The C-Fly Obtain F803 is an unapologetic copycat of the popular and impressive DJI Mavic. Whether the Obtain is folded up or unfolded for flight, its similarities to the Mavic are undeniable. Unlike a lot of the cheap imitators, the Obtain actually has some impressive features.
This quadcopter is enabled with GPS and GLONASS, it has powerful brushless motors, and it hosts an array of flight modes. The Obtain features a 1080p HD camera on a stabilized 3-axis gimbal. Could this be a real low-cost alternative to the Mavic? The Obtain starts at only $399, compared to the $999 of the Mavic. Let’s dig a little deeper to see if you get what you are paying for.
What is the C-Fly Obtain F803?
The C-Fly Obtain has some impressive stats. You’ll get a flight time of up to 27 minutes, which beats the smaller DJI Spark and on par with the Mavic Pro. It also has a top speed of 33 mph (54 kph). The range on the C-Fly is 800 meters, with the optional remote, but only 200 meters if you are flying it via WiFi on your smartphone.
The DJI Mavic Pro, of course, is more impressive, with a 27 minute flight time, top speed of 40 mph, and a 4.3-mile range.
The Obtain should be fairly stable with its dual GPS/GLONASS system. It also has an altitude hold barometer that should help maintain a consistent altitude. While the Obtain should remain relatively stable, the Mavic is one of the most impressive drones we’ve seen in terms of stability. We don’t expect it to be nearly as consistent as the Mavic, but it should still be better than most drones.
Camera
The camera on the Obtain is capable of 1080p video at 25 fps and 3.7 MP stills. While 1080p is still considered by many consumers to be an acceptable resolution, the still image resolution will likely leave you yearning for more pixels. They were able to squeeze a 3-axis gimbal on this drone, and it should do a decent job of keeping the video stable. For comparison, the Mavic boasts a 12 MP camera and will capture 4K video. While it won’t be quite on par with the professional quality Mavic it certainly will be better than most if not all low-cost GPS drones.
Flight Modes
The Obtain does have some impressive flight modes. It has a one-key return-to-home feature that will also activate if the drone loses connection to the transmitter. You can set it to follow waypoints. It also has a follow-me mode and an orbit mode.
Remote Control
The Obtain is $399 if you purchase it without a remote transmitter, or $499 if you purchase it with the transmitter. We would recommend that you purchase it with the transmitter. Flying with a physical remote is much easier and extends the range of the quadcopter. The video from the drone is transmitted via a WiFi signal and will display 720p at 25 fps while it records at the higher 1080p resolution.
Should You Obtain a C-Fly Obtain?
At $499 (with the recommended remote) the C-Fly Obtain is only half the cost of the DJI Mavic. It looks like a Mavic and has a lot of features of the Mavic. It, however, is not a Mavic. The Mavic is an incredibly impressive machine. But it costs twice as much as the Obtain. If the Obtain is half as impressive as the Mavic it would still be a pretty good deal, right? While we have yet to test the C-Fly Obtain for ourselves, our initial impressions are good.
| Check the current price of the C-Fly Obtain F803 |
Other Options
Yes, the DJI Mavic is a better machine than the Obtain, but are there other options? The DJI Spark starts at $499 and when the Mavic 2 launches the price of the Mavic Pro is sure to drop. There is even some talk about a low-cost Mavic SE or Mavic Standard. If you are looking for something small we’ve come up with a handful of good options under $500.
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