SG909MAX GPS Drone, 3-Axis Gimbal & Touch-Screen Remote, 1, 2 or 3 Batteries

Steady Footage, and the Screen is in the Remote.

Small drones shake the picture every time the wind gusts, and most of them want your phone clipped on to see it. If the point of the drone is footage worth keeping, the camera needs to be held steady and the screen needs to be part of the kit.

The SG909MAX carries its camera on a three-axis mechanical gimbal and records 3840 × 2160 video and photos to the memory card, by the maker's chart. The remote has its own touch screen, the maker shows one-key return home and return on low battery or out of range, and this MAX version includes the clip-on obstacle-avoidance module. It folds to about 110 × 110 × 205 mm.

This is a bigger drone: 750 g on the maker's own scale photo, with an 11.4 V 5000 mAh battery. Choose one, two or three batteries; they can't be bought later, so buy the flying time you want now. The maker's parameter sheet leaves flight time and range blank, and we won't fill them in for it.

What it Does

• Films Steady: the three-axis gimbal holds the camera level while the drone moves, by the maker's description.
• Shows the Picture on the Remote: a touch screen built in; no phone needed.
• Comes Home: one-key return, plus return on low battery or when it goes out of range, shown by the maker. A backstop, not a plan.
• Covers the Property: from the air, for a look over fences, dams and roofs. Working property? Read Before you Fly first.

Key Features

• Three-Axis Mechanical Gimbal: shown and named in the maker's pictures.
• 3840 × 2160 Video and Photos: to the memory card, by the maker's chart; on this touch-screen version recording is to the card, not to an app.
• Touch-Screen Remote: 2.4 GHz, 3.7 V 3000 mAh battery (maker's parameter sheet).
• Obstacle-Avoidance Module: the MAX version includes it (maker's chart and box list); what it detects is not specified.
• GPS and Return to Home: one-key, low-battery and out-of-range return (maker's pictures).
• 1, 2 or 3 Batteries: 11.4 V 5000 mAh lithium each (maker).
• Folds Down: about 110 × 110 × 205 mm folded, 490 × 270 × 110 mm unfolded (maker).
• In the Box: drone, touch-screen remote, obstacle-avoidance module, your battery choice, USB lead, two pairs of spare propellers, screwdriver, eight spare screws, manual and travel bag (maker's box list).

Before you Fly

In Australia, flying a drone for fun needs no licence and no registration, but CASA's rules still apply: no higher than 120 m, at least 30 m from other people and never over anyone, one drone at a time, daylight only, in your own line of sight (not just on the screen), clear of beaches, parks and events while people are using them, and well away from any emergency. At 750 g (the maker's scale photo) this drone is over 250 g, so stay at least 5.5 km from any controlled airport. Registering it for business use carries CASA's levy for drones over 500 g.

On the Farm it Counts as Work. If the drone is used for your business, checking stock, water, fences or crops included, CASA treats it as commercial flying even under 250 g: the drone must be registered and you need an operator accreditation or a remote pilot licence. National parks and some councils have their own rules too.

CASA's Know Your Drone site has the full rules. Our Before you Fly guide has the look-ups for your area and links for New Zealand, the UK, Europe and Canada. Travelling with it? Check the drone rules wherever you fly; they change at every border.

Spare Parts and Repairs: BushLine does not stock spare parts for this drone and does not offer a repair service for it. Spare propellers and batteries for this model may be sold elsewhere, but we can't promise they will be available. Extra batteries can only be bought with the drone, as a battery option above.

Limits

Flight Time and Range: Left Blank by the Maker. The maker's own parameter sheet leaves both empty. Its sales pictures say 45 minutes and 10 km, but we can't stand behind either. In Australia you must keep it in your own sight anyway.

It is Over 250 g. That changes where you can fly near airports (see Before you Fly).

No App Recording on This Version. The maker's chart shows the touch-screen version recording to the memory card, not to a phone app.

The Manual's Language is Not Confirmed. The maker's box picture shows a manual, but the supplier does not say whether it is in English.

Wind and Water. No wind or water figures are published. Leave it home in rain.

Q & A

Do I Need a Licence?

Not for fun in Australia, but CASA's rules apply, and at 750 g you must stay 5.5 km from controlled airports (see Before you Fly). Business flying, the farm included, needs registration and an operator accreditation.

Do I Need my Phone?

No. The remote has its own touch screen.

How Long does a Battery Last?

The maker doesn't say on its parameter sheet, and we won't guess. That is why there are 1, 2 and 3-battery kits.

What is the Obstacle-Avoidance Module?

A clip-on sensor unit the MAX version comes with (it is in the box list and the kit pictures). The maker doesn't say what it can see, so fly as though it can't.

How Long does Delivery Take?

Free Standard Delivery. Allow 5 to 10 working days from the day you order. Allow 1–2 days for fulfilment. Regional and remote addresses can take longer. Ordering from outside Australia? Import duty and tax on arrival are yours to pay.

Specs