We've been putting the latest toys through the ringer again ... for the upcoming Drone Racing course, we wanted to find the best drone that fitted our criteria.  It had to be:

• Easy to fly for beginners in a stabilised mode
• Able to be flown in in non-stabilised 'Acro' mode for experts
• Able to Use the higher-power 'brushless' style motors

We also wanted it to be able to:

• Run on both 1 and 2 lipo cells so it could be used outdoors
• Operated using Betaflight so we could teach the campers about drone programming and PID settings
• Use the transmitter as a simulator controller for when we teach the campers how to fly
• Have on-screen display and warnings for low battery
• Have a 'beeper' function to locate a lost drone when outside
• Be super-rugged in a crash

We're happy to announce that we've found the perfect drone for this season.  The Tinyhawk II is a brilliant little drone for beginners and experts alike.  Out of the box, you can get into the air in just minutes, and it has one of the most rugged frames we've seen.  We've just been flying it around the office, and outside as well, and the performance is terrific.  Like most drones this size, battery time is probably 3 mins max, depending on how hard you push it, but you can compensate by buying some spare batteries.

We've working on a custom version that the campers can put together themselves.  With three spare batteries, FPV headset, spare propellers, charger, and even carrying case, this is one nice kit.  Paired with our DIY programmable LED hoop which the campers create from scratch, the Drone Racing Course is a great introduction to all aspects of STEM, from programming to electronics, aeronautics and engineering.