Potensic Atom Review: A Good Cheaper DJI Mini 4 Alternative?
DJI has been the penultimate drone manufacturer for years. Many have tried to compete but have failed miserably. Here is another similar drone, Potensic Atom, a small 4K capable drone that does not cost a fortune. It is competing against the DJI’s mini series. It has some corners cut, but considering the specs and performance, I think it is up for competition.
Let’s Inspect!
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Pros
- Excellent video quality
- Affordable price
- Simple and efficient design with easy controls
- Handy smartphone app
- Tons of spare accessories for longevity
Cons
- Unstable video signals
- No obstacle avoidance sensors.
Potensic Atom – Price
The price of the camera is what sets it apart from competitors. It starts at 299$ for the drone and has variable prices for fly more combo, but the price difference between DJI and Potensic only increases. Manufacturers like Hubsan’s Zino and Xiaomi’s Fimi have become almost inactive, so the only competitors in the niche are DJI and Autel.
Potensic Atom – Unboxing
The unboxing is on the bright side. It has a nice box with highlighting features on the box. Opening the box will take us to some instructions and the big carrying case. This is an excellent addition and has great build quality, which is lacking in the market leader.
I have the fly more combo that starts with some wires and connectors in the top packet. Then we move to the main parts: the drone, remote, 3 batteries, and fast-charging battery case. The spare screws, propellers, and screwdriver cover the rest of the space.
Appearance and Build Quality
Potensic Atom is a beautiful drone. The design has nothing special and has a very similar design and color to DJI. The propeller blades and arms are foldable and have little stands to keep them off the ground. The camera is attacked to a 3-axis gimbal. It is a small lens, and you cannot attach ND filters, which is a little disappointing.
On the back, we have the battery dock and SD card port. Overall, it has a good aerodynamic shape that enables it to reach its maximum speed and cover long distances. The build quality is not the best. It weighs 250 grams, so there are some corner cuts, but with less than eight, you can use this drone without a license in most countries, which is a positive.
The remote of Potensic Atom is another positive thing. It has foldable antennas, and it expands horizontally, which means you can freely access all the buttons. The remote has removable prongs along with a bunch of functional buttons. The antennas are movable, but they are fragile, so I will recommend moving them softly.
Technical Specifications
- Video Quality: 4K 30FPS, 2.7K 30FPS and 1080p 60 FPS
- Flight Time: Up to 32 minutes
- Control Range: 6km
- Top Speed: 15 m/s
- Weight: 249 grams
- Gimbal: 3-axis Gimbal
- Intelligent Modes: Quickshots -Pull away, Rocket, Circle, Spiral, Boomerang, Visual Tracking and WayPoint
- Smartphone App: Potensic Pro
Preparing the Potensic Atom
Nothing special is needed for the launch. Just take the battery, check if it’s charged, and insert it in the back. Just below the slot, we have a post for an SD card tray. Go through all the settings and steps and take off. The landing and flight procedure is simple and has two flight modes: sports and regular mode.
Potensic Atom – Video Quality
Despite the small size, Potensic Atom has many advanced technologies, and one of them is the image sensor. Potensic has not revealed the image sensor and chipset, but according to my analysis, it has a Sony IMX 458 image sensor and Hisilicon chipset. It is a great combination that has been seen in many action cameras, and the duo is able to deliver excellent 4K image quality in Atom as well.
The 4K images look surprisingly good. They are very detailed, sharp, crisp, and colorful. Here are some with a little post-processing, and look how excellent they are. The video quality is equally good. Tune in to our YouTube video for video samples and more information about the camera.
You won’t find things like LOG mode, advanced video tuning, or high frame rate slow motions. Instead, you will have a buttery smooth video, stunning pictures, and a long flight time.
Low light images are not the best; in auto mode, the drone takes ISO to the highest of 6400, which causes a lot of noise in the video. Besides, the image sensor could be a better performer in low light. So, I won’t recommend using it during the night.
Potensic Atom Performance
Technologically, Potensic has made almost everything possible. The gimbal setup is excellent. It compensates well and, with some extra software stabilization, brings out super smooth videos. One thing I would like in Potensic Atom is options to fine tune the gimbal.
It has intelligent modes thanks to its AI and GPS. It keeps the focus right on the subject. Moreover, selecting a subject is straightforward. Simply rub your finger over the person, and the drone will start following.
The remote is also a great addition. It has a long-range and simple control, making it easier for beginners to start flying drones.
Potensic Pro App
Potensic Pro is a well-built software. The logic is similar to the DJI Fly app; you will also find similar grouping and features. It has both advanced and automatic modes. In advance, you can fine-tune the image quality with options like shutter speed, ISO, frame rate, and more.
Potensic Pro has the ability to live preview the video on the smartphone. It is a good feature, but the quality is limited to 720p, and after 500 to 600 meters, signals will start dropping.
Overall, the software ecosystem is good but not as polished as high-end devices like DJI and Autel have.
Drawbacks
- Unstable signals beyond 500 meters
- No Obstacle avoidance
- Can’t shoot vertically
- Weird MicroSD Card placement.
Conclusion
Potensic Atom is a really surprising device that has impressed me on almost every front. Everything is on par, whether it’s video quality, range, speed, performance, stability, or smartphone app. It is not superior to the competitors, but considering the affordable price, the drone exceeds expectations.
