Holy Stone HS290 Review | 95 Data compared

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  • Avg. price in UK: ~£55
  • Avg. price in US: ~$50
  • Max flight time: 12 min
  • Video resolution: 1080p
  • Max transmission distance: 0.05 km

Holy Stone HS290 review. Compare 95 technical specifications and user reviews to see how it ranks among drones and if it is worth buying.

4.8

Overall score

What it is: An overall evaluation of the drone's quality, based on technical analyses and user reviews.

When it matters: When you need a quick reference to identify the best drones on the market.

Score components:

90.0%

4.6

Technical Score

10.0%

6.9

User score

Poor
4.6

Technical Score

What it is: An assessment of the drone's technical performance, covering key areas such as flight performance, camera quality, transmission, safety features, battery life, and design.

When it matters: When you want to compare drones based on technical performance and available features.

Score components:

26.0%

3.1

Flight

24.0%

5.6

Camera

20.0%

4.0

Safety

16.0%

5.0

Connectivity

14.0%

6.2

Battery & Design

Poor
6.9

User score

What it is: A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the drone.

When it matters: When you want to know how a drone performs in real flights and how reliable it is for stability, video capture, and controls according to user feedback.

Score components:

70.0%

9.0

User reviews

30.0%

2.0

Popularity

User score:
United Kingdom
amazon
4.5
(13)

(Reviews last updated: Apr 2026)

Good
    • No image
    No image

    Best prices in UK

    Best rankings

    ?

    Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).
    All: ranking among all products in the database.

    Verdict

    The Holy Stone HS290 is a lightweight, foldable beginner drone weighing just 128g and featuring a 1080P HD camera with a 90° electrically adjustable tilt. It offers approximately 12 minutes of flight time per battery (24 minutes total with the two included modular units) and utilizes optical flow positioning alongside altitude hold for stable hovering. Main characteristics include three speed modes (reaching up to 13 ft/s), 360° flips, and intelligent app-based controls like Tap Fly, voice commands, and gesture capture. Pros include its portability, user-friendly 'One-Key' takeoff/landing, and the fact that it does not require registration in most regions due to its low weight. However, cons include the lack of an SD card slot (saving files directly to a phone instead), limited wind resistance (up to 11 ft/s), and the use of brushed motors which may have a shorter lifespan than brushless alternatives.

    Technical Specifications of drone Holy Stone HS290

    Technical Score

    What it is: An assessment of the drone's technical performance, covering key areas such as flight performance, camera quality, transmission, safety features, battery life, and design.

    When it matters: When you want to compare drones based on technical performance and available features.

    Score components:

    26.0%

    3.1

    Flight

    24.0%

    5.6

    Camera

    20.0%

    4.0

    Safety

    16.0%

    5.0

    Connectivity

    14.0%

    6.2

    Battery & Design

    4.6
    Holy Stone HS290 has a technical score of 4.6 points, which is lower than that of 96.1% of products in this category.
    User score

    What it is: A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the drone.

    When it matters: When you want to know how a drone performs in real flights and how reliable it is for stability, video capture, and controls according to user feedback.

    Score components:

    70.0%

    9.0

    User reviews

    30.0%

    2.0

    Popularity

    User score:
    United Kingdom
    amazon
    4.5
    (13)

    (Reviews last updated: Apr 2026)

    6.9
    Holy Stone HS290 has a user score of 6.89 points, which is lower than that of 82.5% of products in this category.
    Popularity
    What it is: An indicator based on the number of reviews received by the drone.
    When it matters: When you prefer to choose a drone reviewed and selected by many other buyers.
    2.0
    Holy Stone HS290 has a popularity of 2 points, which is higher than 50.7% of products in this category.
    Ratio quality/price

    What it is: An indicator that combines the drone's overall rating with its cost.

    When it matters: When you are looking for a drone with a good balance between flight quality, camera features, and price.

    Score components:

    60.0%

    4.8

    Overall score

    40.0%

    10

    Price

    6.4
    Holy Stone HS290 has a quality-to-price ratio of 6.4 points, which is lower than 76% of products in this category.
    Brand name
    What it is: The manufacturer or brand of the product.
    When it matters: When you prefer a specific ecosystem, support network, or design philosophy.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    Holy Stone
    Max flight time
    What it is: The quoted endurance shows how long the drone can stay airborne on one battery in ideal conditions.
    When it matters: When you want longer flights from each battery.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: >=30

    12 min
    Holy Stone HS290 has a max flight time of 12 min, shorter than 85.3% of drones and equal to 1.3%.
    Max flight distance
    What it is: The range figure indicates how far the drone can travel while maintaining control and telemetry.
    When it matters: When you plan longer routes and want more range margin.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: >=10

    0.1 km
    Holy Stone HS290 has a max flight distance of 0.1 km, shorter-range than 82.2% of drones and equal to 7.5%.
    Stored as control-range fallback.
    Max flight speed
    What it is: The maximum horizontal speed defines how quickly the drone can move across a scene.
    When it matters: When you want quicker movement or smoother tracking of fast subjects.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    Good value: >=50

    4 km/h
    Holy Stone HS290 has a max flight speed of 4 km/h, slower than 95.1% of drones and equal to 0.8%.
    Max wind resistance
    What it is: The wind resistance rating shows how much wind speed the drone can handle while staying controllable.
    When it matters: When you fly in windy conditions.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: >=10.5

    3.3 m/s
    Holy Stone HS290 has max wind resistance of 3.3 m/s, lower than 95.5% of drones and equal to 0.9%.
    Show more
    Video resolution
    What it is: Shows the highest recording resolution and supported frame-rate combinations for video capture.
    When it matters: When you want more room for cropping, downsampling, or delivering sharper footage.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    Good value: 4K+

    1080p
    Holy Stone HS290 records video at 1080p, lower than 80.5% of drones and equal to 9.4%.
    4K camera
    What it is: Confirms support for recording video at 4K resolution or higher.
    When it matters: When you want sharper footage, more cropping room, or delivery above Full HD.

    Importance: LOW

    ?
    Sensor size
    What it is: The sensor format value describes the physical light-collecting area.
    When it matters: When you shoot in more difficult lighting.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    Good value: 1 inch or larger

    ?
    Main camera megapixels
    What it is: The megapixel count states how many millions of pixels the main sensor captures per photo.
    When it matters: When you want more detail for photos or cropping.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    Good value: >=12

    ?
    Max movie bitrate
    What it is: Shows how much video data is recorded each second, usually in Mbps.
    When it matters: When you want cleaner detail retention and fewer compression artifacts in demanding footage.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    Good value: >=100

    ?
    Show more
    Obstacle detection
    What it is: Uses onboard sensors to spot obstacles and warn the pilot or help avoid collisions automatically.
    When it matters: When you fly near trees, facades, cables, or other obstacles that leave little room for error.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: Omnidirectional

    no
    Holy Stone HS290 lacks obstacle detection, while 34% of drones offer it.
    Return to Home (RTH)
    What it is: Can fly back toward the takeoff point or a safe home point automatically when triggered.
    When it matters: When signal loss, low battery, or disorientation could make manual recovery harder.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: Smart RTH

    no
    Holy Stone HS290 lacks return-to-home (RTH), while 74.5% of drones provide it.
    GPS
    What it is: Uses satellite positioning to help the drone understand its location and stabilize navigation.
    When it matters: When you want steadier hovering, more accurate return-to-home behavior, and cleaner position hold.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    no
    Holy Stone HS290 lacks GPS, while 70.4% of drones offer GPS navigation.
    GNSS systems supported
    What it is: Lists which satellite navigation constellations the drone can use, such as GPS, Galileo, or GLONASS.
    When it matters: When stronger satellite coverage and more robust positioning matter in difficult environments.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: GPS+Galileo+GLONASS

    ?
    Obstacle sensing directions
    What it is: The listed sensing coverage shows which directions the drone can monitor for obstacles.
    When it matters: When you fly near trees, buildings, or other obstacles.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: Omnidirectional

    N/A
    Show more
    Max transmission distance
    What it is: The maximum transmission distance indicates the farthest stable control-and-video link under ideal conditions.
    When it matters: When you plan longer routes and want more range margin.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: >=10

    0.05 km
    Holy Stone HS290 has a max transmission distance of 0.05 km, shorter-range than 92.8% of drones and equal to 2.6%.
    Transmission latency
    What it is: The transmission latency measures delay between camera capture, pilot view, and control response.
    When it matters: When you want the live view to feel more responsive.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    Good value: <=130

    200 ms
    Holy Stone HS290 has transmission latency of 200 ms, higher than 62.9% of drones and equal to 21.4%.
    Video transmission system
    What it is: Names the radio-link technology used to send live video and telemetry between the drone and controller.
    When it matters: When transmission stability, range behavior, and live-view quality matter during flight.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: Digital low-latency

    Wi-Fi
    Holy Stone HS290 uses Wi-Fi for video transmission, which is more advanced than that of 1.3% of drones and the same as that of 49.7% of drones.
    Live view quality
    What it is: Defines the resolution and frame rate of the pilot’s live video feed rather than the recorded file itself.
    When it matters: When you need a clearer, smoother view for framing shots and flying accurately in real time.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    Good value: 1080p+

    1080p@25 fps
    Holy Stone HS290 offers live view quality of 1080p@25 fps, higher-quality than 46.6% of drones and equal to 8.2%.
    Remote control
    What it is: Shows whether a dedicated handheld controller is included or officially supported.
    When it matters: When precise sticks, longer range, and a more stable pilot setup matter more than phone-only control.

    Importance: LOW

    Good value: Dedicated controller

    yes
    Holy Stone HS290 includes a remote control, and 96.1% of drones ship with one.
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    Battery capacity
    What it is: The battery capacity shows how much electric charge the pack can store, commonly in mAh.
    When it matters: When you want longer sessions before changing batteries.

    Importance: HIGH

    Good value: >=3500

    1,300 mAh
    Holy Stone HS290 has a battery capacity of 1300 mAh, smaller than 73.2% of drones and equal to 2.6%.
    Battery energy
    What it is: The battery energy figure, usually in Wh, describes total available energy in the pack.
    When it matters: When you want longer sessions before changing batteries.

    Importance: LOW

    Good value: >=40

    4.81 Wh
    Holy Stone HS290 has battery energy of 4.81 Wh, lower than 82.7% of drones and equal to 0.7%.
    Charging time
    What it is: The charging time measures how long a depleted battery needs to reach full charge.
    When it matters: When you want shorter turnaround between flights.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    Good value: <=90

    90 min
    Holy Stone HS290 charges in 90 min, faster than 45.3% of drones and equal to 18.2%.
    Weight
    What it is: The measured mass of the drone body and flight hardware, usually in grams.
    When it matters: When you want the drone to be easier to carry or pack.

    Importance: LOW

    Good value: <=900

    128 g
    Holy Stone HS290 weighs 128 g, lighter than 84% of drones and equal to 0%.
    Removable battery
    What it is: Lets the flight battery be removed and replaced by the user instead of being built in permanently.
    When it matters: When you want to swap packs quickly and keep flying without waiting for a recharge.

    Importance: LOW

    yes
    Holy Stone HS290 has a removable battery, and 99.4% of drones include one.
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    Holy Stone HS290 vs the average drone

    • TapFly supported
      Holy Stone HS290 supports TapFly, while the average drone does not.
      What it is: Lets the drone fly toward a tapped point on screen with minimal manual stick input.
      When it matters: When you want cleaner straight-line moves while focusing more on composition than steering.

      Importance: MEDIUM

      Good value: TapFly available

      Holy Stone HS290 supports TapFly, while the average drone does not.
    • 48.6% lighter weight
      Holy Stone HS290 is lighter than the average drone (128 g vs 249 g). The average drone weighs 249 g.
      What it is: The measured mass of the drone body and flight hardware, usually in grams.
      When it matters: When you want the drone to be easier to carry or pack.

      Importance: LOW

      Good value: <=900

      Holy Stone HS290 is lighter than the average drone (128 g vs 249 g). The average drone weighs 249 g.128 g vs 249 g
    • 3 year/s newer release date
      Holy Stone HS290 is newer than the average drone (2,024 vs 2,021). The average drone was released in 2,021.
      August 2024
      What it is: The launch period shows how recent the drone platform and software generation are.
      When it matters: When you care about how recent the platform is.

      Importance: LOW

      Good value: >=2023

      Holy Stone HS290 is newer than the average drone (2,024 vs 2,021). The average drone was released in 2,021.2024 vs 2021
    • 17 mm more compact height
      Holy Stone HS290 has a lower height than the average drone (52 mm vs 69 mm). The average drone height is 69 mm.
      What it is: The physical height describes the drone's vertical size: the third H value in its Length x Width x Height (L x W x H) dimensions set.
      When it matters: When you care about overall size, packing clearance, or how tall the drone sits in storage or transport.

      Importance: LOW

      Good value: <=120

      Holy Stone HS290 has a lower height than the average drone (52 mm vs 69 mm). The average drone height is 69 mm.52 mm vs 69 mm
    • 4.55x cheaper
      Holy Stone HS290 is cheaper than the average drone (£55 vs £250).
      Holy Stone HS290 is cheaper than the average drone (£55 vs £250).£55 vs £250
    • Supports headless mode
      Holy Stone HS290 supports headless mode, while the average drone does not.
      What it is: Keeps directional controls relative to the pilot rather than the drone’s nose direction.
      When it matters: When you want simpler directional control while learning or flying at a distance.

      Importance: LOW

      Holy Stone HS290 supports headless mode, while the average drone does not.
    • TapFly supported
      Holy Stone HS290 supports TapFly, while the average drone does not.
    • Supports headless mode
      Holy Stone HS290 supports headless mode, while the average drone does not.
    • 48.6% lighter weight
      Holy Stone HS290 is lighter than the average drone (128 g vs 249 g). The average drone weighs 249 g.
    • 3 year/s newer release date
      Holy Stone HS290 is newer than the average drone (2,024 vs 2,021). The average drone was released in 2,021.
    • 17 mm more compact height
      Holy Stone HS290 has a lower height than the average drone (52 mm vs 69 mm). The average drone height is 69 mm.
    • 7.4 m/s lower max wind resistance
      Holy Stone HS290 handles weaker wind than the average drone (3.3 m/s vs 10.7 m/s). The average drone handles wind up to 10.7 m/s.
    • 12 km/h slower flight speed
      Holy Stone HS290 reaches a lower max flight speed than the average drone (4 km/h vs 16 km/h). The average drone reaches 16 km/h.
    • 11 min shorter flight time
      Holy Stone HS290 offers shorter max flight time than the average drone (12 min vs 23 min). The average drone offers 23 min of max flight time.
    • 3,000 m lower max service ceiling
      Holy Stone HS290 can fly at a lower max service ceiling than the average drone (1,000 m vs 4,000 m). The average drone reaches 4,000 m.
    • 1.9 km shorter flight distance
      Holy Stone HS290 has a shorter max flight distance than the average drone (0.1 km vs 2 km). The average drone can fly up to 2 km.
      Stored as control-range fallback.
    • Less advanced motor type
      Holy Stone HS290 uses brushed motors, while the average drone uses brushless.
    • Lower video resolution
      Holy Stone HS290 supports lower video resolution than the average drone (1,080p vs 4K/100 fps). The average drone supports 4K/100 fps video resolution.
    • Fewer photo format options
      Holy Stone HS290 supports JPEG photo formats, while the average drone supports JPEG, DNG (RAW).
    • Lower photo resolution
      Holy Stone HS290 supports lower photo resolution than the average drone (1920x1080 MP vs 4000x3000 MP). The average drone supports 4000x3000 MP photo resolution.
    • 1 axis lower gimbal axes
      Holy Stone HS290 has fewer gimbal axes than the average drone (0 axis vs 1 axis). The average drone has 1 axis gimbal axes.
    • Narrower tilt range
      Holy Stone HS290 offers a narrower camera tilt range than the average drone (-90 to 0 ° vs -90 to 20 °). The average drone offers a camera tilt range of -90 to 20 °.
    • No memory card slot
      Holy Stone HS290 does not have a memory card slot, while the average drone does.
    • 128 GB lower max external memory supported
      Holy Stone HS290 supports less external storage than the average drone (0 GB vs 128 GB). The average drone supports up to 128 GB of external storage.
    • No return-to-home
      Holy Stone HS290 does not include return-to-home (RTH), while the average drone does.
    • No GPS
      Holy Stone HS290 does not have GPS, while the average drone does.
    • No waypoint flight
      Holy Stone HS290 does not support waypoint flight, while the average drone does.
    • No subject tracking
      Holy Stone HS290 cannot track subjects, while the average drone can.
    • No compass
      Holy Stone HS290 does not have a compass, while the average drone does.
    • 2 fewer intelligent flight mode/s
      Holy Stone HS290 has a lower n. of intelligent flight modes than the average drone (2 vs 4). The average drone value is 4.
      POI, TapFly
    • No beginner mode
      Holy Stone HS290 does not include beginner mode, while the average drone does.
    • 48.6% heavier weight
      Holy Stone HS290 has a higher max takeoff weight than the average drone (128 g vs 249 g). The average drone has a max takeoff weight of 249 g.
    • 70 ms higher latency
      Holy Stone HS290 has higher transmission latency than the average drone (200 ms vs 130 ms). The average drone has transmission latency of 130 ms.
    • Fewer frequency bands
      Holy Stone HS290 supports 2.4 GHz operating frequency bands, while the average drone supports 2.4 GHz, 5.8 GHz.
    • 1.46 km shorter transmission distance
      Holy Stone HS290 has a shorter max transmission distance than the average drone (0.1 km vs 1.507 km). The average drone reaches 1.507 km of transmission distance.
    • Basic companion app
      Holy Stone HS290 uses the HS FPV companion app, while the average drone uses FreeFlight Pro.
    • 930 mAh lower battery capacity
      Holy Stone HS290 has a smaller battery capacity than the average drone (1,300 mAh vs 2,230 mAh). The average drone battery has a capacity of 2,230 mAh.
    • 12.51 Wh lower battery energy
      Holy Stone HS290 has lower battery energy than the average drone (4.8 Wh vs 17.32 Wh). The average drone battery has 17.32 Wh of energy.
    • Lower video resolution
      Holy Stone HS290 supports lower video resolution than the average drone (1,080p vs 4K/100 fps). The average drone supports 4K/100 fps video resolution.
      What it is: Shows the highest recording resolution and supported frame-rate combinations for video capture.
      When it matters: When you want more room for cropping, downsampling, or delivering sharper footage.

      Importance: MEDIUM

      Good value: 4K+

      Holy Stone HS290 supports lower video resolution than the average drone (1,080p vs 4K/100 fps). The average drone supports 4K/100 fps video resolution.1080p vs 4K/100 fps
    • 7.4 m/s lower max wind resistance
      Holy Stone HS290 handles weaker wind than the average drone (3.3 m/s vs 10.7 m/s). The average drone handles wind up to 10.7 m/s.
      What it is: The wind resistance rating shows how much wind speed the drone can handle while staying controllable.
      When it matters: When you fly in windy conditions.

      Importance: HIGH

      Good value: >=10.5

      Holy Stone HS290 handles weaker wind than the average drone (3.3 m/s vs 10.7 m/s). The average drone handles wind up to 10.7 m/s.3.3 m/s vs 10.7 m/s
    • 12 km/h slower flight speed
      Holy Stone HS290 reaches a lower max flight speed than the average drone (4 km/h vs 16 km/h). The average drone reaches 16 km/h.
      What it is: The maximum horizontal speed defines how quickly the drone can move across a scene.
      When it matters: When you want quicker movement or smoother tracking of fast subjects.

      Importance: MEDIUM

      Good value: >=50

      Holy Stone HS290 reaches a lower max flight speed than the average drone (4 km/h vs 16 km/h). The average drone reaches 16 km/h.4 km/h vs 16 km/h
    • No return-to-home
      Holy Stone HS290 does not include return-to-home (RTH), while the average drone does.
      What it is: Can fly back toward the takeoff point or a safe home point automatically when triggered.
      When it matters: When signal loss, low battery, or disorientation could make manual recovery harder.

      Importance: HIGH

      Good value: Smart RTH

      Holy Stone HS290 does not include return-to-home (RTH), while the average drone does.
    • No GPS
      Holy Stone HS290 does not have GPS, while the average drone does.
      What it is: Uses satellite positioning to help the drone understand its location and stabilize navigation.
      When it matters: When you want steadier hovering, more accurate return-to-home behavior, and cleaner position hold.

      Importance: MEDIUM

      Holy Stone HS290 does not have GPS, while the average drone does.
    • 11 min shorter flight time
      Holy Stone HS290 offers shorter max flight time than the average drone (12 min vs 23 min). The average drone offers 23 min of max flight time.
      What it is: The quoted endurance shows how long the drone can stay airborne on one battery in ideal conditions.
      When it matters: When you want longer flights from each battery.

      Importance: HIGH

      Good value: >=30

      Holy Stone HS290 offers shorter max flight time than the average drone (12 min vs 23 min). The average drone offers 23 min of max flight time.12 min vs 23 min
    • No waypoint flight
      Holy Stone HS290 does not support waypoint flight, while the average drone does.
      What it is: Lets the drone follow a saved route through predefined waypoints automatically.
      When it matters: When you need repeatable flight paths for inspections, mapping, or matched before-and-after shots.

      Importance: MEDIUM

      Good value: Waypoint flight available

      Holy Stone HS290 does not support waypoint flight, while the average drone does.
    • No subject tracking
      Holy Stone HS290 cannot track subjects, while the average drone can.
      What it is: Lets the drone follow a selected person, vehicle, or object automatically.
      When it matters: When you film yourself or moving subjects and cannot manage both piloting and framing manually.

      Importance: HIGH

      Good value: Reliable AI tracking

      Holy Stone HS290 cannot track subjects, while the average drone can.

    Graphic comparison of Holy Stone HS290 and other drones

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    Third-party reviews

    United Kingdom

    (Reviews last updated: Apr 2026)

    What customers like about Holy Stone HS290?

    • Excellent for beginners and children due to ease of operation
    • Compact, lightweight (128g), and foldable design makes it very portable
    • Comes with two batteries providing a total flight time of around 24–25 minutes
    • Good value for money as a starter drone
    • Stable hovering in indoor or wind-free environments thanks to optical flow positioning
    • Responsive customer service and support mentioned by multiple users
    • Features fun flight modes like 360-degree flips and hand gesture control

    What customers dislike about Holy Stone HS290?

    • Poor performance in windy conditions; prone to being carried away by even light breezes
    • Lack of GPS makes it difficult to track or retrieve if it flies out of range
    • Long battery charging times, sometimes reported up to several hours
    • Camera quality is basic (1080p) and lacks a gimbal, leading to shaky or 'jerky' footage
    • No SD card slot; all photos and videos must be recorded directly to a smartphone app
    • Short individual battery life of approximately 12 minutes per charge
    • Uses older brushed motors which may have a shorter lifespan than brushless alternatives

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