FIMI X8 SE 2022 edition - Good Drone but Quality Control needs to improve

[@capeRCouple]

im glad you showed the problem with the drone,if afraid if mine has this issue the drone will be sent back,im already dealing with fimi over my x8 mini having a bunch of issues and this is a replacement they sent me

[@ModernDayTemplar606]

Excellent review Captain I was always wondering why everyone was saying it had camera problems that firmware would never correct. Now I understand. Thanks Captain

[@konkerz-95]

Your experience with drones is amazing. Took the time to show what is wrong with the drone and how to fix it. Video quality is nice on new one.

[@dougcooper4917]

Excellent Video Steve! Thank You.

[@FIMIofficial]

Hello Steve, thanks for the review and finding the issue. Our support will look into it and help solve the issue.

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

Much appreciated. The less issues the FIMI has, the better the product and the more people will own it.

[@H484R]

late to the party here but just to add to the rain/snow proofing, there is NO IP rating and Fimi themselves indicate that its still highly recommended to land as soon as the weather starts getting bad. They do not condone going out and flying in a mansoon, rather "don't worry if it starts to drizzle, just calmly return to home without worrying about trashing your drone"

[@himura5875]

2022 drone is cool its same size and same design but I like 2022 drone its cool

[@keithmcleod1530]

Camera vibration is a deal breaker. Thanks for the honest review

[@vaughnrees8908]

It took me nearly 5 months to have my 2019 and 2020 repaired and returned. I have a second 2020 x8 se where the camera quit working for reasons unknown. I asked them to sell me another camera, they will not sell you parts. If you damage your Fimi drone don't expect to get it repaired any time soon.

[@Fatamus]

Captain Drone. that video has great info. I’ll have to watch it again. I love Canada 🇨🇦 👍 it is so much like Alaska. But I had to go south to WA state and the Canadian border customs were such Bullies, which set the tone for the whole trip, they made it very difficult - like the weather wasn’t bad enough. They were so rude to an old man. I doubt they will let me go back home. I never had a sour word about Canada or Canadians, I traveled your country for the first time in November of 1964 and had a grand adventure and still tell the stories. As a matter of fact every trip I’ve had through Canada has been a stellar adventure. 2018 the wife and I loved the trip and spent a lot of money and had a great trip. I felt so bullied from the second I arrived at border this time. Beyond the border the people were still Canadians and very nice 👍 and we’re extremely helpful as always. I know times are tough because of Covid but there is no reason for them to be such unreasonable bullies. I am still ashamed of there attitude. Wish me luck to get back home where the power is out and the wife is cold. Happy new year to you and Mrs Captain X and my best. Canada 🇨🇦 is so beautiful but that trip left a very bad taste in my mouth. And I sad 😢 to say it may have changed my attitude towards Canada 🇨🇦 forever. I hope not because all the Canadians I know are a kind and polite people. That is how bad that experience was.

[@PhilKingsland]

Only flown my X8se 2022 once and does have a little jello at all default settings. This is what Fimi support told me. ---------------------- For the jello issue, you can try to decrease the gimbal gain little by little. The drone is not missing one rubber, it's designed like this, all the X8 SE 2020 drones are with only 3 rubbers under the bottom of the gimbal camera. - Image quality is way better than my 2019 version & intelligent flight modes work. Precision landing to my folding square pad was perfect in 11m/s gusts. Very impressed.

[@klauszellmer9458]

Nice review. I like it. 2 comments. - The Gimbal stabilization works fine with 3 rubber grommets. This is what FIMI says and in my case everything is pretty good. - The drone flys also backwards in "Smart track". This has only to be enabled in the drone setup.

[@festusbob6824]

Sometime during the 2020 run, they omitted the 4th grommet on purpose. They also advised customers to remove that 4th one, if the had gimvle problems.

[@trashpanda_t4r]

Based on your review, I ordered the X8 SE 2022 a few days after. I had a bit of concern regarding the camera/gimbal, but decided to give it a chance. I’m glad I did. I received my 2022 today, and after flying three full packs, absolutely zero issues. I’m going to continue to monitor it, but everything was in place and working 100%. I performed the firmware update and still no problems. Was it worth the 5 week wait? Absolutely. I had 23-25mph gusts in my area today, it held steady, and flew fantastic even fighting the wind. Tested the advanced flight modes, and no issues with wind drift. Video and pictures were crisp and clear, no jitter. I’m still messing with camera settings and have some more paces to put it through, but I’m glad I watched your review and took the gamble with the gimbal issue. Now just waiting on DJI to announce the Inspire 3..

[@joseluistorrente65]

Hola, el tuyo tiene 3 gomas en el cardan o 4?? Saludos

[@Slithh]

Well, that was a bit disconcerting. Minor improvements with major QC degradations. That said, I do like the new wind rating. 8 is significant! And, snow and rain resistant! That's outstanding! The gimbal problem is a bit of a deal breaker though. a $500 drone with Jello is not acceptable. Honestly I would love to have one with the hope that they will fix the problems. I thought Fimi was a bit more reliable. Another great video Steve, thank you!

[@str8xrippin]

They fixed it now and it's great, best budget drone out there

[@daviddennison1385]

Happy New Year Mr Must See Steve aka Captain Drone. Appreciate your channel and the effort and approach! The Drone community needs you!

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

Happy new year!

[@gadreem]

All you need to know about the product, great review. Thanks & happy new year

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

Happy New Year

[@naturerelaxationhd]

Thanks you Steve for your hard work and impressive reviews of drones. Nice channel. Wish you all the best in 2022 and more subscribers 😀

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

Happy new year!

[@shsechas]

Thanks Cap! In my opinion it doesn't seem to be a good enough boost in features for those who want to upgrade from 2020 to 2022. Thanks to your video. Those who are thinking about upgrading might now make a better decision.

[@kerryjohnson4328]

Hi Steve. I have been waiting for a review on this drone in English for a long time. Up till now it was always someone from another country doing the review. Right now I'm flying the mavic mini and looking to upgrade outside of dji. Good product but have to get away from their geofence so the x8 se 2022 would be a huge upgrade for me. As far as the camera issue goes I see this as you were just unfortunate to get a defective one. I'm sure there have been many dji drones that have slipped through the QC cracks. Your review was awesome. Very detailed and because of it I'm now more confident that the fimi 2022 would be a good investment for me. Thanks again.

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

Thank you. The good thing is that if anyone gets such a drone with the same issue, the fix is as shown in my review, then all is 99% well.

[@slapdat.byteme]

Just ordered mine. I don’t tolerate geofencing either, so I steer clear of DJI. Also, did you catch Steve showing that Remote ID on the new X8 can be disabled? That sealed the deal for me.

[@fil-amadventures9142]

Great review! I have a testimony to share regarding a bad crash I had with my 2020 version in the Philippines. My son and I were flying my Fimi at a small resort on Laguna lake. Everything was working well and I had been filming. I quit filming and handed the controller to my son who began to go a bit farther over the lake. As he began to ascend a gust of wind came and the drone detected vibration. We don't know what actually happened but I suspect it was some type of propeller failure? The drone turned and headed back to the shore at full speed (around 30 mph) out of control. I grabbed the controller from him and tried to lift it so we could make dry land but it didn't respond, all I could do was bank it faster to the right to attempt to crash on the ground. The fimi hit a dock and fortunately ejected the battery on the dry ground and a couple propellers before it went into the lake. I missed the ground by 3 feet. It was under about 4 feet of water for about 8 minutes before it was fished out of the lake. I thought it was done for and it would never fly again. It must of hit just right because the only thing broken was the small cap that holds the rubber grommet for the gimbal up front. We let the fimi dry out for about 4 days. We cleaned it up and replaced all propellers. We used white silicone to replace the cap that had broken. Much to our surprise the the drone flies as well as it did before the crash, even the camera films just like before. I agree that the quality control is lacking because I never could get my smart track or other auto features to work. But I will say that when it comes to durability this drone blew me away! Of course if the battery had remained in the drone when it went into the lake that probably would have been it's last flight. I really regret turning off the camera before this happened....ughhh!

[@bogdanor]

In the topic of missing gimbal shock obsorb balls (fimi 2020), the website wrote back to me that "For the drone produced after 2020.09, we did the a small exchange on the gimbal shock obsorb balls to increase the gimbal stability. So we reduce one gimbal shock obsorb ball." However, everything works fine

[@lgrigaud]

My personal experience with my X8 SE 2020: after a couple dozen flights, the gimbal just went bezerk and will no longer calibrate / initialize, preventing any flight whatsoever. The gimbal just keeps bouncing around in all directions, much worse than the vibration Steve got. I reached out to fimi before my warranty expired, they spent a few weeks of back and forth emails asking for photos, videos, logs, and forms. After all that they informed my that the gimbal is only covered with a 6 month warranty, unlike the rest of the drone. They refuse to provide a copy of warranty terms and conditions and now they just want me to buy a new drone from them. I am staying away from fimi and Xiaomi moving forward. They want to compete with big brands but don't understand the customer experience is just as important as the product itself. Also, the gimbal never worked to begin: horizon tilt issue that fimi never solved with software. Same issue exists on the fimi X8 mini. And Steve got a non functional gimbal to boot. Talk about terrible quality.

[@pk10006]

Wow that sounds horrible - even borderline illegal. Thanks i'll be staying away from them aswell.

[@rhdrones1599]

Did it look like this? kzbin.info/www/bejne/pH6khoeEid-Fn80 I returned my X8 SE 2020 because my gimbal did exactly what you described. I bought it off Amazon because I was apprehensive about FIMI. It stinks because on paper FIMI makes good drones. Unfortunately it seems like they still have QC issues.

[@Shahrimannn]

Yea just stick with DJI if you're looking for photography drone

[@Joe_Blo]

My experience with FIMI has been awful too. Replacement front legs are no longer available for the 2020. The 2022 legs are not compatible per FIMI. So they effectively made the 2020 obsolete, yet are still selling leftover new 2020 drones. This speaks volumes about Fimi's lack of ethics as a company. They don't care about customers after the sale. Hopefully, 1 of 3 things will occur as a result: They'll go out of business, or they'll continue to sell parts for older drones. Or 3, consumer protection officials in countries around the world will wise up to their practices & legislate change. Car & motorcycle manufacturers must stock parts for 10 years after they sell any model. At minimum, FIMI should be forced to fully disclose in large print their warranty restrictions and highlight that they do not support drones beyond the warranty period and that they do not sell parts from the factory. Fimi has gotten away with ripping off customers long enough. $450 is not chump change.

[@ojtamayosr]

🤥

[@dan8402]

Great review! I am really interested in the waypoints. It is one thing DJI doesn't have. I don't even think the new line of Autel have them, so that really makes it stand apart. Another plus is that parts for 2020 / 2022 are all over the place. Replacement arms, grommets, screws, batteries, heck you can buy just about everything to build one if you like. I spent many years building models, model trains, RC cars, boats, and planes. Wrenching on my own stuff is part of the hobby for me. It is good to know that you just need to get a small piece of rubber to fix the gimble issues. The other down side is that right now there are no ND filters for it. That I am sure will change in short order but it is one thing that it could benefit from. I think people need to also realize this drone is sub $500 USD. When we think of an Autel or even the DJI counterpart we have tripled the cost. If FIMI made a $1,000 drone I would expect more too. My hope is someday they will. Give us a one inch sensor with 5K 60, and basic obstacle avoidance and you will have one hell of a competitor to DJI.

[@dan8402]

@BwayneAnnaLee I wasn’t sure if the Nano or Light would have them. Thank you for confirming!

[@rpguy4]

@@dan8402 No..Waypoints are not supported in either the Autel Nano or Lite. Check Ken Heron's YT channel with Maxwell Lee(4 days ago) the General Sales Manager for Autel, he specifically says Waypoints are not supported, and there are no plans for future support. BTW - DJI just released the SDK files for the Mini SE,Mini2 and Air2s. Litchi and other 3rd party fly apps will be able to support waypoints for these DJI drones.

[@dan8402]

@@rpguy4 Well that sucks... I was so hoping it would have them. Maybe Autel can release their SDK's too!!! It seems like such an easy and simple thing, it is already present on the big brother.

[@ScatManAust]

Magic to see a western world review of this drone. I've been hanging out for two months now and am just about to pull the trigger and get one. I would love you to do another short review of the 2022 in decent light and with a few tweaks to the camera settings just to showcase the camera's capabilities a little more to help push me over the edge. I will be upgrading from the 2020 which I love and have great results out of it, and will be an extra couple of battery's as well as spare parts if the unthinkable should ever happen to the 2022. Great review mate !!!!

[@slapdat.byteme]

I was waiting too (own a 2018 X8 with 199 crash-free flights). As soon as Steve said the Remote ID function can be toggled off, I placed my order.

[@ScatManAust]

@@slapdat.byteme Thats a big bonus for me too , but its only turned on/off with software so I wonder how long for before they remove that function while slipping in other firmware upgrades. Or made to by big brother. its easy to say dont upgrade the firmware but date and time stamps could make the drone inoperable until updated. Then they have you

[@slapdat.byteme]

@@ScatManAust Possibly. But it won’t stop me from flying (responsibly) just like I always do. Cops around the area I live couldn’t be bothered with drones unless one crashes into somebody. And the day RID goes into effect is the day I remove the FAA registration labels on my current 2018 X8 and Hubsan H501SS drones.

[@yacbet5170]

Thank you for this review! I’ve been looking at Fimi x8 se 2020 and I really liked it so seeing a new version is really interesting and you never know, this might be the drone for me. Funny enough they look EXACTLY the same

[@maxramsey7860]

What a great video. Thanks for making it simple enough that anyone can understand. Very informative and helpful

[@jimanderson4865]

Nice review as always Steve. The night video was really good in my opinion.

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

Yes, better than I was expecting for a camera in this price range.

[@H484R]

great video Capt, can't wait to see your review of the X8 Pro when they finally decide to release them to content creators

[@davidellis5135]

I just renewed my license for another year , but it's not drone weather yet, unfortunately there aren't many people share my interest in drones where I live , it can be a bit of a life of solitude.

[@negril_rasta]

Yes yes yesss yessssssss I have been waiting for a good review u are the second person to post a good review well it looks like a new water resistant drone will be added to my collection Thanks for the review

[@john-fc6pb]

This is the video I was looking for. Happy new year Captain

[@imjustavlogger2862]

Happy new year captain!! Hope we get another great drone year! Another informative video like always Thanks !

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

Happy New Year!

[@davidellis5135]

Had to order. a new front landing gear had a unfortunate accident , caused by a freak burst of wind, when my drone was landing, but apart from a crack in front landing gear which is replaceable and 2 blades which i have replaced, no real damage, but drones are very delicate and it makes your heart miss a beat when the landing don't go to book.😵🙏 Dam wiind 💨

[@gabrielmenezes7769]

Thank you captain drone for all your great unbiased reviews. I enjoy your videos your presentations are straightforward clear and precise. Your information helps amateur(s) and professionals. Throughout the years your followers have grown and your views have grown immensely Congratulations!!! I wish you a Happy New Year and a long successful prosperous year and future. I am proud to know that you are Canadian and that we are in the same city I look forward to flying with you someday... keep those great videos coming... Cheers.

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

Thank you Gabriel & Happy New Year!

[@mrmidnight32]

I just ordered mine yesterday!! Awesome honestly and we’ll put together review! Sucks there aren’t more reviews or videos of this quad. Be a great travel replacement for my DJI that I lost in a lake, also won’t be as bad if I lose this one lol

[@slapdat.byteme]

I have 199 crash-free flights and 623 flight miles on my 2018 X8. Love that drone! Been waiting for this review, and you answered the only question I had before pulling the trigger on ordering it: can the Remote ID function be disabled? No other reviewers were answering that question! You did. The answer is “yes”. And my 2022 X8 is on its way. Thanks!

[@Fullstickforward]

Yes you can turn it off in the settings also has a new sports mode short cut on the screen which is great

[@slapdat.byteme]

@@Fullstickforward Yup, noticed that sport mode shortcut (which I’ll use a lot). Not having the capability to switch RID off would’ve been a deal-breaker for me. No way I’m flying a drone that publicly broadcasts its telemetry & my piloting location. And no way I’m flying a drone that the manufacturer can flight-restrict via software (like DJI). I see the 2022 X8 being another huge seller for Fimi.

[@stst8301]

Hi, it is possible after a firmware update from Fimi the remote id will stay permantly on? Especially when remote id will be mandatory? Sorry just thinking...

[@slapdat.byteme]

@@stst8301 Unlikely. Since FIMI only issues one (1) software version globally and doesn’t tailor their software to specific regions or countries, I can’t see them forcing RID broadcasting on every X8 pilot around the world.

[@stst8301]

@@slapdat.byteme I agree this makes sense.However If the remote id stays always on probably doesn't affect the flying experience for someone who flies in a country without this regulation. If at Fimi they want to change something permantly they can,they have done it also in the past. Anyway x8 se 2022 looks fabulous,I m ready to click on that "place order"....

[@danieldaniels4168]

I have the first X8 SE Modell so 2019 i think. I will buy the 2022 Model because i think it will be a great update also i like the Drone and quality nothing better for the money out there at the moment

[@slapdat.byteme]

My situation is exactly the same. 199 flights & 623 miles on my 2018 X8. Just ordered the 2022 model. Fantastic drone for the price, and reliable as hell.

[@-hastatus-]

Hi Steve, I hope you had a good time over Christmas and New Years. In my opinion, you can't use either of them for this price. but good, Autel will (hopefully) surprise everyone positively.👍😃

[@lynsmith1096]

Good review Steve. Shame about the problem with the Gimbal.

[@arnymon9340]

Im thinking to get X8 SE 2022 as my first drone. It have everything i want. Good camera, good battery, nice controler, , good UI, and yea good camera!

[@ssb73q]

Hi Steve, thank you for your review of the Fimi X8 SE 2022. I received my new Fimi X8 SE 2022 from Banggood a couple of weeks ago and have no issue with the gimbal. The videos look perfect. My Fimi 2022 is also missing the bottom rubber grommet on the bottom starboard side, but believe that is a new design compared to the 2020 Fimi version.

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

That is what viewers are telling me as well. My 2020 has 4 of them but the 2022 has 3 so I assumed one was missing.

[@SuperHamue]

@@CAPTAINDRONE798 Hi Steve. I also got my Fimi X8 2022 delivered today and the first I did, was to look if there's 4 rubber grommets or only 3. Guess what- I only have 3 as well. :-D

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

@@SuperHamue I was told that they ow only use 3 vice 4. Helps fix vibration issues so I’m told.

[@SuperHamue]

@@CAPTAINDRONE798 We will see if it helps. But at least it doesn't help for making a levelled horizon. Still the same as with my 2018 model. 🤣

[@pererichsen6528]

Thanks for your review - every other KZbinr is playing sheep and covering the Mini 3 so this is a refreshing change. I have the 2018 version and it’s been my go to drone. You help my purchase decision for this compared to the mini 3 which isn’t so mini anymore with that bigger controller. Have for say the 2022 version is a big step up. The radio transmission is noticeably better in range and transmission of FPV. And finally the camera does an excellent job boosting dynamic range for better color and a less contrasty image even though shooting in low light or dusk videography gives a blurry or out of focus image with little definition. (May be it’s me ?? But not a deal breaker coz I didn’t buy it bcoz I was going fly at night!) I’m sure low light or night videography will be the next Iteration for most next generation drone products. So all in all very happy in the step up - the price (compared to the DJI product which just gets more expensive) and the fact I can use old batteries and other accessories like the propellers, bag, cables, charger and 3rd party gimbal protector.

[@user-fb3qg1wz1j]

Steve, thanks for your review. I like to watch you. I am an israeli pilot for 45 years,heavy birds and like the drones as well. In you comparison on the FIMI X8 beween the 2020 and 2022 ver, you missed one big detail: the 2022 fly 10km, the 2020 fly 8km. Also frequency is 2.4ghz on 2022. These are big issues as in israel the dont allow to fly the 5.8ghz for military reasons. I just order the 2022, just for this reasonn. Be well. Thanks. igal Marom, Israel.

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

Hello Igal. Yes, the part about the range was accidentally edited out, but I did mention it briefly in the video and placed it below in the video description.

[@MrAlinu87]

Happy new year Captain. Another great review, well the fimi must work on software as well but it's good to see some competition with dji.

[@williambennon7532]

Believe it or not the missing damper is intentional! I returned my x8 2020 to China for gimbal vibration and they replaced the camera AND removed one of the rubber dampers. Vibration is worse the colder the weather. Mine has always been plagued with horizon tilt as well. Really sad that they have not been able to solve the problem because the drone flies great and has good flight time. Thanks for the review.

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

That is what viewers are telling me... only 3 rubber grommets. My 2020 has 4 which is why I thought one was missing.

[@derTommy]

Fimi had issues with horizon tilt and out of focus areas for years now which are still present on the Fimi Min. It seems they have introduced a new issue:D But shit, that low light video quality is actually great! The video quality seems to be a big improvement.

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

I did notice that horizon tilt was non-existent in this newer version.

[@derTommy]

@@CAPTAINDRONE798 yeah this is great. also the image is finally sharp and it looks soo much better. If this will be for sale for ~350 dollars like the 2020 version this will be incredible.

[@charlestoast4051]

@@CAPTAINDRONE798 Gimbal initialisation takes significantly longer for the 2022, so it's important to avoid taking off before it completes, which results in a couple of minutes of tilted horizon.

[@FPVphilly]

I noticed in the fimi site that there is a grey color version too. Captain that will be nice if you had choose the grey version just to difference a little to the white 2020 version.

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

Never noticed the different colors. Only white version was available when FIMI sent this one to me.

[@FPV420.]

A great video Steve! I own the 2020 version and my drone is also missing one grommet. It flies well though. As of QC - I completely agree. FiMi is not doing a great job on this topic. My drone came with camera focus issues. Luckily FiMi replaced my drone and fixed the issue. Later I found a video on how to adjust the focus manually by turning the focus dial ring on the camera but hey...I did not have a drone for about two months. Lately, I'm getting a strange bug....the FiMi will go into VPU if I start recording before taking off. Once air born switching to recording works well. Go figure...

[@michaelpechthalt8627]

Great an honest video Steve. I'm waiting for your reviews of the new Autel's drone to see which mini I will buy. As a reviewer I trust you the most. Have a great 2.022. I'm missing your drone talks.

[@mateim8422]

Greate review Steve! I have the 2020 version and it's also missing that grommet but it doesn't have any problems with stabilizing. I think yours has something to do with the cables.

[@kevinvandevelde5169]

I've got the 20 X8 SE, I like it but warranty or customer service sucks to deal with, you can't talk to a live person all by e-mail. Had a problem with the remote an I just gave up. The remote has a weak spot its the cup below the stick connects to it will crack an break then the stick will just flop around loose no control. I had to buy another remote. The vendor I got it from must know about the problem they sent me the part you have to send tear the remote apart to fix it. I was down 4 months. Everything else was good. QC Guy had the same problem with the remote. The drone I give it 4.5 out of 5, for the cost customer service a 0. Also no owners manual came with it.

[@jackbisson9226]

I hope iFlight sends you one of their ProTek60 Pro HD 6S Cinelifters. That would be a very cool video to watch.

[@1spritch]

Ditto... on my 2020 as well. That same grommet is missing. Even with that... my video footage has always been very good to my eye... but It kept bugging me that I had seen a KZbin video about THAT grommet way back when. Then I found the KZbin video up here... an outfit called ADK was doing a 'mod update' suggested, apparently, from Fimi where he was physically removing that rear base grommet to help in the ongoing tilted horizon headache since the original X8 SE...?? Purely a best guess on my part. BTW....Thanks for all these drone videos Captain... keep them coming...!!!

[@taticaldroid9288]

The quality control is one of the haunting problems of the Fimi, other people who fly the 2020 version found it is unstable in hovering, even the hubsan which is founded later than Fimi has better hovering performance.

[@julianmclean3869]

Well done Captain; quick question, did you interchange the missing rubber grommet?; also, great to see the VFR still in the shed !!!

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

Nope. Many viewers wrote to me and said Fimi recommends only 3 grommets, so I guess it was deliberate. My 2020 version has 4 grommets but others report theirs have only 3.

[@gman9543]

Thanks for the updated info CD! Happy New Year!

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

Happy new year!

[@denishuber7758]

as long as i follow you... i kinda wanted to get the fimi x8 se....even sice the first 2018 version.... but this new one just seems not 100% finished... like me i you would not have any of these 3 versions, witch one to buy then....im really hoping to get my hands on this drone....... happy new year !

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

Happy New Year

[@ironsights6738]

Great review. I was just about to order this but changed my mind. I’ll look at some other reviews you’ve made.

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

Check out my review of the VERSION 2 of this model. It is really good!

[@pja9421]

Hey Captain Drone. Great overview. I have the 2020 and could see a reason for upgrading to the 2022 or selecting this as a first drone. Video was much better, night vid was great, extra altitude and wind rating, & you can fly in rain/snow (why?). I have noticed a few differences with my 2020 and think it may be due to having the 2022 on same app. When starting up it now says disconnected for what seems to be too long. Also on a few flights recently it initiated return to home but I don’t see why it should have. Hoping an update will correct these issues. All in all a great drone.

[@RodKrisBisdakMotovlog]

Second. Happy New Year sir. Have a wonderful year 2022. God bless you always my friend

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

Happy New Year

[@RodKrisBisdakMotovlog]

@@CAPTAINDRONE798 thanks for your greetings my friend and for those lovely vidz. Hoping that this year i can have a great starter drone. God bless always

[@BlairAir]

Steve: ALL Fimi X8SE drones have 3 grommets now. A (strange) workaround for crooked horizon. I found out when I thought my 2020 was missing one. (the back right when looking from the front) Late model 2020 had this.

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

That is what viewers are telling me... only 3 rubber grommets. My 2020 has 4 which is why I thought one was missing.

[@robertheim352]

Yes siree, you spoke the truth about their QC, very poor. Support is nonsense from Fimi, as you know. The missing grommet was a Fimi advisory on the 2020; a band-aid for their inability to resolve the root cause for gimbal vibration. I own two 2020's and they both had different factory flaws that I resolved with effort: video jello (solved with prop. selections for minimum vibration), and a gimbal motor twitch due to poor route in the gimbal labyrinth path. Notice your video stutter on gimbal rotation and yaw maneuvers; that is a design artifact cause by frame rate conversion (no easy solution, just editing resolutions). I also had one drone fail in flight due to a component flaw, and one controller stopped transmission. They are good for learning the complexity of drones: to keep them flying you have to become and engineer....

[@GTARC_au]

Nice review. This is a good entry level drone. Not perfect but great value for money!

[@yeahbuddy6852]

Thats Good that you give Xiaomi a headsup regarding there aftermarket service

[@ArkansasRay]

Great review Steve, I’ve been excited about this one. I believe that Fimi purposely leaves one of the grommets off. My understanding is that having all four grommets had either caused jello or was blamed for the horizon tilt that is prevalent in the 2020 version.

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

My 2020 version has the 4 rubber grommets which is how I noticed the missing one.

[@ArkansasRay]

@@CAPTAINDRONE798 yes sir my 2020 also. But they started instructing owners to remove one if jello existed in their drones. Thanks for you do and your hard work Steve.

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

@@ArkansasRay Now that was something I was unaware of. Thanks.

[@visitperaiagreece]

I had a late 2020 version, and it came with only 3 rubber grommets.

[@juki6377]

yeah but if i buy a drone of this type, i dont really want to have to do these sort of tricks and fix it myself. previous iterations like the A3 also had quality control issues. i must say the image is pretty good this time around

[@gpierre90]

Hi Steve, that was a very in depth review, thanks, First I will simply like to say that Fimi should regulate their quality control even more vigorously as a buyer if there isn't one already from a country that fimi does not support may want to buy their products, could perhaps find a way to get one but imagine the disappointment if the drone is defective and that consumer can't send it back or the help he needs is not available in his/her country. It becomes a waste of money and resources just to get something of poor quality control and this is the problem in my home country. The camera does look better for the 2022 edition and may have improved tech but that is it. Perhaps fimi should move with the times as there are better drones than theirs even though theirs is cheaper.

[@Stefan-wd9uv]

Looks good overall for the price, but i was expecting 4k 60fps to come with this new version.

[@I.Sam35]

Nice Video! I am waiting for my drone the next week! i want to connect it with my tablet , so does it need a tablet with sim card or only with gps ??

[@dronecatalyst]

Thanks for the honest review. Based on this looks like I’m getting a DJI Mini 2.

[@Eclipse_Central]

Why not the autel evo nano?

[@doovergod2967]

Got myself a zino 2 plus and I love it.

[@dronecatalyst]

@@Eclipse_Central I preordered it too. 😁

[@dronecatalyst]

@@doovergod2967 why not a zino mini pro?

[@doovergod2967]

@@dronecatalyst felt the camera on the zino 2 was clearer

[@deado7282]

Is this gimbal issue a common mistake or did they just fail on this exemplar? In my case the 2022 Fimi was delivered without any issues. Its difficult to make a purchase decision based on a individual case. Also, I dont understand the disappointment of some people because of the small improvements. Its just a updated version not a new product and they made that clear from the beginning. So of course upgrading from the 2020 makes no sense. They just improved their existing product without increasing the price so its only a good thing that the new version exists. BUT People should be aware, that some color Modes (FLOG for example) are missing at release and u have to update your fimi to get those. So far, im very happy with this drone. It takes a huge amount of light in, so i would recommend to buy it with nd-filters for great footage. Thanks for the review captain, I would always rely on your opinion when i buy drones. This one was for christmas so i couldn't wait for the review, but everything turned out great for me. I hope others don't have to struggle with a malfunctional gimble like you.

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

I see to be the only one with the vibration issue so as mentioned in the review... my unit was defective.

[@newtoodrones5568]

Great review Cap.

[@richardhykes6939]

Well I guess that Fimi will get you straight on that under water 🌊💦 thing. Thanks for your time 🐱. Always enjoy your videos. New year means New things.

[@pokhya]

Hello Steve, Great honest review, you have covered every thing. I really liked finishing of this drone and especially their RC. So after comparing specs and price with other drones, I ordered this drone one month back. Received drone and RC in pristine condition everything appeared good . But after using just for an hour(2,3 flights) my RC left joystick stopped working, something inside broke (per Fimi its a ball). After sending couple of emails, pictures and video they told me that they will send me a replacement part(ball) which I have to replace it my self. Looks like this company really doesn't care about their product quality and also not a great customer service. Now waiting for the replacement part.

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

Fimi is a small company with no offices in each country so don’t expect much. I’ve never seen a joystick break (unless a controller is dropped). I know I chatted with them once about an item that didn’t work and there is definitely a language barrier. I was asking one thing and they were telling me something different due to not understanding.

[@pokhya]

@@CAPTAINDRONE798 Sorry! Joystick is not broken. I opened the RC and found out that inside there is a plastic ball which is broken. I found similar case with other owner kzbin.info/www/bejne/eIS6hI18qMp6rJI

[@Northstar-Media]

Such a shame fimi have not sorted there quality control. I have the 2019 version & got lucky & still flys great .

[@dazag73]

Happy new year and thanks for the review. Didn't see any dreaded horizon tilt, it's the main reason I didn't upgrade from X8 2018 to 2020. Some on here saying the rubber dampener is deliberately left off by Fimi to solve jello or the horizon tilt problem, maybe I should try that with my 2018. Please update us if you do more testing. Thanks for all you do.

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

That is what viewers are telling me... only 3 rubber grommets. My 2020 has 4 which is why I thought one was missing. I also spun this drone around super fast many times to get horizon tilt and none occurred.

[@PokerGuts]

Hey thanks for doing the review I was one of those that requested it a bit ago :)

[@mattcero1]

Dude, my same drone 2020 model did an uncommanded descent straight down onto a busy road yesterday. I had the last lat. long. on the APP and used that on Google Maps to get an idea of where it was along with a rough visual memory of where I saw it, north northwest of my house. The only reason I recovered my drone was the strobe was still flashing. The drone was damaged from the traffic and off to the side of the road. I'm reaching out to FIMI now to give them a chance to replace the malfunctioning drone. I also requested from my local police department if they were using laser around where I live because the entire time my son and I were driving around looking for it, my radar/laser detector was going off indicating it was detecting laser.

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

Did it land due to battery issues? Strange.

[@mikeashland1901]

Another highly informative review of a new model. Thanks! How does the camera quality compare to another similarly-spec’d model with a good rating - Hubsan Zino Mini SE?

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

This one is better in low light

[@Hans.Dewitt]

thats a sub 250g class mini drone so its a bit like comparing apples and oranges

[@moamaster1]

For about the same money a mini2 has excellent QC and the company stands behind it.

[@RickyD1968]

FIMI X8 SE V2 is a Very cool drone for the money for what you get that most drones do not have like SAR, megaphone, drop latch and landing lights, rain resistant etc. !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@philippg2380]

Just purchased FIMI X8SE 2022 V2 two years ago. The drone is okay, but loud and if I change direction in sportmode, I can see the propellers in the camera. A few weeks ago I wanted to fly again, I charged my three batteries and made some videos. After the batteries where discharged by use, I was not able to recharge them again. All of the three batteries where destroyed at once. I checked the cells one by one, there where OK, but however I was not able to use them again. FIMI support told me, I have to discharge and charge the batteries all few months. Thats a joke. The drone is actually not worth 100€ anymore for one batterie replacement. I bought DJI mini 4 pro now...

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

This is common with all smart batteries designed for beginners. If you drain the batteries they will then become dead within a month or two if not charged. DJI owners know this well.

[@moemaster1966]

Been waiting on this ….😀

[@driewiel]

2022 edition looks colder.

[@everydaydrones]

Thank You!

[@henrytaaffe7058]

great review steve as always

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@yanero0215]

Hi Captain...Rainbow for dji already added compatibility with the mini 2...SE and Air2s with way points...flight plans etc etc ahead of litchi and others...do yo are going to do a video testing that app and those feature with the minis?

[@GorillamansGarage]

I got mine today. No buzzing. No flight yet. I know the 2018 had 1080p at like 100fps and 720p at 200fps. I don't see that on the 2022.

[@charlestoast4051]

Wow, I can't believe you missed one of the biggest features - the switch to 2.4GHz control, resulting in far better signal penetration thru foliage, and a maximum claimed range of 10k.

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

Did I not mention that the range and communication system was improved?

[@charlestoast4051]

@@CAPTAINDRONE798 it was such a cursory description of what actually constitutes a profound change. We are accustomed to the range claims gradually being increased year to year, but changing to 2.4GHz makes a huge difference in some circumstances, including locations where the signal has to penetrate obstructions. I recently had direct experience of this, being able to fly my X8 and Zino Mini Pro side by side. The 2.4GHz ZMP had much better signal in those conditions.

[@FahadKhan_3007]

Looks like 2022 version is better than 2020 version specially, camera-wise... How was this product that you got is defective?! It is really cheap (less than half the price of my DJI Mini 2.), good quality drone. Level 8 wind resistance is nice, Camera quality is satisfactory, and it is pretty heavy too. Very less money is used in making these FIMI drones indeed and It is a good drone for the price!

[@arthursamaul341]

It's look pretty good except the shaking,good to know thanks

[@123windyron]

Another fantastic review thanks much!!!

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@dhaxside]

Tnx, the review i was waiting for.

[@dhaxside]

Hope you're fimi 2022 gets sorted out so we can see if the horizon tilt thingy from the 2020 got fixed

[@wmello1963]

I bought the Fimi X8 SE 2020 after watching your review. I've had nothing but tilted horizons from day one and their latest update did nothing to correct it. I will never buy another Fimi.

[@jplo5299]

Nothwithstanding the 3 rubber grommets, it does not make sense to release a dnone in this incomplete form factor. It seems like an excuse not to fix the prevalent issues. Otherwise, a decent drone.

[@Altair885]

Great vid! That camera looks so much better than the older one. That's the only complaint I have with the 2020 version. I did initially have the gimbal tilt issue but that's been resolved after a firmware update and a bit of experimentation. Were you able to test signal strength between the two versions? Would be interesting to see how much better the new one is in that regard. Think I might give my 2020 version to my son and buy one of these, hopefully I'll be lucky again and not get a lemon🤞😁.

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

I spun this one around super fast and no horizon tilt. I also flew it behind my house and signal was strong.

[@Altair885]

@@CAPTAINDRONE798 Thanks for taking the time to reply, it's much appreciated! 🙂

[@RVerJerry]

It was the one next to the box.😆😅🤣😂I guessed it before the stickies.

[@user-be1ct6sn5j]

FC From Thailand 💕

[@ltck.3679]

Hi Steve, great review as always. Question: I have the 2020 one and still my settings are not being saved when I switch off the drone. Next time I start it I have to manually change all the settings and my gimbal has to be calibrated (tilts to the right all the time ...). Any advice on how to permanently save those settings? Any special sequence I have to start the whole system to avoid gimbal problems? Thank you very much and... all the best for 2022! Kay

[@shsechas]

I don't have the Fimi 2020 but curious if this was happening to you recently since the new 2022, or this always happened. I'm asking because my Autel Evo1 had the same issue and found out the reason. Autel used the same app for the Evo1 as the new Evo2. They didn't care about the Evo1 anymore and updated the app to better fit the Evo2. Every time I started the app I had to reset all the settings. My solution was to download an older app and now all is fine. Hope the Cap can help you.

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

LTC K. Some settings are saved like flight distance, return to home, etc. Other settings like gimbal adjustments, other than calibration, are usually not saved in drones.

[@shsechas]

@@CAPTAINDRONE798 Listen to the Cap. He gives the best info, however my Evo1 did keep all my settings until they updated the app to use the features in the Evo2.

[@swearenginjs]

What about all the talk of the new smart controller? I can find a little info about it online but where the heck can I buy it at?!?!?

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

I asked Fimi. Not yet available so didn’t mention it.

[@swearenginjs]

@@CAPTAINDRONE798 that’s why I’m holding off in buying it. I’m gonna wait until I can get it with the new smart controller. Hurry the heck up FIMI!

[@CAPTAINDRONE798]

@@swearenginjs My guess is the controller is not made by Fimi. More of a 3rd product party option.

[@TK-fp5fp]

Wow, that’s a lot bigger than I thought it would be. 🤷🏻‍♂️