Simply drag a series of named color-coded ‘blocks’ (‘take off’, fly forward’, ‘land) into a specific order and the Tello will follow the commands. You can also program this drone to perform a series of maneuvers with no real-time input from the pilot. The Tello has a 100-meter range and is capable of performing aerobatic stunts. The app also comes with a few pre-programmed ‘EZ Shots’ including circle (the drone flies around the user with the camera pointing inwards) and dronie (the drone flies away from the pilot while automatically filming at the same time). Everything the camera sees is streamed to the phone and, because it has digital stabilization, the footage it shoots is surprisingly smooth. To fly it, simply launch the Tello app on your phone, select hand launch, throw it into the air and steer it using the virtual joysticks on the screen. Although ostensibly designed for indoor flying, this little craft is also adept at flying outdoors, as long as it’s not too windy (without GPS on board, it could drift with the breeze and may not make it back to you). In other words, it’s small enough to tuck in a jacket pocket despite not being foldable like the DJI Mavic range. The Tello weighs just 2.82 ounces and measures 3.85 inches at its widest point.
