Potensic releases Atom SE sub-250 drone just in time for the holidays

If you’re looking for a last-minute gift for your drone-interested loved ones, Potensic just dropped a new drone that gives you the thrill of flying without the major hit to your wallet. The Atom SE is now available on Amazon and Potensic’s website.

Sub-250 drone that doesn’t break the bank

The Atom SE packs a pretty good punch for the price point. Targeted towards those that want to create content but are on a budget, Potensic’s latest offering of a sub-250 drone features a 12 MP camera that can shoot up to 4K 30 video. While a downside to the camera system is that it only supports tilt control and no gimbal if you plan your shots out carefully, that should be easily overcomeable.

Each battery has an estimated flight time of 31 minutes and in sport mode, can fly up to 16 m/s; both are similar to DJI’s Mini 2 but is $150 cheaper. All of this comes in less than 250 grams, meaning if you get this for someone new to flying drones, as long as they are flying recreationally, they won’t have to register it in most countries.

You can order the Atom SE directly through Potensic’s website, where for right now, you can get a $20 off coupon automatically applied at checkout. You can also order the Atom SE from Amazon and still get it before Christmas if you’re in the United States. When you order, you get the drone, a smartphone controller, two batteries, and all the required cables for $299.99. The same price as DJI’s Mini SE but with higher quality video.

First hands-on thoughts

Potensic sent us a review unit to give you all our thoughts on the drone, and while winter weather has prevented me from flying it enough to provide you with a full review, here are some of my initial thoughts.

My bar for the Atom SE was pretty low. Being a budget drone, I expected something usable and nothing that could compare to the industry leaders. However, I actually ended up having a lot of fun flying it. Maybe I’ve just been flying on C mode too much lately, but it felt like the Atom SE had some great acceleration and was very maneuverable. I can see this as an excellent gift for someone who just wants a drone to fly around to have fun rather than do professional work.