Cheerson CX-10WD mini quad in-depth review

This new Pokémon GO craziness, as I saw in a YouTube video, ends it up with some dude trying to hunt them using a mini quadcopter just like this Cheerson CX-10WD. Frankly, I don’t know how he came up with this stupid idea. He probably opted for this CX10WD because it looks pretty cool and it has many reviews.

The CX-10WD is the 5th generation of the Cheerson Hobby mini quadcopter series. Basically, it is a combination of the last two previous models (CX-10W with WiFi FPV and CX-10D with altitude hold). While, a few years ago it seemed unimaginable to have so many features in a mini quad like this Cheerson CX-10WD, and now you can have them for a couple of bucks.

In my opinion, the biggest challenge of the newbies is to focus on flight altitude while they are trying to control the position of the aircraft. The latest generation of drones seems to have solved this issue by using barometric air-pressure sensors which allows the flight controller to automatically adjust its flight altitude. This way, first-time pilots can concentrate only on the right stick (mode 2) to accommodate the basic flight movements forward/backward, respectively left/right.

Cheerson CX-10WD quadcopter review

This mini quad was offered by the courtesy of Alice from GeekBuying in order to make an honest review. Thanks again for your professional attitude. Probably, many fellows will consider it a waste of time to play with such a tiny quadcopter, but I think every drone has its charm.

Although the package arrived two weeks ago (together with the KDS Kylin FPV Goggles), being very busy, I only had time and mood to open the Cheerson CX-10WD’s box yesterday. Besides the tiny aircraft and its surprisingly stylish remote controller, I found the following: a phone holder, a complete set of spare propellers, a USB charging cable and an instruction manual. Like its predecessor, the CX-10WD-TX is available in three colors: golden, silver and rose-red. As you can see on the images, I randomly received a silver one.

The weight of this tiny aircraft is around 18 g, which makes it probably one of the world’s lightest FPV quadcopters with altitude hold. Wingspread is about 45 mm in diameter, quite small, you might think, but just perfect for indoor fun.

In terms of design, there are not too many changes compared to its predecessors. The ON/OFF power switch and the tiny charging connector are on the right side of the mini drone. A big “WiFi & Height Hold” logo is on the cockpit. On the bottom of the aircraft is a tiny wire that serves as a wi-fi antenna.

In order to allow a better orientation during night flights, on the front arms, there are blue LEDs, and on the rear arms, the LEDs are red.

Cheerson CX-10WD review – Camera

The onboard 0.4 MP WiFi FPV camera allows to capture photos and videos with a resolution of 720 x 576 pixels. Two minutes of video occupies about 10 MB. The CX-10WD  doesn’t require a micro SD card like the CX-10C because the captured files are stored on your smartphone’s flash memory.

Frankly, no one can be so naïve to believe that one can capture award winning aerial videos with such an inexpensive toy. The resulting videos are blurred with lots of noise and pixelation. You can have a little fun with the camera, but nothing beyond that.

The camera’s real-time video feed can be displayed on your mobile device (smartphone/tablet) through the “CX-10WiFI” APP. This application is available for both popular mobile OS. Also, you can download it for Android devices from here.

Unfortunately, the FPV has some lag, and it is difficult to fly the CX-10WD in fully first-person view mode.

Cheerson CX-10WD-TX review – Remote control

The Cheerson CX-10WD-TX features multiple control modes. It can be controlled with a physical transmitter or through your smartphone – using virtual sticks or a gravity sensor.

In my opinion, the CX-10WD-TX has one of the most stylish remote controllers, no wonder it was used on that viral Pokémon GO video.

In the middle of the transmitter, there is a compartment with a transparent door that allows to safely store the aircraft. I must congratulate the designers from Cheerson Hobby for this great idea.

The On/Off switch is located behind the storage door, which is not too practical because is hardly accessible.

It’s unusual, but the transmitter does not have any trimming buttons.

Besides the two control sticks (both centered in the middle) there are two shoulder buttons. The left one allows switching between mode one and mode two, and the right one controls automatic take-off and landing.

By gently pressing the throttle stick as a button, the speed rates can be switched between 3 values according to the pilot’s flight skills (beginner’s mode, intermediate mode, and advanced mode). The speed rate setting is confirmed with beeps (1, 2, and 3, respectively). By pressing in the same way the right control stick can be activated the 3D flip mode.

The biggest trick of the transmitter is the option to slide the part containing the control sticks in order to make it larger and this way more comfortable for adults.

I almost forgot to mention that the package includes a phone holder that can be easily attached on the top of the RC.

Cheerson CX-10WD review – Test flight

Everything was very smooth except for some annoying jumps on the first control after the automatic take-off. The Cheerson CX-10WD-TX is very stable and extremely easy to control, even for “virgin” pilots. Even my wife was surprised by the “one key take off/land” feature, which performed very well. BTW, landing can also be performed manually.

While the lowest speed rate (30%)  is just perfect for indoor flights, the higher speed rates are more convenient for outdoor flights.

As I previously mentioned, the CX-10WD can also be controlled using your smartphone. The aircraft’s flight direction can be controlled with virtual sticks or through the smartphone’s internal gyro-sensor by tilting the phone. The Cheerson CX-10WD can be controlled like we play a mobile game. I’m sure that children will love this feature.

The built-in 150 mAh Li-Po allows about 3-4 minutes of playtime till the LEDs start to flash a warning that is time to land. Considering that the tiny battery has to work hard to power the receiver board, Wi-Fi module, motors, camera and LEDs, it is not the worst flight autonomy. The recharge time of the battery is about 30 minutes.

Pricing and availability

Those who are interested in starting their journey in the world of quadcopters with this micro FPV quadcopter should know that it can be ordered with a 57% discount and free shipping from here. While I didn’t find dedicated spare parts for this drone, I believe the propellers and motors should be compatible with the ones from other CX-10 models.