Global Drone Union O2

Small is beautiful.

- Patrick Sherman

Question: Which drone is best?

Answer: The one that you have with you when there is an opportunity to capture compelling aerial video or still photographs.

By that standard, the new O2 from Global Drone Union (GDU) may be the best drone yet. Many different manufacturers like to tout that their compact drone designs are “about the same size as a water bottle,” but they never mention the controller, with a pair of gangly joysticks vulnerable to damage if it is tossed into a knapsack along with the drone.

GDU has solved that problem by making the drone and the controller fit together like a pair of Lego bricks, creating a single, compact package that protects its delicate components and is, well, about the same size as a water bottle.

HIGHLIGHTS

The GDU O2 arrives with everything you need to start flying right out of the box—except for an Android or iOS smartphone, which provides video, telemetry, and auxiliary-control inputs via the GDU Mini app. Even as you set up the controller for the first time, you will begin to appreciate the clever design that sets the O2 apart from other drones.

The controller incorporates a telescoping, spring-loaded middle section that expands to hold your phone snugly between the two joysticks and creates the impression of a seamless, integrated unit. It’s a superior solution to the sundry clamps and claws that other manufacturers have relied on to grasp the user’s smartphone.