Odyssey Toys X-7 Microlite review: This sprightly microdrone lights up the night

The X-7 Microlite quadcopter from Odyssey Toys is the kind of thing I would expect to see someone hawking on a carnival midway. With its propellers shielded for protection and ringed in bright LED lights, the palm-size quadcopter is stable enough to just toss into the air and quickly send it hovering around a crowd of onlookers as it dips and flips and rolls with ease.

It’s at that point you’d reach into your pocket and (roughly £40 or AU$80) for your very own chance to perform such aerial maneuvers, and you’d probably be happy that you did. You’ll have to buy four AA-size batteries for the controller, which is essentially the same length and width of the drone itself, but otherwise it’s ready to go out of the toy box big w.

The drone’s small 3.7-volt 500mAh rechargeable battery gets you about 7 minutes of flying, which will send you running to a USB charger to refuel for about 45 minutes. The flight time is short, but average for this size drone, so picking up spare batteries and a charger isn’t a bad idea.

The X-7 can fly indoors or outside, but only as long as there’s little wind to speak of. It’s relatively easy to hover and beginners can use a low-speed setting to get a feel for its performance. It won’t be long before you’re doing flips and rolls, which require no more than a button press and a quick push of the controller’s right stick. The lights and overall design are nice, and a bit different than your average microquad (). It handles crashes and hard landings well, too, though you might end up with cracks in its plastic frame.

For the money, the X-7 Microlite gives you an enjoyable flight experience with a splash of color.