Would you believe the intro of this video wasn't shot with a DJI? It was shot with the Holy Stone HS900, a sub-250 g drone with 4K and a three-axis gimbal. In July 2025 it surprised me so much that it changed what I recommend to beginners.
Not what I expected
YouTube is full of beautiful drone shots, and probably 95% of them come from DJI drones. I own a DJI Mini 4 Pro and take it on holiday. When the HS900 arrived in the mail, I wasn't expecting much. I'd reviewed previous Holy Stone drones and they were fine, but none had a three-axis gimbal. This one does, so I was very curious.
All the intro shots were from the HS900, with no colour correction, straight out of the SD card. I only added the black bars. I was impressed by the quality, the stabilisation and how easy it is to use.
In the box
It comes in a nice Holy Stone carry case. The controller has screw-in sticks (I think they copied that from DJI, and I don't love it because you have to remember to stow them), a phone holder and cables for USB-C and Lightning. The drone unfolds like a Mini 4 Pro, with a gimbal cover over the three-axis gimbal.
The smart battery is also the power switch: hold and press, and the drone turns on. I flew for 25 minutes straight with no wind; in wind I'd expect 18 to 20, so get a spare. It charges over USB-C, and my 128 GB SD card worked fine. I did a basic calibration before flying, and I recommend updating the firmware: Holy Stone had released one a couple of months earlier.
Image quality
When I buy a drone, I look at whether the image is sharp, stable and the horizon is straight. That's the thin line between toy drones and semi-pro drones, and the HS900 crosses it. The stabilisation shocked me. Sharpness isn't at DJI's level, but it's not the same price either. Photos are 48 megapixels from a 1/3-inch sensor, very detailed in bright light and surprisingly good at sunset in low light.
I didn't really test the intelligent modes. They're GPS-based, and I'm not a fan: I prefer flying manually. What I wanted to know was simple: can I go on holiday and come home with video I can use on YouTube? Yes.
Is it a DJI killer?
With a catch. When friends and family asked me what drone to start with, I used to say a DJI Mini 4K, about €400 at most. Now I'd suggest the HS900, under $300 or €300, for beginners who plan to step up to a DJI later. The only con I found was having to register with Holy Stone to activate it. There's also no geofencing. In Brindisi I'm basically inside an airport no-fly zone, and with DJI I have to drive 10 km out of town. With this I flew in my garden, respecting the law and staying under 50 metres because we're near the airport. Fly safe, and learn your local rules.