I Bought a Bwine F7MINI 4K: Full Unboxing and First Flight

It's official. I finally broke down and bought a 4K video drone.

I'm Ryan. I'm a former fire captain, paramedic, and firefighter in Colorado, and a dad of three. People have been asking for better travel and camping footage, I've got a camping trip coming up, and I've kind of always wanted one. From a preparedness standpoint, a drone also matters because it can help you see what's happening around you without walking into danger.

I went on Amazon, found a well-reviewed option that wasn't crazy expensive, and went with this as my entry-level drone: the Bwine F7MINI 4K. This is the full unboxing, and then I couldn't resist a first flight. I've never flown a drone before.

Buy the Bwine F7MINI 4K here. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Follow FAA and local rules, and register if required. Confirm the weight of your exact kit and the current rules before you fly.

I'm also building a page for this at dadkitcheck.com/preparedness/drone.

Why I bought this one

I've been doing a lot of travel videos, and I want better footage for a camping trip that's coming up. I also think a drone can be helpful from a preparedness perspective: it lets you get a look at what's around you without walking into a situation you cannot see yet.

This is not a review of every high-end drone on the market. I went looking for a well-rated entry-level option and asked a simple question in the video: is this the way to go, or should you look at some of the higher-end ones? I will learn more as I fly it.

One feature I really wanted is follow-me mode. I have not put that through a full test in this video. This is the unboxing and a first flight.

What's in the box

It comes in a hard carrying case, with the user manual and the remote. I thought this remote had a built-in screen. It does not. Your phone clips onto the controller, which is how I flew it.

There are batteries, including one I found in a box labeled as an accessory toolbox. I expected tools in that box; the tools were elsewhere in the case. I will let you know how charging goes.

The tools and extras include USB-A to USB-C charging cords, an iPhone connector, extra screws, and spare props. Then there is the drone itself.

First look, and a first flight

First impressions: this thing is extremely light, and pretty cool looking. It also feels very plastic, which I'm a little worried about. I'll see how it holds up.

In the video I mention that this one is under the weight limit for an FAA designation. I am not going to turn that into a rule for you. Follow FAA and local rules, and register if required. Confirm the weight of your exact kit, and the current rules, before you fly.

The arms fold out on either end. Based on the things I've seen, this can go a pretty long distance, about 2,000 feet, which is more than enough where I need to go. That is what I had seen, not a test I ran myself.

I couldn't resist flying it once I had it set. I had never flown one of these things. I took it out on the patio, unlocked it to take off, and I was able to get some video. When I hit auto return, it started going straight up and not coming back down. I've got some stuff to learn, but I didn't crash it. It also had some pretty hefty lift; it was trying to lift my hand up.

This is a first flight, not a long-term review, and it is not a camping flight yet. I will come back after I have used it more.

A simple next step

If you want the same entry-level kit I unboxed, here is my link: Buy the Bwine F7MINI 4K here. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

I'm building a Dad Kit Check page for this at dadkitcheck.com/preparedness/drone. Until that page is live, you can start at dadkitcheck.com.

Follow FAA and local rules, and register if required.

FAQ

What drone is this? The Bwine F7MINI 4K. This is the standard-remote kit I unboxed, not a version with a built-in screen on the controller. I thought the remote had a screen; it does not. Your phone clips onto the controller.

Did you buy this, or was it sent to you? I bought it. I found it on Amazon, went with a well-reviewed option that wasn't crazy expensive, and I am using it as my entry-level drone.

Is this a long-term review? No. This is a full unboxing and a first flight on the patio. I have never flown a drone before. I have not tested follow-me mode in this video, and I have not taken it on the camping trip yet.

What happened on the first flight? I got some video. When I hit auto return, it went up instead of coming back down. I've got some learning to do, but I didn't crash it.

How far can it fly? In the video I say about 2,000 feet, based on the things I've seen, and that that is more than enough where I need to go. I did not measure that myself in this flight.

Do I need to register it or follow FAA rules? Follow FAA and local rules, and register if required. In the video I mention that this one is under the weight limit for an FAA designation. Confirm the weight of your exact kit and the current rules before you fly.

Is this an affiliate link? Yes. The Amazon link above is an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.