Yingling A1 drone adds 4G video transmission enhancement module and classic remote controller

English text is being prepared.

About half a year ago, we reviewed the Antigravity A1 drone. As the first 8K panoramic drone on the market, the Antigravity A1's ultra-high-definition image quality, the immersive flight experience brought by the Vision flight goggles, and the easy, point-and-fly gameplay of the Grip motion controller all left a deep impression on us.

English text is being prepared.

Although this is only Antigravity's first-generation product, the A1 is already a highly polished finished product. Through it, we also saw many landscapes we had never seen before.

English text is being prepared.

The hardware itself is only part of it. The freshness brought by the subsequent accessory ecosystem and feature updates is often also a catalyst that can push more players to take it outdoors.

Image source: Antigravity

Although the Vision flight goggles and Grip motion controller launched with the Antigravity A1 are very fun, they are also different from traditional drones—at first, no classic controller familiar to players was offered.

Although we knew during our review that Antigravity planned to launch a classic controller, that wait lasted half a year, and now it has finally arrived. In addition, Antigravity also brought a surprising 4G video transmission enhancement module and multiple new features such as obstacle avoidance around objects. With these brand-new accessories and features, the Antigravity A1 has completed an evolution and unlocked even more new possibilities.

English text is being prepared.

This time we also got these new accessories first and tested the new features in advance. Building on our previous review, we'll talk about the newly added content and fill in this latest piece of the puzzle for users who plan to buy or are already using the A1.

Players who know something about drones are well aware that how far a drone can fly and whether the images it transmits back are clear depend largely on how much interference there is nearby.

English text is being prepared.

Traditional drones establish a two-way, point-to-point line-of-sight data transmission with the player, mainly occupying the two public frequency bands of 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz. However, because every household has Wi-Fi, everyone has one or two electronic devices at hand, cities have various communication devices that support public services, and surrounding high-rise buildings block signals, the drone's video transmission signal is very susceptible to interference.

English text is being prepared.

The result is that when there is little interference, a drone can fly several kilometers without issue; when there is a lot of interference, it is also common for the signal to be lost after only a few hundred meters. For example, in the environment shown in the left image, the surroundings are very open, and after flying 1.7 kilometers, the signal strength is still very good; while in the environment shown in the right image, because of obstruction and interference from surrounding high-rise buildings, after flying only about 600 meters, the signal has already turned red—the difference is very obvious.

Note: The images representing "flight distance" and "signal strength" are both screenshots from recordings of the Vision flight goggles, not actual captured results.

Theoretically, the more open the site and the fewer people around, the more favorable it is for flying. But for most players living in cities, such conditions are hard to come by. So is there a good way to solve this problem? This is where the 4G video transmission enhancement module comes in.

You can compare the drone's 4G video transmission module to the 4G network connected to a phone. The new communication method no longer relies on traditional point-to-point direct connection; the drone can connect to nearby base stations like a phone, and after that all control and video transmission go through the 4G network.

Because it is no longer a point-to-point line-of-sight connection, the drone is also less susceptible to interference. As long as there is a 4G signal, in theory the flight distance can be unlimited.

English text is being prepared.

Before starting the actual test, let's take a look at the 4G video transmission enhancement module accessory.

Communication is two-way and requires transmission and reception, so naturally there are two 4G modules: one installed on the drone and the other installed on the Vision flight goggles.

English text is being prepared.

English text is being prepared.

The 4G module can be easily secured to the device with straps and buckles and is very sturdy. After installation, it looks as shown in the image above.

English text is being prepared.

To simplify, the installation process is "eSIM communication module — module bracket — drone/flight goggles." Next, you only need to activate the eSIM in the Antigravity app on your phone; it comes with 5GB of data by default.

English text is being prepared.

Special note: because the drone plus the standard battery already reaches the critical weight of 249 grams, adding the 4G module will definitely push the overall weight above this value. According to aviation flight regulations in different countries and regions, flight altitude and flight areas will be restricted, and additional registration or declaration may be required.

So how much improvement can the 4G video transmission enhancement module actually bring? Next, we officially enter the actual test.

Because drone signals are easily affected by many factors, in order to better control the test variables, we chose to take off at the same location, keeping the flight altitude and flight direction as consistent as possible. The only difference was whether the 4G module was installed.

English text is being prepared.

Without the 4G module installed, we encountered a loss of video transmission signal after flying only about 1.2 kilometers; the image turned gray, and as can be seen from the screenshot, the RC and HD indicators representing signal strength had bottomed out, and the drone automatically entered return-to-home mode.

English text is being prepared.

Next, we installed the 4G module. Under this condition, we flew about 3.5 kilometers. At this point, it can be seen that the traditional wireless signal was still at an extremely low level, almost the same as in the previous test, while the icon next to it representing 4G signal strength showed that the signal was still very good.

You may ask, since the signal is still full, shouldn't it be able to fly farther?

Indeed, that's right. As mentioned earlier, with a full 4G signal, in theory it could indeed fly farther. The reason we only flew 3.5 kilometers is that there was a geofence around the test environment, and going any farther would exceed the permitted flight airspace. 3.5 kilometers was the upper limit of our test environment, not the upper limit of the 4G video transmission enhancement module.

Judging only from what we measured, the difference between 1.2 kilometers and 3.5 kilometers already shows the improvement the 4G module brings to flight distance and experience. Especially for flights beyond visual line of sight, it is a kind of confidence that lets you think, "I originally wanted to fly, but was a bit afraid to"—it also counts as a kind of insurance, a kind of peace of mind.

Of course, these two measured values are for reference only. When flying in different environments, conditions, and carrier network coverage, these two values may differ.

English text is being prepared.

The 4G module supports China Telecom and China Mobile. You can flexibly switch according to the carrier coverage in your area and choose the network with better signal.

English text is being prepared.

In the past, when we flew drones, we usually had to choose to avoid crowds and avoid high-rise buildings, but now it is the opposite: places with buildings and crowds are usually also the places with the densest base station coverage, and the 4G module is truly in its element here. Instead, you worry least about signal (while still paying attention to flight safety).

English text is being prepared.

English text is being prepared.

Since the 4G module has so many benefits, is there no cost? Naturally, there is still a bit of a cost.

First, the 4G module adds a slight weight increase to the drone. The module itself also needs to draw power from the drone, and its power consumption is slightly higher than traditional point-to-point transmission. These factors combined will inevitably affect battery life. According to our test, installing the 4G module reduces battery life by about 7 minutes.

Second is latency. With traditional point-to-point connections, latency is usually within tens of milliseconds; while the 4G network needs to go through base station relay, and latency is usually 100–200 milliseconds or even higher. During high-speed flight or fine operations, there will be a slight lag in feel and image.

Finally, 20 minutes of flight consumes about 500MB of data. When purchased, it comes with 5GB of data valid for one year; after it is used up, additional data must be purchased.

In our test, the experience brought by the 4G module is real and tangible. If you often fly in complex environments, this cost is still acceptable.

The classic controller returns: from being able to fly to precise control

English text is being prepared.

In the initial experience, the A1's motion-sensing controller + Vision flying goggles' head-controlled viewing angle already provided a very special flight interaction method; you really get the illusion that "you are flying." But what cannot be ignored is that the classic controller has existed longer and has deeply influenced user habits, while its control is also more precise, so naturally it cannot be completely abandoned.

English text is being prepared.

For beginners just starting to fly drones, the Grip motion-sensing controller can lower the learning curve, but for veteran drone players, the classic controller is the one they are more accustomed to and more comfortable with. This update can be said to take care of all players.

English text is being prepared.

English text is being prepared.

The two joysticks of the classic controller can be removed and stored on the back when not in use, making it convenient to carry. The damping itself is also strong, so there is no need to worry about them falling out.

English text is being prepared.

In the palm grip area, the curvature is large enough, and the added texture enhances friction, making it less likely to slip.

English text is being prepared.

English text is being prepared.

Although you can rotate the panoramic image 360 degrees, if you want the drone to physically perform 90-degree, 180-degree, or in-place rotation operations, the Grip motion-sensing controller cannot achieve that. That is where the value of the classic controller comes in: it leaves enough control margin for advanced camera movements.

English text is being prepared.

Compared with the "flight experience" that relies solely on motion-sensing control, the classic controller provides a richer combination of joystick inputs, making it easier to perform more complex multi-directional maneuvers during flight.

English text is being prepared.

Now reverse flight and side flight only require a simple flick of the joystick, with no more of the flight limitations of the past.

English text is being prepared.

In addition, operations such as orbiting flight, spiral ascent, and pull-back ascent are also easier to achieve on the classic controller.

English text is being prepared.

For players who already have some joystick experience, this update is more like moving the set of controls you are already familiar with into a panoramic perspective.

English text is being prepared.

In the settings, common control schemes such as Chinese hand, American hand, and Japanese hand are also provided, along with a learning guide to help beginners learn and adapt in advance.

English text is being prepared.

However, in our testing we found that if you own both the Grip motion controller and the classic controller and occasionally want to switch to the other one, there is a small regret. The flight glasses cannot remember two controllers at the same time; after powering on, they will only automatically connect to the controller used last, and switching requires re-pairing every time.

English text is being prepared.

English text is being prepared.

Free view mode is closer to the surprise many people felt when they first experienced the A1: the flight direction and viewing direction are decoupled, with the controller responsible for controlling how the drone flies and head movement responsible for where you look. No matter which way the aircraft is flying at that moment, you can turn your head to look around at any time.

In fixed view mode, the image in the flight glasses always follows the direction of the drone's nose and no longer follows the user's head movement. This means what you see is basically the perspective that will appear in the final footage. For creators who prioritize task execution and image efficiency, this "what you see is what you get" mode is just like a traditional drone, giving you one more option and making it easier to control composition and movement direction when doing camera moves.

Although the view is fixed, the capture is still panoramic. Even if the early operation is not particularly perfect, it can still be adjusted in post-production. Compared with the repeated retakes of traditional drones, both the material utilization rate and the final footage rate are greatly improved.

English text is being prepared.

Finally, let us briefly talk about the two newly added features this time: obstacle avoidance by detouring and constant-speed flight. These two features really are just as their names suggest, clear at a glance.

Obstacle avoidance by detouring is especially useful in complex environments. When the drone approaches an obstacle, it can avoid risk by planning a detour path instead of simply and crudely "braking to a stop." While ensuring safety, this feature also keeps the captured footage smooth and avoids the jolt that occurs when braking to a stop.

Constant-speed flight is like the "cruise mode" in autonomous driving. When you have found the right rhythm of movement for the shot, or simply want to enjoy the scenery along the way, after setting it up you can completely release the "forward" joystick and let the drone fly automatically at a relatively stable speed, allowing the player to focus more attention on the image.

These two features are not revolutionary innovations, but they are both very practical in flight.

English text is being prepared.

English text is being prepared.

English text is being prepared.

English text is being prepared.

English text is being prepared.

The first thing that needs improvement is the chip's computing power. During our long period of use, this chip could handle most scenarios, but in scenarios such as shooting HDR photos, the chip's computing power still hit a bottleneck. On average, taking one HDR photo requires waiting about 10 seconds, which is still a bit too long at present.

English text is being prepared.

English text is being prepared.

English text is being prepared.

Cleverly, the official team used algorithms to combine the panoramic lens's environmental recognition with the aforementioned hardware to create an omnidirectional visual obstacle avoidance system.

But visual obstacle avoidance will always have a certain gap compared with hardware-level obstacle avoidance, especially at night and in low-light conditions, where visual obstacle avoidance is also hard-pressed to play its due role.

English text is being prepared.

English text is being prepared.

Submissions/tips: tougao@youxituoluo.com

Article/business cooperation: Lin Nan (WeChat 19250561593)

Join the industry exchange group: Lin Nan (WeChat 19250561593)

Metaverse Digital Industry Service Platform

English text is being prepared.