FQ777 FQ26 drone review: First flying cube

After the flying egg, here is the first flying cube. In the folded position, you would not think that the FQ777 FQ26 is capable of flying. It looks like a cube with four fans. Can be easily confused with an electronic alarm clock or something like that :D

FUQI Models announced this “Miracle” drone in two variants. While the FQ26-TX has a physical remote control, the FQ26-BNF can be controlled only through a smartphone APP. Both versions share the same features.

FQ777 FQ26 Miracle highlights

• Futuristic cube design with fold-able “arms”;
• Integrated blade protectors;
• 6-axis gyro stabilization;
• Easy maintenance (motors can be conveniently replaced);
• Multiple flight speed rates;
• Altitude hold and one key Take-off/Landing;
• Headless flight mode;
• 0.3MP camera with WiFi real-time image transmission (FPV);
• Built-in 450mAh Li-Po battery;
• About 5 ~ 6 minutes play time;
• Up to 40 meters control range.

FQ777 FQ26 drone review with pros and cons

Disclosure: I received this FQ777 FQ26 drone for a product review collaboration with GeekBuying. I have to underline that I don’t get paid or, in any other way, earn money with this review. Product specs and quality may vary according to the manufacturer’s reliability, so I cannot guarantee that you will get a product that performs the same as seen in my review.

Like the KaiDeng K130 Alpha, the FQ26 also comes in a small white box. Besides the aircraft, I found inside the box a micro USB charging cable, 1 pair of spare propellers, a velvet pouch bag, a screwdriver, and a user manual.

FQ777 FQ26 review: At a glance

Folded, the FQ777 FQ26 Miracle measures about 6.2 x 6.2 x 5.3 cm and weighs exactly 46 grams. Unfolded it measures 11.2 x 11.2 x 6 cm with a 9.5 cm wheelbase. Made of thin plastic, you must fold/unfold the arms carefully; otherwise, you can easily break them.

The battery is loaded from the top of the aircraft. The removable Li-Po module is equipped with On/Off switch, micro USB charging port, and charging indicator. According to the manufacturer’s specs, the 450mAh should allow about 5~6 minutes of flight autonomy.

The 0.3Mp camera module is located on the bottom part of the cube. Frankly, it would be smarter to install all the components (camera, battery, flight controller) on the lower part of the cubic fuselage.

During night flights, you will be guided by four internal LED lights. Two red ones on the front, and two blue ones on the rear.

FQ777 FQ26 review: Camera and WiFi FPV

As I previously mentioned, the camera module (Lens + PCB) is located on the bottom part of the drone. Good news! The field of view is clear. No drone parts are visible in the recorded videos. By removing two screws, the camera can be dismounted (not sure if the FQ26 will fly without it).

Although the camera has only VGA resolution, it offers decent image quality in daylight.

No micro SD card is required; photos and videos are stored on the phone’s internal memory. Three minutes of 640 x 480 @ 20 fps video (MP4) occupies about 50 MB.

WiFi FPV range is around 40 meters. The resolution is not the best, but at least the frame rate and latency are quite nice.

FQ777 FQ26 review: APP control

APP is available for both popular mobile operating systems (iOS and Android). VS FPV is free to download and can be easily installed on your phone by scanning the QR code from the FQ26’s user manual.

By default, the APP allows to control the aircraft through virtual sticks, just like it would be with a real remote controller. There is also the possibility of piloting through the phone’s G-sensor simply by tilting the phone.

The APP allows toggling between 3-speed rates (30%, 60% and 100%). If the drone starts to fly abnormally, you can try to re-calibrate the gyro through the settings menu.

FQ777 FQ26 review: Test flight

Of the many new drones I recently received, my son preferred first to test the FQ26. I think he was curious, as well as me, to see how a cube can fly.

Starting your flight is very easy. After you connect your phone with the “VS FPV-A329DD” WiFi access point, you just need to press the “arrow up” button from the “VS FPV” APP.

The first take-off ended very quickly, hitting the wall. One of the propellers did not work correctly. After carefully inspecting, I found the propeller touched the protector’s edge. I fixed the problem by applying a little force.

The second flight was OK. Altitude hold performs very well. Even if the FQ777 FQ26 is not the fastest machine, there is a huge difference between 30% and 100% speed rates. Wind tolerance is about zero. I would recommend outdoor usage only during very calm days.

Landing is not so nice. Most of my flights ended with overturns.

Pricing and availability

The FQ777 FQ26 flying cube can be found for those curious to try something different. Now, with a 25% discount and free shipping, it costs only $29.99. Unfortunately, being a new drone, no spare parts are available yet.