XK X252 Shuttle quadcopter review

XK X252 review

I read somewhere that XK Innovations is a “deluxe” division of WLToys. Indeed, on first look, the XK X252 quadcopter has a pretty nice design and comes with many features. Only its attractive price is apart from a “deluxe” product, so I’m expecting to discover only positive things about this quad during my review.

The XK brand started to become popular with its X380 quadcopter. That cruising model is still an affordable alternative to the popular DJI Phantom series. Shortly after this success, they announced another three models, including the X251, which is the predecessor of the X252. With a top speed of 20 m/s (72km/h), the XK X252 can be easily categorized as an entry-level racing quadcopter.

To make this newer model even more attractive, the manufacturer decided to equip the XK 252 Shuttle with a complete 5.8G FPV system. This upgrade increased the final price of the product by about $ 40.

XK X252 Shuttle highlights

  • Lightweight airframe;
  • Durable brushless motors;
  • Versatile 7 CH transmitter;
  • Futaba S-FHSS radio protocol;
  • 720P camera with recording function;
  • Complete 5.8G FPV system;
  • Multiple flight modes (3G, 6G, and 3D);
  • Bright frontal LEDs for night flights.XK X252 Shuttle review

XK X252 quadcopter review

Realizing that my F210 is too fast to practice flying through FPV goggles, I happily accepted GeekBuying‘s offer to review this XK X250 quadcopter, especially since lately we succeeded in building together a nice partnership. I should mention that I’m not paid to make my review in a specific way and also that I’m not using affiliate links in order to make a profit from sales.

As usual, they opted for the SF Express shipping company. The package was delivered smoothly and very fast, without extra charges, directly to my door.

Inside the box, every part was well-arranged and protected. Besides the quadcopter and its professional transmitter, the package includes an FPV screen, 5.8G antenna, 1 set of spare propellers, flight battery, battery charger, AC/DC adapter, USB charger for the FPV screen, USB card reader, 4GB micro SD and user manual.XK X252 Shuttle review - Accessory pack

While this XK X252 is an entry-level quad suitable for beginners, the package does not include propeller protectors. These things can protect the propellers (but also your fingers :)) in case of crashes.

XK X252 review – First impressions

Being an RTF (ready to fly) quad, everything comes assembled and set up. You need to charge and load the flight battery.

Holding it in my hand for the first time I was surprised by the weight of this small quad (175 mm x 175 mm). It is much heavier than a brushed drone.

Unfortunately, the X252 Shuttle is entirely made from plastic, without adopting 3K carbon fiber arms like its predecessor (X251) so take it easy with the acrobatic flight movements.

In terms of form, it reminds me of the JJRC X1, but the design is completely different because it seems to imitate a race car.XK X252 review - Competitors

In the front part, two bright LED lights are very helpful in determining the aircraft’s orientation. Four additional LEDs will make your night flights very spectacular (blue LEDs under front arms and green and orange LEDs under the rear ones).

Instead of landing gears, the X252 features four low-profile rubber pads.

Four 1806 brushless motors generate the lifting power. You can opt to mount on the 4mm shafts the regular or 3D specialized propellers.

Under the frontal 720P FPV camera is located the micro SD card slot. I think it is too exposed during crashes, and a side location would be safer.

The XK X252 Shuttle drone is powered by a 950 mAh Li-Po battery. Although the encapsulated battery design seems to be a professional approach, later will be proven that you are limited in options for spare batteries. Also, it is a bit annoying that every time you charge the battery, you must attach the balance adapter.XK X252 Shuttle review - Closer look

XK X252 review – Transmitter

The included XK X7 transmitter looks very professional and almost identical to the one that the XK X380 quadcopter has. It features precise control sticks and can store customized settings for up to 10 aircraft (quadcopters, drones, airplanes, and helis).

Besides the usual control sticks and trim buttons, there are 4 switches (two on each side), 3 buttons (“MODE\Menu”, “BACK\Exit” and “Rec”), and a rotary dial button.

By long-pressing simultaneously, the “MODE” and “BACK” buttons can be accessed in the RC’s settings menu.

Switches can be set to the desired flight mode through the left shoulder. While the upper switch allows activating the 3D mode, the lower one toggles between 6G and 3G modes. In case of an emergency, you can stop the motors using the “TH Hold” switch.XK X252 Shuttle review - Transmitter

The red push-button allows you to start/stop video recording.

In case the quad starts to behave abnormally, you can’t try to re-calibrate the gyro by pushing both control sticks to the lowest right position (works only for 6G – stable mode).

XK X252 review – Camera

The 720P HD camera is integrated and does not allow angle adjustment.

In front of the camera lens, there is a clear transparent plastic, which is nice because it can protect the 140-degree lens from scratches during crashes.

Under the camera is located the micro SD card, where the recorded videos are stored. Unfortunately, the camera can’t take still photos, only videos with sound.XK X252 Shuttle review - Camera

Excepting some dropped frames, overall, the image quality is good and almost jello-free so you can capture your flight journey in an enjoyable quality.

Two minutes of captured 1280 × 720 @ 30fps video occupies about 245 MB on the micro SD memory card.

XK X252 review – FPV monitor

In order to display the camera’s real-time video feed, you need to attach the included 4.3″ FPV screen above the RC’s antenna. The resolution of the LED-illuminated TFT screen is 272 x 480 pixels.

The screen comes with a built-in battery, which can be recharged using the included USB charging cable.

In the top area of the screen are displayed the following: elapsed time, channel number and battery level of the FPV screen. There is also an OSD recording timer in the bottom area of the screen.

On the back of the XK X252 FPV screen, there is a tiny push-button witch that allows changing the receiving channel.XK X252 Shuttle review - FPV screen

The 5.8G FPV LCD is equipped with a sunshade, which is very helpful during sunny days. Unfortunately, there is no possibility of fine-tuning the image quality (no contrast/brightness adjustment).

XK X252 Shuttle – First usage and test flight

Because I’m preparing to leave for a short holiday, I tested the XK X252 Shuttle only indoors. I know, this kind of RC toy requires much more space to unleash the devil inside :D

To turn ON the quadcopter, you need to insert the battery.

There is no arming sequence. The throttle stick immediately activates the motors, so pay attention to the fingers.

I tested only the 6G flight mode, where the quad is very stable and easy to control it, perfectly tuned for beginner pilots.XK X252 Shuttle review - Test flight

While the advertised flight time was 12 minutes, I managed to fly about 10 minutes till the LEDs started to flash, warning me that it is time to land. In outdoor conditions, I’m expecting even less.

Friendly advice: always remove the battery from the quad when you finish your flight; otherwise, the flight battery will have a short life.

I promise that as soon as I’m back, I will update my review with more impressions regarding this quad’s flight capabilities. I will also upload the unboxing, maiden flight, and camera test videos.

Unboxing and maiden flight video

Pricing and availability

Thanks for the time you spent reading my review. If I aroused your interest in buying this nice all-in-one quadcopter, you should know that it can be ordered at a 48% discount from here. You can opt between white and black colors. BTW, maybe the black one has bulletproof painting  :D Because it is more expensive (about 5 $) than the white edition.XK X252 Shuttle review - Final words

REVIEW OVERVIEW
Price–performance ratio
Design and build quality
Flight autonomy
Remote controller
Camera
Senior editor and co-founder of FirstQuadcopter.com. Everything started about 4 years ago when I purchased my first drone. I still own that Syma X5C . Since then I have had the luck to review and test more than 100 drones.
xk-x252-shuttle-quadcopter-reviewLets see what you get for $ 165: a nice brushless quadcopter with 3D flight abilities, a complete first person view system and a pretty cool remote controller. In my opinion, this is not bad if you want to start your journey in the word of quadcopters. Practically, without extra costs you got everything you need to learn how to fly a drone, on both ways LoS and FPV. <br> Pros<br> +Affordable 3D blushless quadcopter;<br> +Can land on both sides;<br> +Multiple flight modes;<br> +FPV camera with recording function;<br> +Versatile transmitter with excellent control range.<br> <br> Cons<br> -Fragile airframe;<br> -Proprietary battery;<br> -Hard to use the FPV screen in strong daylight.<br>

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