mini-drone. However, we have not reached the 13 minutes promised by the manufacturer. We can only advise the purchase of additional batteries or even the Boost pack (3 batteries and a charger).

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Conclusion

Well constructed, easy to handle, the Tello looks attractive at first sight. Unfortunately, he misses his target by betting too much on his camera, even though he suffers from a reduced range causing jerks in retransmission and video recording. Difficulty under these conditions to really use it for shooting or even to try out the drone race. There remains a rather complete device which represents a good entry into the universe of the drone, provided that one is aware of its limits.

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