Temu, the Chinese language e-commerce platform recognized for its shockingly low costs, rocketed into American consciousness with its splashy Tremendous Bowl 2024 advert blitz. However can drone pilots belief this newcomer for getting drones? We at The Drone Woman donned our skepticism goggles and dug deep to see if Temu takes flight or crashes and burns.
Temu’s attract: rock-bottom costs and infinite selection
Temu is an internet market that sells a variety of merchandise, from toys and garments to, sure, drones. Operated by Chinese language e-commerce firm PDD Holdings, it sells closely discounted items that are principally shipped to customers instantly from China. Temu lists dozens of drones at a fraction of the worth you’d discover at established retailers. You’ll be able to conduct a practically-infinite scroll of Temu to discover a lengthy checklist of drones. Many drones price below $50. Many, many extra price below $100.
Temu itself isn’t a producer. As a substitute, China-based distributors submit their items on the location, which they promote and ship on to prospects. The direct-to-consumer delivery is one cause why the products are so low cost. And let’s face it, many drone pilots budget-conscious lovers. With that, Temu’s siren tune is plain. However it additionally implies that high quality can differ.
Temu drones: how is the standard and security?
Temu drones come from many, many alternative drone makers — none of that are large names. As of this writing, you gained’t discover a DJI drone or Autel drone on its web site. The truth is, not a single drone in my information to the greatest digital camera drones could be bought on Temu. For these particular manufacturers, you’ll need to go to extra established and respected on-line sellers like Amazon or B&H Picture, or credible drone passion retailers like GetFPV.
Temu drones come from firms that we’ve largely by no means heard of. With so many alternative makers, high quality is definitely fairly troublesome to regulate, and it may be painfully inconsistent. Drone Woman has by no means independently reviewed drones from Temu. We are likely to keep away from recommending merchandise from obscure manufacturers for causes together with that spare components and assist is perhaps nonexistent.
So far as the Temu web site as a complete? Temu lacks accreditation from the Higher Enterprise Bureau (BBB) which isn’t essentially a foul factor by itself. That stated, a excessive BBB score is an efficient signal, so to not have one is usually a pink flag.
However it doesn’t cease there, as buyer critiques throughout a variety of merchandise paint a combined image. Complaints vary from shoddy high quality to gadgets by no means arriving, elevating questions on product security and reliability.
A 2022 Time Journal article cited undelivered packages, mysterious costs, incorrect orders, and unresponsive customer support. Equally, a 2023 TechCrunch article famous scammy listings, broken and delayed deliveries, incorrect orders and lack of customer support.
Are Temu drones secure?
For what it’s price, just about something you’ll discover on Temu is a toy drone. Generally, toy drones — that are light-weight and restricted in vary — pose minimal security dangers.
Many drones offered on Temu even weight lower than 250 grams. Drones below 250 grams are a giant deal for numerous causes that largely chalk as much as a important security threshold. Within the early 2010s, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requested a committee of aviation and drone consultants to find out the minimal weight of a drone that leisure drone pilots must be required to register their drones, centered across the principle that higher-risk drones would must be registered whereas decrease danger ‘toy’ drones wouldn’t must be. The committee employed complicated formulation involving kinetic power and terminal velocity to find out that 250 grams was a transparent threshold for what constituted a secure vs unsafe flight.
In fact, any drone with spinning propellers is a few form of danger, and even ‘toy’ drones ought to solely be given responsibly to youngsters (e.g. used below grownup supervision). However, it’s unlikely a toy drone may trigger critical harm.
In the event you do purchase a toy drone from Temu, prioritize these with security options like propeller guards, like these seen on the Tomzon Mini Drone. Even higher, search for drones with full propeller cages as seen on merchandise just like the HoverAir X1.
We do like low cost, toy drones
For what it’s price, the Drone Woman crew usually does recognize the proliferation of low cost, toy drones. I at all times advocate novice pilots study on an inexpensive apply drone. For starters, you’d slightly crash your $20 Temu drone right into a pool than your $2,200 DJI Mavic 3. And that’s not the one cause to start out on an inexpensive toy drone.
Low-cost apply drones are sometimes harder to learn to fly than costly, higher-end drones which have automated management software program that permits the drones to takeoff and touchdown. That’s a great factor. Simply as you wouldn’t get within the driver’s seat of a self-driving Tesla with out first studying how you can drive in your mother’s outdated Honda Civic, proper, the identical goes for drones. Even when a drone can fly itself, be ready in case it’s good to take management. The easiest way to do this is to study to fly the laborious method on an inexpensive apply drone.
Temu: skip or embrace?
For now, we’re nonetheless saying skip. Whereas I like the concept of newbies getting their fingers on an inexpensive, apply drone, there are additionally loads of drones on the market on different websites like Amazon.
Whereas Amazon has its personal points (and loads of its toy drones aren’t precisely high-quality both), the corporate as a complete has a a lot stronger status. Different nice causes to purchase drones on Amazon?
- Returns are straightforward: In the event you don’t like what you got, Amazon sends you delivery labels to cowl the delivery price, or you’ll be able to merely print again the returned gadgets to the Buyer Service desk at Complete Meals which could be even simpler.
- Refunds are quick: Count on the cash again to your account inside 3-5 days of the return being processed.
- Transport is even sooner: Most orders arrive in 2 days. Some may even are available two hours.
- Offers are even higher for loyal prospects: Loyal prospects usually can profit from changing into an Amazon Prime member. Although Amazon Prime membership prices $139 yearly, it comes with extra advantages like sooner delivery (or coupons in the event you opt-out of quick delivery), free picture and video storage, entry to offers on Amazon Prime Day, Prime Gaming and extra.
- Potential to avoid wasting with an Amazon bank card: As a Prime member, you’re eligible to use for the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Card. The most important advantage of that card is 5% again on purchases at Amazon and Complete Meals. Even higher, the cardboard has a $0 annual price.
Certain, Temu has ridiculously low cost costs. They typically provide free delivery, too. However in the event you choose to purchase a drone (or anything on Temu), use warning. The danger averse have loads of different locations to purchase drones from.
Have you ever shopped on Temu earlier than? Depart a remark about your expertise!
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