In my computer science classroom, I want kids to be able to own a bit of their learning. That means finding a variety of tools that students can use to get into coding, or whatever it is tech-wise that they want to explore. One of the tools I have recently acquired is the CoDrone Pro. Every Friday I have what I call Flexible Friday, where kids can work on a variety of projects to take control of their learning. I got two of them for the classroom. Let’s crack open the box and see what we’ve got.
First off… I got the CoDrone Pro models. These come with an Arduino based remote control that can be programmed so the drone follows the code as it is written. There is a different version, the Lite, which pairs with a phone or tablet via bluetooth, it allows text based coding in Python. I opted for the Pro because I wanted to have kids code in the Arduino IDE as well as Python. Both versions can be coded with Snap, making this great for younger aspiring programmers as well.
An added bonus, at least for me, was the remote controls came in kit form. Everything had to be assembled, and it was an amazing experience watching a few of my kids work through putting these together. It was a great learning experience for them, and they learned to pay attention to every detail. The direction plugs face makes a difference. 🙂
Now, once assembled, one drone paired right up to the remote. The other did not. The drone itself would pair up to a phone or the other remote, but no matter how many times I tried, one of the remotes would not pair to a drone. I sent an email off to Robolink asking for assistance, and did some Google Fu. Turns out, there isn’t a lot of info out there about these guys, except for the Robolink website. They have some good tutorials on there, but my issue was not addressed…. so I figured I would tinker a bit. Having played around with Arduino a bit, I knew that sometimes boards have programming that doesn’t ‘stick’. I figured I would try to just reprogram the board and see if it would take a program.
The Robolink website has a good tutorial on how to get the CoDrone libraries and everything set up in the Arduino IDE. Head over there and look through their Base Camp to get that rolling. After getting everything set up in the IDE, I simply loaded the flight controller program from the example code to the drone. It took the code and everything appeared to be fine. I disconnected, reset the dip switches, and I was ready to go. I cycled the power on the remote and slid a battery into the drone, and it paired right up. Problem solved. Now, one difference. My remote now makes noises when it pairs up, whereas the other one does not. No worries.. it sounds cool.
Now, the goal here was to get the drone flying with the remote so the kids could get a feel for the drone. I flew it for a few minutes, then turned it over to a kid. We tested the drone’s hovering. It seemed pretty stable. It did float up and down a bit, but a quick calibration took care of it. You calibrate the drone by pressing the button on the side for a few seconds until the lights flash. Again, a good tutorial is on the Robolink Base Camp site.
Now, I’ve gotta say, this little guy is pretty durable. It’s really light weight, so if someone opens a door and wind comes through, it will mess with your drone, but so far, the crashes have all been no big deal. It came with a little landing piece, but it didn’t really stay on, so it went to the wayside.
Next up was a test to see how long the drone would actually fly. The claim is 8 minutes. Now, I assume that means in perfect conditions etc. I did two indoor tests, both in my classroom during lunch. The times were 5:34 and 5:46. Neither was what I would consider close to the 8 minute mark… but I flew it with the guards on the propellers, so that adds weight. Also, there as significant airflow from the HVAC unit, so it was maneuvering pretty much the whole time. When the battery went, the drone simply landed. The first flight, I was able to take off again, but it landed within seconds. The second test, when it landed, that was it… it would not even start the propellers.
Next, I took the propeller guards off and ran one final test. This time was better. The drone landed at just over seven minutes. It was able to take back off again several times, but never for a sustained flight. So, taking the guards off picked up a bit over a minute of flight time. One thing I really like about this drone is that the guards are easy to take off. All you do is place the drone on a flat surface and gently push down the guards. They come off two propellers at a time with no tools required.
Overall, this appears to be a solid little drone. Like I said, it is a project. It carries a $180 price tag for the Pro version, so if all you are after is a flyable toy, there are cheaper options that are easier to fly. If your goal is to actually learn something while flying, this may well be the drone for you. There is a distinct learning curve, and the user may need to make some adjustments to make things just right… but that is part of the maker mindset, constantly tweaking things. The Robolink team does a great job of having learning resources available on their website as well. If you have not checked those out, make sure you do. Reading through some of their documentation and watching the videos may help you make an informed decision.