Buying this cheap drone can ruin the holidays – but buying the same one can make them amazing... Confused? You have every right to be!

A child using the Potensic Atom 2 drone
(Image credit: Adam Juniper)

I just updated the guide to the best non-DJI drones, and I found myself wondering what was going on with the prices of one paticular drone: the impressive, powerful, and still very new Potensic Atom 2.

This drone will be a popular choice for the holidays for three reasons. It has a 4K camera, GPS safety features, and in America politicians are imposing restrictions on DJI, the market-leading brand, so this is one of the best non-DJI drones available.

The thing is, the Atom 2 is the newer model, and I was expecting to find it costing a bit more more than the slightly older (but still pretty good) Atom, but instead I kept finding it listed for the same or less. I thought it was a great deal, but then I realised what was going on – and how it could ruin a great gift. Before I explain, here's a quick table to explain the difference between the two drones I'm talking about...

Potensic Atom 2 v Potensic Atom

Potensic Atom 2 and remote control
Image credit: Potensic
Potensic
Image credit: Potensic
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Row 0 - Cell 0

Potensic Atom 2

Potensic Atom

Launch date

Early 2025

Nov 2023

Video quality

4K HDR

4K

Gimbal

Camera

1/2-inch sensor, 12MP/48MP Sony

1/3-inch sensor, 12MP

Range

6.2 miles

3.73 miles

Flight features

Cruise Control, New 'Eve' app, custom RTH, Dolly Zoom effect, AI Follow, AI Focus, AI Parallel, plus all on right column.

Pull-away, Spiral, Rocket, Circle, Boomerang

Weight

249g

249g

Flight time

32 mins

32 mins

Launch USA RRP with controller and battery

$359.99

$299

Row 10 - Cell 0

Atom 2 Review

Atom review

Look carefully, save Christmas!

To add a bit of extra confusion, there is also a model without a powered gimbal, called the SE. The gimbal helps keep the camera steady, and makes the video much better, so I'll ignore the Atom SE (and recommend you do the same).

At this point, the original Atom (1) is listed as $249.99 (down from $299.99) on Potensic's own site. The Atom 2 is listed as $359.99, which sounds about right for the upgrades, or $479.99 for a 'Fly More Combo' with extra batteries and a bag.

But all my clever AI searches for the best drone were showing me the Atom 2 for $249.99. What a great deal, I thought.

Then I looked a bit closer and I saw a mistake that could have been easily made and been very disappointing. That price was for literally just the drone – no controller, no battery.

It's a replacement in case you've suffered an accident, but on its own it's effectively useless. The A.I. that I was searching with couldn't tell the difference between a replacement drone for clumsy pilots and a discount.

Then I realised this time of year I bet a lot of new customers in a hurry couldn't either – and imagine how disappointing it'd be to find out on the day of giving the gift that what you thought was a bargain was actually an incomplete and useless gift?

With that in mind, I thought I'd provide this handy guide:

So, whether it's called 'Pack of 1 Drone' (as it is in America) or 'replacement drone' (as it is in Britain), the drone on it's own appears cheaper, but won't do anything. It's also not a lot cheaper than a drone with a controller (worth over $100) and a battery (over $50). Keep your eyes out for this and you'll save the holidays!

Adam Juniper
Managing Editor

With over 20 years of expertise as a tech journalist, Adam brings a wealth of knowledge across a vast number of product categories, including timelapse cameras, home security cameras, NVR cameras, photography books, webcams, 3D printers and 3D scanners, borescopes, radar detectors… and, above all, drones. 


Adam is our resident expert on all aspects of camera drones and drone photography, from buying guides on the best choices for aerial photographers of all ability levels to the latest rules and regulations on piloting drones. 


He is the author of a number of books including The Complete Guide to Drones, The Smart Smart Home Handbook, 101 Tips for DSLR Video and The Drone Pilot's Handbook

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