Eachine E56: An Inexpensive DJI Spark Clone

Small portable selfie drones are getting better by the day. The original Elfie was a good concept but lacked a decent camera. Enter the Eachine E56. This next-generation starter selfie drone is more portable, thanks to a great carrying case, and it sports a better HD camera. The E56 is also branded as the JJRC H47 Elfie+, so its Elfie lineage is quite clear. The E56 was designed to look like the best of the best, the DJI Spark. How does it compare? Let’s take a look.

Eachine E56 vs DJI Spark

The biggest similarity to the DJI Spark is the way the E56 looks. The styling of the Eachine is certainly inspired by the much-hyped Spark. It is slightly wider than the Spark, but the arms fold in to make it more portable than the more capable DJI drone. The Eachine is much lighter and, like the Spark, comes with a nice carrying case to protect it during travel.

After the obvious styling cues, it is unfair to compare this drone to the DJI Spark. The Spark has an impressive camera on a gimbal, GPS, 2000 meter range and a variety of flight modes. But the Spark will cost you $500. For about 1/10 of that price, you can pick up the Eachine E56.

Take a look at the E56 and DJI Spark from the top.

A Better Comparison

Comparing it to the DJI Spark is unfair. However, there are a few other impressive selfie drones you may want to take a look at. The JJRC H49 Sol is an impressively small and compact quad with an HD camera. The FQ777 Dobbin is a similar drone to the E56 with an HD camera and a more traditional remote.

The HD Camera of the Eachine E56

The E56 is a nice beginner drone with a 2MP camera capable of taking 720p HD video. The camera is adjustable and you can angle it straight down or tilt it straightforward or anywhere in between. You’ll be able to stream live video from the drone to your smartphone in real time so that you can see what the camera sees. This is done via a WiFi connection.

E56 Features

The E56 has some other nice features. You will get added stability with altitude hold, the ability to change speeds, headless mode, fly via waypoints and flip with the push of a button. The E56 also has a one-key return that will supposedly bring the drone back to you. We recommend you avoid this feature as it is often unpredictable. The drone will usually reverse its course, but if you have been flying around for a while the chances of it returning to you aren’t very good.

The E56 is Ultra-Portable

One of the nicest features of the E56 is that it is ultra portable. It is small to start with, but the Eachine folds up for even greater portability. It even comes with a nice carrying case. The remote control for the drone is very small and quite different than most remotes. It fits nicely in the included carrying case so you can take it with you.

The included remote for the Eachine E56 is different than most we’ve seen. Most remotes have two sticks, also known as gimbals, but this remote only has one. The stick is similar to the left stick on most remotes and it controls the throttle and yaw (power and rotation). You have to rely on angle sensors in the remote to control where the drone travels. You tilt the remote forward, backward, left or right and the drone will follow. It takes a little getting used to, but works well and is a unique twist for this drone. Headless mode works well and we recommend you use it for helping you capture selfies.

If you don’t like flying with the small remote you can connect the drone to your smartphone and fly with a more traditional style with virtual controls on the app.

Eachine E56 Specs

Flight Time: 7 minutes
Range: 50 meters
Size: 14.6 x 6.7 x 3.2 cm / 5.7 x 2.6 x 1.3 in
Weight: 86 grams / 0.19 lbs
Camera: 2 MP 720p

Should You Get an Eachine E56?

If you are looking for a fun and portable drone, then we’d recommend you take a look at the E56. It is one of the nicer looking selfie drones on the market today and has some unique features. It is a definite improvement over most of the inexpensive selfie drones out there including the original Elfie. Its best feature may be its carrying case, a nice touch that you almost never see on drones under $300. The E56 is a good deal under $50.

Order an Eachine E56

 

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